BACKWOOD

Aki, who struggles with school refusal, and Nagi-nee meet a fish trapped in a plastic bottle on the beach. Assaulted by sound and poison, the two nonetheless confront an unseen 'enemy' — 'Aki's Sea' A whale sunk to the seabed becomes a nursery for countless lives. While sitting with her great-grandfather as he succumbs to an infectious disease, Towa — who experiences death up close for the first time — looks toward the natural cycles beyond the small remaining wish — 'Towa's Myth' Including three other pieces, this is five stories of five children, depicted with seasons and time as motifs. A linked short-story collection for those of us who live with the climate crisis as an everyday reality. [Contents] Haru's Snow Natsu's Tree Aki's Sea Yuki's Bread Towa's Myth (under the name murrma)