Grand Prize Winner, Dante Rossetti Award for Young Adult Fiction, Chanticleer Book Awards 2021. Outstanding Action Adventure Fiction Book of the Year, IAN Awards   2021. 1st Place Fantasy Fiction, CIPA Book Awards 2021. Gold Medal Winner , Readers' Favorite Book Awards 2021. Silver Medal Winner for Audiobook Fiction , IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 2021.  B.R.A.G. Medallion Award Winner . Lost in the mists of Mount Fuji  . . .  but no one can escape destiny . . . . Join Taro , the legendary boy hero of Japan, in his quest for revenge on the ruthless warlord who killed his parents, as Taro, a young Samurai, must summon the courage to face his past and seize his destiny to save an empire from self-destruction in civil war. Author Blue Spruell reimagines classic Japanese folklore in an historical fantasy adventure of warlords, swords & mythical beasts from Old Japan - an engaging tale for adults young and old -  Banzai! Accompanied by Tanuki, a shape-shifting raccoon-dog sidekick, Taro embarks on a quest of self-discovery and revenge, falls for Kamehime, the teenage samurai daughter of a powerful warlord, and ultimately becomes embroiled in the political struggle for the Imperial throne. Along the way, Taro and his allies face fearsome yokai - the ghosts, goblins, and ghouls of Japanese folklore - and Taro struggles with what it means to be Samurai and human. "A riveting tale of betrayal, honor, and revenge that instantly hooks you in and just refuses to let go." -  READERS' FAVORITE,  Five Stars Review "Engaging and fun samurai adventures with a captivating cast." -  KIRKUS REVIEWS "An exciting, magical coming-of-age adventure book that draws from Japanese folklore and history." -  BOOK LIFE BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Taro is an extraordinary coming-of-age saga and highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of ancient legends retold. Highly recommended!" -  MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW A B.R.A.G. Medallion Honoree - INDIEBRAG Grand Prize Winner, Dante Rossetti Book Awards for Young Adult Fiction, Chanticleer International Book Awards 2021 IAN Outstanding Action Adventure Fiction Book of the Year 2021 1st Place Fantasy Fiction CIPA Book Award 2021 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal Winner 2021 IBPA Benjamin Franklin Awards 2021 Silver Medal Winner for Audiobook Fiction "Engaging and fun samurai adventures with a captivating cast." - KIRKUS REVIEWS "An exciting, magical coming-of-age adventure book that draws from Japanese folklore and history." - BOOK LIFE BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "Taro is an extraordinary coming-of-age saga and highly recommended especially for connoisseurs of ancient legends retold. Highly recommended!" - MIDWEST BOOK REVIEW "A riveting tale of betrayal, honor, and revenge that instantly hooks you in and just refuses to let go." - READERS' FAVORITE, Five Stars Review "A superbly plotted mythical tale packed full of larger than life characters. Highly recommended." - A "WISHING SHELF" BOOK REVIEW "A coming-of-age fantasy novel you don't want to miss." - READERS' FAVORITE, Five Stars Review "In this blend of fantasy, myth, and history . . . Spruell goes above and beyond." - THE US REVIEW OF BOOKS " Taro exudes a magical element reminiscent of The Jungle Book . . . . Immensely enjoyable." - READERS' FAVORITE, Five Stars Reviews "Spruell's engaging coming-of-age debut . . . sparkles." - BOOK LIFE BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY "A story of myth and mythology . . . as sharp as a samurai's sword." - AUTHOR ABBY LANE "For fantasy fans or lovers of Japanese culture . . . Spruell offers much to appreciate." - BLUEINK REVIEWS "A highly imaginative and engrossing . . . retelling of . . . Japan's most beloved folklore." - READERS' FAVORITE, Five Stars Review "An enchanting coming-of-age fantasy novel . . . steeped in Japanese culture and history." - FOREWORD CLARION REVIEWS "Tarō is a magical adventure . . . a very enjoyable tale." - HISTORICAL NOVEL SOCIETY "The narrative is magical, Taro's development is powerful, and the story is powerful too. Tarō . . . is absolute perfection." - READERS' FAVORITE, Five Stars Revie Tarō is the quintessential hero of three timeless Japanese folktales:  Kintar ō  (Golden Boy),  Urashima Tar ō  (Island Boy), and  Momotar ō  (Peach Boy). Each legend stands alone, bearing no relation to the others except in name. Some years ago, I saw a parallel between the personalities of Japan's three Great Unifiers and Momotarō's animal companions, the pheasant, monkey, and dog. I thought it might be amusing to write a short story drawing on this comparison. What began as a little excursion became a grand adventure. While the rest may not be history  per se , I hope the reader will enjoy this new yarn as much as I enjoyed spinning it. Many of the people and places in this story are real, although the circumstances are fictitious and bear no intentional resemblance to any locations or persons, living