(Tentative Title) Cherry Blossom

Second-year middle schooler Minori lost her mother four years ago and now lives with her father and older sister, Hana. Though it took her a long time to recover from the shock, she’s finally starting to feel like herself again. But then, her father suddenly comes home early one day and announces, “I quit my job.” The reason? Her sister was caught and reprimanded by the police. Now, yet another challenge looms over their family! This masterful novel, which reveals the roots of Fumio Yamamoto’s storytelling, brightly and dramatically portrays a young girl’s growth, the delicate shifts within a family, and the subtle stirrings of first love.