The Master Puppeteer

by Katherine Paterson

A thirteen-year-old boy describes the poverty and discontent of eighteenth century Osaka and the world of puppeteers in which he lives.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Young Adult, School, Middle Grade, Childrens, Japan

179 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1975

About the author

Katherine Womeldorf Paterson is an American writer best known for children's novels, including Bridge to Terabithia. For four different books published 1975–1980, she won two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards. She is one of four people to win the two major international awards; for "lasting contribution to children's literature" she won the biennial Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing in 1998 and for her career contribution to "children's and young adult literature in the broadest sense" she won the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council in 2006, the biggest monetary prize in children's literature. Also for her body of work she was awarded the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature in 2007 and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association in 2013. She was the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, serving 2010 and 2011.

Reviews

[Cheryl · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm glad to see this got some awards, but how did it not even get a Newbery Honor, when it has all the favorite ingredients that many of the Winners have? It's exciting, it teaches about a period of history in Japan; it's got funny bits; it teaches about the theater, especially Japanese puppets; it models values of loyalty, honor, courage....

It should be in every fifth-grade classroom, and everybody who reads juvenile HF should read it, and I don't see how kids haven't marked it as a favorite timeless classic. The only reason I'm not rounding up to five full stars is because, even though this is my third time reading it, the intrigue/ mystery still confuses me a bit.

[Allison Tebo · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love pretty much anything set in Asia – I don’t know why, but I’ve always been fascinated by that region and their cultures. I have read several novels set in Korea or China, but not many set in Japan, making this novel a treat and a relatively new experience. The authoress of this wonderful book was born in China and did missionary work in Japan, and her background is clearly felt in the writing. The book’s accuracy and atmosphere feels palpable.

Storytelling in all its forms is, obviously, of great interest to me, so the focus on Bunraku (Japanese puppet theater) was fascinating. I’m a fan of puppetry, but I only knew the most vague details about this particular type of puppet theater and I was eager to know more. This novel’s portrayal of theater life has plenty of drama on and off the stage! The political upheaval of this time period paired with a young boy’s coming of age story kept me wrapped up in the story. The cherry on top was a Robin Hood / Zorro vibe and a few twists at the end that genuinely surprised me as the book drew to a satisfactory close.

Note: Be warned: If you have any affinity at all for Asian food – this book will make you HUNGRY.

[Sarah B · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I was quite hooked on this one and I really had wanted to finish it last night but I was just too sleepy and the hour too late - but a really great book makes you want to keep reading and this one did that. And the story flowed very smoothly too. The actual plot reminded me of a cross between Robin Hood and The Scarlet Pimpernel - you know where a famous masked person (named Saburo) is running about stealing from the rich. One of the side plots revolve around the main character, young Jiro, trying to figure out who this person is. But the bigger and more important question is: once you figure out who Saburo actually is, what do you do?

So this one is set in Japan during a famine. It's old-fashioned days - no year is mentioned so in some ways it's timeless - but it's before modern technology and no mention of the West (or Europe) either... Young Jiro lives with his parents in a puppet making shop but times are bad and they are basically starving. Jiro decides to go live with the theatre group who makes puppet shows, hoping he could earn coins to send to his parents. It's interesting to see how the puppet shows were made and also on how Jiro tried to fit in with the other boys near his age. I had no idea that making those puppet shows was so complex.

The bits I liked the most were the struggles Jiro had throughout the book. They dealt with emotions like jealousy and pride. And he also had some very hard choices to make too! He had to face dangerous situations as well, the most severe dangers coming near the end. And of course there is honour and the idea of owing people debts for favors.

The book also has many wonderful black and white illustrations that help bring the story to life.

[Libby · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Master Puppeteer is of course another favorite. It is the story of Sabura, a Japanese Robin Hood who steals from the rich to help the very poor in the Japanese feudal system. Jiro,an apprentice, learn’s from the puppet master’s son (Kinshi) the trade of both making and using beautiful puppets for entertainment. As the hungry crowd mobs and the authorities furiously search for the true identity of Sabura, Jiro is caught in the middle between Yoshida his master and his family. Fantastic suspense combined with historical fiction.

[Michelle Cotnoir · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall, a good book and we enjoyed reading it as we studied Japan. Some parts were a little confusing and I really wanted to know more about Saburo. The ending felt abrupt, leaving some issues unresolved and questions unanswered.

[Dylan.E 8S · Rating 4 out of 5]

it was a very good book, but it's ending could have been more exiting to read instead right to the point and finish it without any explanation. As well it was a very good book because of the past and how that the puppets were made and performed.

