The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya
Grade 8 Up—Haruhi is the leader of the SOS Brigade, a club at a Japanese high school. This sequel toThe Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya(Little, Brown, 2009) picks up after three of the five members reveal themselves to be the people with supernatural ability that she is looking for. Kyon narrates, and his witty observations of the ever-demanding Haruhi make for an entertaining read. His characterizations of the other members of the brigade—Nagato the alien, Asahina the time traveler, and Koizumi the esper—are humorous and intriguing. When Haruhi decides she wants to make a movie for the upcoming school cultural festival, Kyon and the other members of the brigade have no choice but to follow her. He says, "Haruhi believes her values and judgments to be absolute. And it's certain that she has no idea that other people, actually most people, may think or feel differently." The sarcastic narrative, the brilliant characterizations, the captivating story line, and the sporadic manga-type illustrations showcase why this series is so popular in its native Japan.—Julianna M. Helt, Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, PACopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.--This text refers to thePaperbackedition.