Published May 2026 by Viking Press, available wherever books are sold
Anzu and the Realm of Darkness
Anzu has just moved to a new town during Obon, a time for families to remember and celebrate their ancestors. Ever since her obaachan died, though, Obon has lost its magic. She doesn't feel much like celebrating anymore.
While avoiding holiday festivities, Anzu spots a stray dog down the street. A dog that seems to be staring right at her . But when she chases after it, she slips and falls down a ridge, losing consciousness. When she awakes, she’s in the Shinto underworld known as Yomi, a place she’s only heard about in Obaachan’s stories. The stray dog, she finds out, is actually the Gatekeeper of Yomi, and he warns her to return to the human realm before it’s too late.
Only, getting home is not as simple as she’d thought. Faced with the nefarious Queen Izanami of Yomi and a world full of creatures she’d once thought weren’t real, the race against the clock is on. She must break a curse, free the spirits of other lost children, and reach the gate home before sunrise…or be stuck in Yomi forever.
Recognition
2026 Carnegie Medal for Illustration Finalist
2026 Black-Eyed Susan Book Award Finalist
2024 Golden Poppy Book Awards Middle Grade Finalist
2024 CYBILS Graphic Novels Finalist
2024 ALA Best Graphic Novels for Children Reading List Selection
2024 Junior Library Guild Fantasy/Science Fiction Selection