[Erika · Rating 3 out of 5]

Part of our Eastern Hemisphere studies and a good intro on Japan. I learned a lot about the cultural art of Japanese puppets and we followed it up with some great videos.

Last night’s bravery is not sufficient for today’s crisis.

[Moira · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Master Puppeteer is about a young boy, Jiro, who leaves home to work at a puppet theatre. The story takes place towards the end of the Edo era in Japan. I enjoyed the book - particularly the figurative language used throughout the novel. I would recommend this book to those people who enjoy historical fiction or for students that will be studying Japanese history.

[cindy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Novel yang berkisah tentang seorang bocah di Osaka di sekitar tahun 1700-an, saat masyarakat Jepang umumnya kekurangan pangan sementara para pedagang, samurai, dan Daimyo menyibukkan diri dengan perang yang berkelanjutan.

Si Bocah, Jiro, meninggalkan rumah orang tuanya dan memilih untuk mengabdi pada sebuah teater boneka yang dipimpin oleh Yoshida. Di tempat itu ia berteman baik dengan Yoshida Kinshi, putra si ketua, yang tidak terlalu berbakat untuk menjadi dalang boneka. Di saat yang sama, seorang pencuri budiman seringkali merampok dari para saudagar dan pejabat dan kemudian membagi-bagikan beras kepada orang miskin. Walaupun demikian, hadiah uang untuk informasi tentang Saburo si pencuri yang ditawarkan Daimyo cukup menggiurkan siapapun untuk mengkhianatinya, termasuk pula Jiro, yang mendapati ibunya hampir mati kelaparan sementara ayahnya dikhawatirkan telah meninggal terkana radang paru-paru.

....

Karena saya kurang mengenal karya-karya Katherine Paterson sebelumnya, yang pertama menarik perhatian saya pada buku ini sebenarnya adalah warna covernya yang biru, benar-benar birunya biru --solid cobalt blue-- ditambah gambar boneka Jepang yang khas. Tapi setelah diperhatikan, ternyata ada gambar latar belakang teater yang menggambarkan rumah-rumah yang terbakar dan (yang out of place) foto seorang bocah yang sedang berjalan. Sebenarnya -IMHO- tanpa foto bocah itu, rasanya ilustrasi cover-nya malah jadi lebih pas lo :p

[Karen · Rating 2 out of 5]

While this was an interesting look at life in feudal Japan, it was too ambitious an undertaking for such a small book. There weren't enough pages to focus on all of the whys and wherefores so it was sometimes confusing - why did Jiro's father leave his mother? - and it often read more like a research project than a story. Paterson did a lot of research to write this book and she really wanted the reader to know that but it came off like an outsider writing about something that wasn't really hers to write about; it often felt forced and awkward. I never felt drawn into the story.

It galloped at full speed in the last few pages to clear up so many loose ends and Paterson's efforts to create an unnecessary element of suspense just served to confuse me even more - why did Osaka corner Jiro in the attic in such menacing fashion when he really had no intention of harming him and why on earth did Kinshi's hand get cut off?

It may have been a better book if it had been about just the puppet theater culture or just the Sabura legend but everything together just created a mash-up that I couldn't quite sink my teeth into.

[Timothyl · Rating 5 out of 5]

There are a lot of underdog stories about kids trying to make in the big leagues of whatever their passion is; in this case Kabuki theater.

The story (riddled with enigmatic and super well developed characters) starts as a hungry boy is apprenticed into a theater, learning the trade, etc., but it quickly dissolves into one of espionage, historical intrigue, and mystery as the identity of the local Robin Hood is at stake while he swindles rice and money from the cruel Samurai.

The plot twists in a gut-wrenching way near the end, which makes the story all the better. Fine kids' novel, if a little disturbing in places.

[Dominic · Rating 3 out of 5]

This a wonderful junior high-school level novel that serves as a perfect introduction to Japanese culture for children. It is also a great segway into more difficult Japanese ceremony novels such as "The Great Teahouse Fire," and "Memoirs of a Geisha." Overall, A-.

[Kate Willis · Rating 2 out of 5]

Second in my reading challenge with J! This one had a cool twist but was so dark and serious, much more than I was expecting, that I didn't end up loving it.

CW: starvation, riots, violence including wounds, child abuse (both emotional and physical), theft.

[chelsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

beautifully written

[Katie Fitzgerald · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jiro, the son of peasant Hanji the puppetmaker and his wife, Isako, whose other children all died of the plague, is starving to death in feudal Osaka, Japan. When he is offered the opportunity to become an apprentice for Yoshida at the puppet theater, he decides to leave his family behind in favor of a better life for himself. As he befriends the other apprentices, including Yoshida's own son, Kinshi, Jiro does his best to fulfill his role within the theater without offending those above him. He worries, however, about the welfare of his parents and wonders about Saburo, a Robin Hood-esque samurai and hero of the poor who has been stirring things up around Osaka.

