Lensey Namioka Books In Order

Zenta and Matsuzo Samurai Books In Order

  1. The Samurai And The Long-nosed Devils (1976)
  2. White Serpent Castle (1976)
  3. Valley Of The Broken Cherry Trees (1980)
  4. Village Of The Vampire Cat (1981)
  5. Island of Ogres (1989)
  6. The Coming of the Bear (1992)

Yang Books In Order

  1. Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear (1992)
  2. Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family (1995)
  3. Yang the Second and Her Secret Admirers (1998)
  4. Yang the Eldest and His Odd Jobs (2000)

Novels

  1. Who’s Hu? (1981)
  2. The Phantom of Tiger Mountain (1988)
  3. April and the Dragon Lady (1994)
  4. Den of the White Fox (1997)
  5. Ties That Bind, Ties That Break (1999)
  6. An Ocean Apart, a World Away (2002)
  7. Half and Half (2003)
  8. Mismatch (2006)

Picture Books

  1. The Loyal Cat (1995)
  2. The Laziest Boy in the World (1998)
  3. The Hungriest Boy in the World (2001)

Anthologies edited

  1. Join in (1993)

Non fiction series

  1. Japan (1979)
  2. China (1985)

Zenta and Matsuzo Samurai Book Covers

Yang Book Covers

Novels Book Covers

Picture Books Book Covers

Anthologies edited Book Covers

Non fiction series Book Covers

Lensey Namioka Books Overview

The Samurai And The Long-nosed Devils

During a warlord’s drive to unify Japan, two unemployed samurai become bodyguards to a group of foreigners being harassed by the warlord’s enemies.

White Serpent Castle

There was once a castle shaped like a writhing serpent and reputed to be haunted. According to legend, the daughter of a former lord of the region had thrown herself into the castle moat and changed into a monstrous serpent. This exciting mystery follows Zenta and Matsuzo, two unemployed samurai warriors, or ronin, who arrive at the castle to uncover a web of intrigue, jealousy, and murder. This expertly crafted puzzler is as thrilling and sharp as a samurai sword.

Valley Of The Broken Cherry Trees

Wandering samurai Zenta and Matsuzo stop at a rural inn to find its famous cherry trees grossly mutilated. They must find out why, and not get caught in the traps set by two rival warlords. This thrilling adventure story will appeal to young readers interested in samurai.

Village Of The Vampire Cat

Kajiro, a young masterless samurai is sent to a Japanese island to spy on the old lord. But when his boat lands, he is mistaken for Zenta, the famous warrior, and the villagers and fisherman of the island are anxious for him to combat the ogres that are tormenting the island. With an unforgettable cast of unusual characters, from a spacey commander, to a mysterious guest, and nuns who behave strangely when visited by Kajiro Island of Ogres is a clever story that will satisfy young readers everywhere.

The Coming of the Bear

Zenta and Matsuzo’s boat arrives at the shore of an island populated by round eyed Ainu people. Although they seem friendly, Zenta and Matsuzo soon learn that they are prisoners!After fleeing to the Japanese settlement on another part of the island, Zenta and Matsuzo discover that the Japanese are making preparations for war. With conflicting views on the matter, Zenta and Matsuzo part ways. Can they prevent the battle or will they find themselves fighting one another?

Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear

Everyone in the Yang family is a talented musician except for nine year old Yingtao, the youngest Yang. Even after years of violin lessons from his father, Yingtao cannot make beautiful music. Now that his family has moved from China to Seattle, Yingtao wants to learn English and make new friends at school. Still, he must make time to practice his violin for an important family recital to help his father get more students. Yingtao is afraid his screeching violin will ruin the recital. But he’s even more afraid to tell his family that he has found something he likes better than music. Together he and his new friend Matthew think of a sure way to save the recital. They are certain nothing will go wrong.

Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family

Trying to become completely American despite her family’s equal determination to stick to Chinese customs, Yingmei Yang hopes to befriend popular Holly Hanson by adopting one of Holly’s new kittens. AB. H. VY.

Yang the Second and Her Secret Admirers

The delightful companion to the popular Yang the Youngest and His Terrible Ear and Yang the Third and Her Impossible Family. Yinglan Yang couldn’t care less that her brother and sister have adopted all sorts of American customs. She misses China and doesn’t want to fit in here. Her siblings decide that Yinglan needs help making friends in America. That’s when they join forces and play matchmaker between Yinglan and Paul Eng, a Chinese American baseball player. They’re certain Yinglan will never find out. Or will she?

