Books with author Thomas Hoobler

Documents the lives of generations of Japanese immigrants through their diaries, letters, interviews, photos, newspaper articles, and personal reflections. Many faced racial prejudice, violence, and even laws that effectively stopped Japanese immigration. Nevertheless, Japanese immigrants formed labor unions, purchased land, built farms, and established communities in many western states. Their success often aroused jealousy and fear, spurring the proliferation of hate groups, boycotts of Japanese shops and bus., and eventually the internment camps of WW2. Despite these experiences, Japanese Americans (JA) flourished in the U.S. Includes profiles of JA artist Isamu Noguchi and astronaut Ellison Onizuka. Over 100 photos.

In the world of ninjas and the shogun, honor is everything. When the Samurai Lord Inaba is discovered murdered in his sleep while under the protection of the shogun, the ruler is honor-bound to find the killer. Desperate for justice, he turns to the famous Judge Ooka—the Sherlock Holmes of eighteenth-century Japan—and his fourteen-year-old apprentice, Seikei, to investigate. Their one clue? A bloodstained origami butterfly. Determined to unmask the killer, Seikei embarks on an adventure filled with mysterious and deadly shape-shifting ninjas, vengeful peasants, and a killer who will stop at nothing to keep his true identity hidden.

For Seikei, the adopted son of the famous samurai Judge Ooka with a knack for solving mysteries, a trip home to see his real family isn’t cause to celebrate. His brother has become mixed up with local criminals who use the family’s tea shop as a front for a smuggling operation. His sister, meanwhile, has fallen in love with an apprentice to a puppet master who stands accused of murder. Somehow, Seikei senses the two are connected. His loyalties divided between his new family and his old, Seikei must find the real killer before it is too late. Set against the eerie backdrop of the old Japanese puppet theaters, where life-sized marionettes were controlled by black-cloaked men, Edgar Award-winners Dorothy and Thomas Hoobler render their most satisfying mystery to date.

When fourteen-year-old samurai apprentice Seikei is sent on a mission by the shogun, he believes it to be a simple one: Convince the 14-year-old emperor to resume his ceremonial duties. But when the emperor is kidnapped in an elaborate plot to overthrow the Shogun, Seikei’s mission grows much more dangerous. With the help of a mysterious warrior, he must rescue the emperor before his sacred sword—said to be unbeatable in battle—falls into the wrong hands. Should he fail, bloodshed will stain the land.

Teenaged Seikei dreams of being one of Japan's legendary warriors, a samurai-but samurai are born, not made, and Seikei is a tea merchant's son. Then a ruby intended for the shogun is stolen. Seikei is the only witness, and the famous samurai magistrate, Judge Ooka, needs his help. Soon they are hot on the trail of the ruby-and an unforgettable adventure."An unusual and satisfying mystery that will be enjoyed by a wide audience."-School Library Journal, starred review"Employs suspense, action, superstition, and mystery to entrance readers with this tale of 18th-century Japan and a boy's search for honor...This is a remarkable novel."-Kirkus Reviews, pointer review