This is a short book, but a complex one. Paterson, who was born in China and worked as a missionary in Japan, studied both Chinese and Japanese history, and she clearly did a lot of research on this time period, resulting in a book very different from her American-based works of realistic fiction. I know very little about feudal Japan, but Paterson helps her readers to identify the main conflicts of the time, and to empathize with the extreme poverty of the peasants. She also brings to life the fascinating behind-the-scenes world of kabuki theater, and the illustrations by Haru Wells provide a lot of good context for readers who might otherwise have difficulty imagining the puppets and how they are manipulated.

It took me a good 40 pages to feel invested in Jiro, which is a lot in a 179-page novel, but once he enters the theater and becomes close with Kinshi, he comes to life as a character, and then it becomes easier to settle in to the story. It didn't flow as easily for me as something like Jacob Have I Loved or The Great Gilly Hopkins, but it also took me further outside of my reading comfort zone than I have gone with this author in the past, and I think it's a good thing that it stretched my reading muscles a bit.

The Master Puppeteer would be a good assignment for middle schoolers who have some background knowledge about feudalism. I will definitely want my girls to read it when we study this time period. It would also be interesting to pair this book with The Shakespeare Stealer, as theater and theft both figure heavily into both books.

This review also appears on my blog, Read-at-Home Mom.

[Annie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I felt enriched after reading this book about a certain time and place I don't typically have much exposure to in my day-to-day life. The book is about a family struggling to survive in Japan. Jiro feels that his mother hates him and finds that running away to study puppetry under Yoshida, the famous puppet master, is a better option. There, Jiro makes new friends, including Yoshida's son, Kinshi. It definitely had an original plot, I could never forsee the twists and turns coming, but very much enjoyed the antics of Saburo, a "mysterious bandit who robs the rich and helps the poor." The book escalates into the peasants rioting against the upper classes, including the puppet theater (that has food because of their performances) and it leaves the story a bit unresolved from a historical sense but does tie up quite a few loose ends for Jiro. I liked the characters quite a bit, the writing was straightforward and it is the kind of book that definitely lingers in your heart and mind. I wish I could see a puppet show like they described in the book today, it sounds like an amazing sight.

No Favorite Quotes.
No content.
6/10.

[Candice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is well-written and emotionally engaging. We see the previously unknown world of Japanese puppet theater through an apprentice’s eyes. The story displays the starvation of the masses in feudal Japan all while rice merchants and bandits thrived. It also introduces honor culture for more western audiences.

Jiro is a boy who becomes an apprentice puppeteer so that he won’t be a further burden on his starving family. He falls under the spell of the oldest apprentice Kinshi and they enjoy a strong, warm bond as they struggle to learn their trade together.

The familial relationships were especially complicated and may require more nuance than children younger than 10 can understand. The story contains, without excessive description, disciplinary violence against children, family abandonment, rioting, looting, arson, and dismemberment.

I can’t say that I “enjoyed” this tale though I did like the main character Jiro and his friend Kinshi. I learned from it and think its accurate description of a difficult time makes it hard to like.

[Amy de Raaf · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The puppeteers act like the shadow of the doll and become its victims in manipulating it. " ~ Miyake Shutaro

Mysterious and set in ancient Japan during the years of the great famine and when the samurais ruled, comes a captivating youth novel! The protagonist is Jiro, an apprentice puppeteer to a famous puppet theatre, who is secretly searching for answers to the true identity of the Japanese Robin Hood named Sabura, a ronin robber, who is stealing from the rich to feed the poor. Rioting peasants, including Jiro's own mother, have the people of Japan struggling to survive in various ways making the streets unsafe. On his quest to find answers and to help his friend, Kinshi, Jiro will become entrenched in a perilous plot.
So much fun, my son and I loved this fast-paced, cryptic and historical story!

[MckennaB8C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is based in the time frame of feudal Japan. Jiro, and his family are going through hard times and are very poor. Hanji, Jiro's father makes puppets. Jiro,who wants to help and wants to bring honor, needs to make money since so he goes to work for his fathers buyer, Yoshida, The Master Puppeteer at The Hanaza. Throughout time, clues a mysteries of the Hanaza become unraveled and Jiro is tangled into it. I liked how the story was set up, and the connections to Japan were there, however it lacked humor and needed to be more dramatic. I would recommend this book to someone who is interested in Japn culture, as well as historical fiction. It shoes traditions in the story, as well as some surprises near the end.

