In "Moribito: Guardian of the Spirit," Balsa, a skilled spear-wielder and bodyguard, finds herself tasked with protecting a young prince named Chagum. Chagum is believed to be possessed by a water spirit, which has dire consequences for him and his kingdom. As danger looms from those who seek to eliminate the prince, Balsa must navigate treacherous political intrigue and confront her own past. Through their journey together, they discover themes of sacrifice, courage, and the bond between protector and protected. The story weaves elements of fantasy and folklore, creating a rich narrative that captivates the imagination. [Generated by language model - please report any problems].

This book is the winner of numerous awards

This book is part of a book series called Moribito .

This book is aimed at children at US 7th grade+.

This book has been graded for interest at 12 years.

There are 248 pages in this book.

It is aimed at Young Adult readers. The term Young Adult (YA) is used for books which have the following characteristics: (1) aimed at ages 12-18 years, US grades 7-12, UK school years 8-15, (2) around 50-75k words long, (3) main character is aged 12-18 years, (4) topics include self-reflection, internal conflict vs external, analyzing life and its meaning, (5) point of view is often in the first person, and (6) swearing, violence, romance and sexuality are allowed.

This book was published in 2008 by Scholastic US .

Nahoko Uehashi is the author of ten books in the Moribito series, which have sold more than a million copies and won many major literary awards in her native Japan. An associate professor at a Japanese university, she has a Ph. D. in cultural anthropology and studies indigenous peoples in Australia. She lives near Tokyo, Japan.