Yang the Eldest and His Odd Jobs

‘The series of novels about the Yang family has been praised by reviewers as ‘funny, poignant’ Booklist, starred review and ‘breezy, snappy, and affectionately evoked’ New York Times. Publisher’s Weekly has said Lensey Namioka’s writing ‘sheds light on the Chinese American culture in a manner that at times recalls Amy Tan’s The Joy Luck Club. In this final installment in the Yang family quartet, Eldest Brother discovers he needs a new violin and is forced to get a job to pay for it. After trying his hand at everything from baby sitting to serving sushi, he becomes obsessed with making money and gives up on the violin altogether, until his younger siblings lead him to resume his music. Once again, Ms. Namioka offers firsthand insights into growing up Chinese American with a touching story and a healthy dose of humor.’

April and the Dragon Lady

April Chen is happily planning to go away to college, and she has a great new boyfriend, Steve. But as the only girl in her family, April is expected to take care of her grandmother. And Grandma, ‘the Dragon Lady,’ hates Steve and has other plans for April. Torn between her duty to her family and her desire for independence, April realizes she must find a way to define herself on her own terms. Includes a reader’s guide.

Den of the White Fox

Who is the White Fox? Is he merely the mysterious, charismatic leader of a doomed political rebellion? Or is he a powerful spirit, taking revenge on the occupying force that desecrated his shrine? And who or what shoves Zenta off a cliff on a dark and misty night? Two unemployed samurai in sixteenth century feudal Japan find themselves engaged in an adventure charged with trickery and political intrigue.

Ties That Bind, Ties That Break

Third Sister in the Tao family, Ailin has watched her two older sisters go through the painful process of having their feet bound. In China in 1911, all the women of good families follow this ancient tradition. But Ailin loves to run away from her governess and play games with her male cousins. Knowing she will never run again once her feet are bound, Ailin rebels and refuses to follow this torturous tradition. As a result, however, the family of her intended husband breaks their marriage agreement. And as she enters adolescence, Ailin finds that her family is no longer willing to support her. Chinese society leaves few options for a single woman of good family, but with a bold conviction and an indomitable spirit, Ailin is determined to forge her own destiny. Her story is a tribute to all those women whose courage created new options for the generations who came after them.

An Ocean Apart, a World Away

Xueyan, known as Yanyan, knows about outsiders. The teachers at her school are missionaries from America, and she never forgets that they are outsiders. Still, Yanyan has excelled at the missionary school and is eager to finish her last year there. Since she was 12, she has been fascinated by medicine, and planned to become a doctor. But even now, ten years after the Revolution of 1911, it is unusual for a woman to attend a university, let alone medical school. While most 16 year old girls are planning their weddings, Yanyan has no interest in marriage. But that’s before she meets Liang Baoshu. Passionate and dangerous, Baoshu offers Yanyan an adventurous life by his side. But when Yanyan realizes that being with Baoshu would also mean sacrificing her dream of becoming a doctor, she faces the most difficult decision of her life. And her choice leads to an entirely new adventure an ocean away in America where Yanyan is the outsider.

Half and Half

FIONA CHENG IS Half and Half: Her father is Chinese and her mother is Scottish. Fiona looks more like her father than her mother, so people always expect her to be more interested in her Chinese half than her Scottish half. Lately even Fiona’s confused about who she really is. A realistic, gentle and funny tale. Detroit News & Free Press Readers will identify with Fiona s struggle to fit in. Publishers WeeklyFrom the Hardcover edition.

Mismatch

Sue Hua just moved from racially diverse Seattle to a suburban white bread town where she feels like the only Asian American for miles. Then she meets Andy, a handsome and passionate violin player who happens to be Asian American. Sue feels an instant attraction to Andy, and her white friends think they re made for each other after all, they both use chopsticks and eat a lot of rice, right? But there’s just one problem. Andy s last name is Suzuki. And while that may mean nothing to the other students at Lakeview High, Sue knows that it presents a world of problems to her family.

The Laziest Boy in the World

When Xiaolong devises a way to capture the thief who breaks into his family’s home, all the people in the Chinese village change their minds about the ‘lazy’ boy.

The Hungriest Boy in the World

After swallowing the Hunger Monster, Jiro begins eating everything in sight, until his family finds a way to lure the monster out of Jiro’s stomach.

Join in

Here are seventeen original short stories that reflect young adults’ views on friendships and prejudice, expectations and disappointments, and connections and confrontations.

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