[Ryan Hatch · Rating 2 out of 5]

4.5/10

It's too bad that this fizzles throughout, because it has a lot of interesting ideas. Jiro is not a typical hero for an American writer and the story does a good job of presenting Japan in a way that an elementary student could begin to understand this world. Unfortunately, it felt like Paterson was more worried about presenting twists and less interested in making them believable. The heroes ultimately get flipped upside down and the people that Jiro looked up to turn out to be frauds. My favorite part of this book was Jiro and Kinshi's friendship.

[KierraL8C · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book "The Master Puppeteer" is a very exciting book, with lots of twists and suspense. The books main character Jiro is a young boy around the age of 12, he ends up working at the Hananza with a few other boys, Minrou, Yoshida Kinshi and Teji. This takes place in Japan, and Puppet shows were huge in Japan. I really enjoyed the book, it has lots of excitement and suspense. I really liked the drama of the book, and all the unexpected turns the plot takes, the main reason i really enjoyed the book was because of the character Saburo, its the mystery to the book, who is Saburo? What will he do next? Who will he steal from next? When will the next Saburo crime take place? I would recommend this book to my friend Marissa, because she really likes mysterious books with unexpected twists.

[Faith8C]

This book is about a boy who works as a puppeteer for the master puppeteer. Their country has some poor people who have no food so they revolt and become night rovers and steal food from the rich people. Jiro tries to find out who the mysterious Saburo is. Saburo is a mystery guy that steals food from the rich and gives it to the poor. I would recommend this book to my friend because she likes books that leave you in suspense and this book is full of cliff hangers.

[Jashly Y 8S · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's about a boy Jiro who lives in Feudal Japan with his parents, who makes puppets for the puppet theater the Hanaza. Jiro started training at the theater so that his parents will have more to eat. He makes friends with the other apprentices, especially Kinshi. As time passes, Jiro begins to realize that Yoshida, the puppet master, is linked to the bandit Saburo. Saburo is the guy that steals to give it to the people who in need. One thing I didn't like about the book is the ending, I feel like the ending was kind of rushed. I would recommend this book to my friends if I have a friend that likes reading but I don't but the book is good.

[Belle B · Rating 3 out of 5]

The master puppeteer takes place in Japan. The main characters are Jiro, Kinshi, Yoshida and Okada, with a few other side characters. The main plot is that a boy lives in a poor family and is not helping his family by making puppets so he decides to run away to work in the theater. He learns the ways of the puppeteer while trying to help his parents. He unlocks many secrets about that theater. I liked the figurative language in this book and how descriptive it is. I did not like the ending though. It is very abrupt and it feels inconclusive. I might suggest this book to someone with a lower reading level or someone who likes historical fiction stories.

[Katrina B 8C · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about a boy named Jiro that goes to a puppet theatre (the Hanaza) to become an apprentice. There is a samurai named Saburo that is mentioned many times in this book and in the end we do get to find out who he is. I liked how the book was written and the characters. However I didn't really like the ending, but that isn't a reason not to read it. The ending wasn't really bad, but instead it left unanswered questions. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes historical fiction and Japanese history (but kind of fiction as well). This is a great book to read if you like either of those. So overall I like this book and it is great book to read.

[Monica Kieftenbeld · Rating 5 out of 5]

The novel tells the story of Jiro, a young boy driven to run away from home in order to survive and, he thinks, to save his parents. He finds food, friendship, and mystery at The Hanaza puppet theatre. He also finds compassion, confidence, and wisdom. It is a coming of age story in a time and place that is both frightening and simple. The plot is engaging and the character development is satisfying. The vocabulary is challenging for middle school students.

[Carson8L · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was an ok book. It wasn't my favorite because it tends to get boring at times and you can easily predict what will happen next.

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[Jayden t · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jiro has a poor family that's not wealthy at all
Jiro is a boy living in feudal Japan with his parents, who make puppets for the local puppet theatre. Jiro shows himself to the theatre so that his parents will have more to eat.
Jiro is a boy who wanst mysterys and new adventures

[Avery · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Master Puppeteer is a historical fiction novel and takes us back to the middle ages as our main character jiro is a peasent but works his way up to work at the theater for a man named okada. well he is safe and sound inside the theater his parents are out on the street with the riets for food and the dieses strikes his father, jiro helps his mother as best he can but she finds her own way with the man named suburo the towns hero and mystery man. suburo is not only a hero but a smart pearson that beats the gards of 3 places including the theater.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this story about feudal Japan. The setting and characters came alive. As is expected from Paterson, the characters go through hard things and the ending isn’t perfect, but there is hope.