Yo-Kai Watch, Vol. 1: Nate's Lucky Day

Gr 4 Up—Nate Adams finds a weird creature that identifies itself as Whisper the Yo-Kai butler. Whisper gives Nate a magical watch and follows him around explaining how to use it. The creature also tells the protagonist about the world of the Yo-Kai. They are magical creatures (originally from Japanese folklore) that are everywhere but are invisible to most humans. By using the watch, Nate is able to see and summon them. Many of the Yo-Kai have strange powers, such as one with a gloomy aura that makes anyone near it depressed. Others are even more surreal, like a sword-wielding cicada or a rice cake creature that punishes a boy who threw away rice cakes instead of eating them. Once the basic premise is set up, the story continues at a rapid pace as Nate meets more and more of these creatures. Whenever the boy needs help, he has to decide which Yo-Kai he will summon to help him. The action is fast and funny, and Konishi's artwork matches the exaggerated humor of the story with a Tex Avery style.