I forgot to update that I finished this! ( )

Momotaro is a book about a boy named Xander who is a normal every day boy until he discovers that he has powers. When he is in class and working, he gets a piece of paper that has a picture that seems real and living but he doesn’t remember if he drew it. He gets detention for drawing a picture of a girl in his class that is inappropriate for school. After detention he goes home with his friend Peyton who should be at baseball practice. At Xander’s house they find his grandma in the kitchen and his dad in his office with Inu sitting next to him. After dinner he sees his dad standing outside but then sees a huge tsunami and his dad tells him to run. His dad gets washed away by the tsunami but Xander finds his grandma in the house injured she gives him a netsuke box with a monkey and a ship in it and tells him he needs to save his father from the oni. Xander, Peyton, and ride the boat that he finds in his netsuke box. As they ride to the oni island, Peyton grows wings on the and then they find themselves with a strange lady. She takes them into the cave when they see a girl trapped in cage made of poison. Xander realizes that the woman they just met has turned into a monster and is now chasing after them. Peyton has wings and can fly but he cannot carry Xander so Xander spills his salt on the ground and the oni lady can not come near him anymore and they escape with the girl in cage. She leads Xander and Peyton to a steep wall. The girl climbs up with ease, Peyton fly’s up and Xander and Inu are stuck at the bottom. They use some vines to get up the wall. They all start traveling through the forest to go down stream. When they get to the stream, they rip off the bark from palm looking trees to ride down the stream. Then a oni bird chases them as they go down the river. Xander and the girl Jinx are together and Peyton and Inu. Xander and Jinx fall down a waterfall where they meet a teenage mutant ninja looking oni. Xander makes a bet to wrestle it and wins. He finds his grandfather’s sword in the Kappa’s tree. They walk across a cold dessert where they find a plane to rest in. They find Peyton and Inu who is injured from a oni. Jinx takes them to a Yokai, basically a nice oni who lets them stay the night so Inu can heal. When Xander wakes up he finds that he is being carried away by some smelly monster who knocks him out. When he wakes up from the cold water against his face Xander find his father is drowning. He wakes up in his consciousness and battles his social studies teacher with his powers that he is learning to control. He soon realizes that he can sdestroy. He comes back to reality where he is being lifted up by the water and he and destroys the oni and teleports back to his ship. They sale back to his house where the tide is super high but when he arrives home, there is a woman sitting on the table with red hair and his dad sees her and kisses her and then Xander realizes it is his mom.
In my opinion this is a good book. I found this book interesting because of the way the author pulls you into the story. When you are reading the story, it makes you feel like you are in the story. A reason why I like this book is because of the author tells you what the character is felling and what he is experiencing. I caught onto this book really quickly because it was lively and interesting.

The last few days before break, Xander has some strange experiences with his drawings, a school bully, and video games. When his house is attacked and his father taken, Xander discovers he is a Momotaro and has to use this skill to fight the Oni whom his family has been battling (unsuccessfully) for generations. A comic that he drew holds secrets to the group who will help him on his quest - a monkey, pheasant and dog. A little campy, but fun. ( )

Narrated by Chris Patton. This is a fantasy adventure twist on the Momotaro/Peach Boy story of Japanese folklore. Xander is a bit of an underachiever although he's talented at drawing. He's of mixed heritage with a Japanese father and white mother. The mother left the family when Xander was young. Strange things begin happening to Xander, culminating in a huge wave that wipes out California and carries his father away. It is then that Xander learns from his Obachan that he is a Momotaro. He must step up to conquer demons and save his father. There's plenty of action for adventure-loving readers but I found the escapade dragging out a tad too long. Patton's voice is youthful and fitting for Xander, a boy struggling to find and keep up his courage. ( )

MOMOTARO XANDER AND THE LOST ISLAND OF MONSTERS by Margaret Dilloway is a fantasy about a boy who discovers his legacy and sets off on a journey to find his place in the world.

This first book in a new middle-grade series tells the story of a mixed race eighth-grader with a talent for drawing. Xander’s ordinary life is thrown into chaos when his father disappears. Xander soon finds out that he comes from a long line of Japanese warriors called Momotaro and must discover his talents to save his friends and family.

Librarians will find this book to be popular with middle grade fantasy fans, particularly those who enjoy the works of Rick Riordan. It’s also a good introduction literature focusing on Asian characters and Japanese legends. Choong Yoon’s illustrations will appeal to readers who enjoy manga. Consider a literature circle that also includes the Percy Jackson books and Sea of Troll trilogy.

To learn more about the author, go to https://margaretdilloway.com/.

Published by Disney-Hyperion on April 5, 2016. ARC courtesy of the publisher. ( )