Kingfisher’s Detour

by Asako Takiwa

illus. by Machiko Kyo

The third volume in Chiharu’s coming-of-age story finds her in high school. Spending the summer holidays at her father’s family home, she learns that her grandmother’s condition is worrying. When her aunt leaves to attend a birth abroad, someone must care for the elderly woman. Though her father doubts her ability, Chiharu insists: “I’ll do it.” In this tender tale of family ties and responsibility, she confronts frustration, pride, and newfound independence, deepening the portrait of a girl learning to grow.

20 x 14 cm, 222 pages, Black-and-white illustrations
First published July 2025