"A call to preserve disappearing facets of Japan's rich and ancient culture, this book takes its inspiration from the 1960s classic, Hidden Hamlets by Shirasu Masako. Like Shirasu, Kerr travels to remote and lesser-known places around Japan where pockets of traditional culture can still be found. Some are faraway--like Aogashima Island, 200 miles south of Tokyo--while others are easy to reach, such as Mii-dera temple just east of Kyoto"--Publisher's...

"Twins Oliver and Trisha are on a canoe trip with their dad when a freak accident leaves their father badly injured. With no cell phone reception, their only choice is to continue down river and hope to find civilization. And they do-in a small village. Except the people there behave strangely, and weirdest of all is the giant scarecrow in the village square. The townspeople seem nervous-obsessed-with the scarecrow. 'He watches over us,' the twins...