BookFronter
The Master Puppeteer by Katherine Paterson

The Master Puppeteer

A National Book Award Winner

Katherine Paterson

HarperCollins · Print & ebook · March 24, 1989

An apprentice puppeteer joins his friends at their theater to investigate a mysterious bandit.

Action & AdventureHistorical AsiaTheater Storiesyoung
More
fantasywomen
Buy on Amazon

We earn from qualifying purchases.

Who it’s for
A puppet theater’s disciplined craft meets the danger and unrest of the streets beyond its doors.
Themes
Artistic apprenticeship, Helping the poor, Theater life disrupted by street unrest
Genres
Historical Asia, Action & Adventure, Theater Stories

Nearest books

Matched by what the books are about, then ordered by what their readers also loved.

  1. ReplaySharon Creech47% matchShares Theater Stories
  2. The Teacher of Nomad LandDaniel Nayeri52% match
  3. Noodles on a BicycleKyo Maclear48% matchShares Historical Asia
  4. The Kite FightersLinda Sue Park47% matchShares Historical Asia
  5. Ninja Boy's SecretTina Schneider58% match
  6. Samurai Kids #4: Monkey FistSandy Fussell55% matchShares Historical Asia and Action & Adventure
  7. Peach Boy and Other Japanese Children's Favorite StoriesFlorence Sakade55% match

For older readers: Jet Black and the Ninja Wind, The Ninja's Daughter, Water Moon

Start with three books, and this one can be the first.

Members get a new edition every morning: a route out from their books to essays, research and talks, with the reason for each.

Start with this book

About this book

An apprentice puppeteer joins his friends at their theater to investigate a mysterious bandit. Who is the man called Saburo, the mysterious bandit who robs the rich and helps the poor of the Japanese city of Osaka? And what is his connection with the Hanaza, the puppet theater run by the harsh master of Yoshida? Young Jiro, an apprentice puppeteer, is determined to find out even though this could be very dangerous.

Continue reading

Meanwhile, Jiro must devote himself to learning his magnificent art. The sympathetic blind chanter, Okada, and the master’s son, Kinshi, help him. Then their sheltered life at the theater, where the members live and work, is suddenly disrupted by rioting night rovers. Finally, the seething world of the street collides with the make-believe world of the puppet theater in an unforgettable climax. Winner of the National Book Award for Children's Literature, The Master Puppeteer is a classic adventure novel from the brilliant Katherine Paterson, author of such beloved books as Jacob Have I Loved and Bridge to Terabithia.

Theater and Turmoil

A puppet theater’s disciplined craft meets the danger and unrest of the streets beyond its doors.

Come here for

  • A young puppeteer drawn into a mystery around a bandit
  • The vivid tension between performance and upheaval

Expect

  • A sustained adventure rooted in puppet theater
  • A sheltered world disrupted by street unrest

Where it sits

Historical Asia74%
Theater Stories65%
Action & Adventure48%

Percentages are BookFrontier’s reading of the book.

Publisher categories

  • YA Adventure
  • YA Career Stories
  • Historical YA - Asia
  • YA Crime & Law
Show all 8 publisher categories
  • YA Mysteries
  • Asia for Teens
  • Performing Arts for Teens
  • Theater & Musicals for Teens
Authors
Katherine Paterson
Publisher
HarperCollins
Published
March 24, 1989
Format
Print & ebook
Theme
Artistic apprenticeship · Helping the poor · Theater life disrupted by street unrest
Reading lane
YA Adventure