Millbrook Press 2020

ISBN 9781541542419

48 pp. hardcover

Grades 4-8

Did you know ninja exist in nature? These ninja dress in scales spines, and exoskeletons. They soar, swim, and scramble through everything from shadowy forests to strange salty lakes to the ocean depths. And their spectacular skills rival those of the greatest ninjutsu masters. Read how science and nature meet martial arts in this fun and fast-paced look at a collection of truly incredible animals.

Reviews & Awards

A Junior Library Guild Selection

Kirkus Reviews, starred review

“‘To find these animal ninja…you must know where to look.’ That sentence ends a two-page introduction that gives a simple history and definition of human practitioners of ninjutsu (“the art of the ninja”) and invites readers to learn about animals that exhibit similar, extraordinary “skills.” The pages that follow offer fascinating facts, appealing design, and eye-catching illustrations…More than once, the text encourages emerging scientists by noting that this research is current and ongoing—and that the more scientists learn, the more there is to learn. Arigatou gozaimasu for entertaining enlightenment!” (Nonfiction, 9-14)

School Library Journal

“‘Animals are compared to Japan’s medieval ninja warriors in this picture book for older readers. Nine chapters follow an introduction offering background information on the practiced arts of the ninja. Each chapter features an animal with natural abilities closely aligned to a particular ninja skill… VERDICT: Both the premise and execution of this title are intriguing. Steer older students toward this book; they will not be disappointed.” (Nonfiction, Grades 4-9)

Booklist

“It may seem unusual for a nature book to begin with a section on ninjitsu, ‘the art of the ninja,’ but it soon becomes clear that there are parallels between those martial arts and many impressive animal attributes, as Johnson makes the case that stealth, weaponry, clever disguises, and a host of other ninja tools are equally useful in the animal kingdom. Each section begins with a specific ninja attribute and expands on comparable qualities possessed by different animals. For example, ken-jitsu, the art of swordsmanship, is related to the sailfish’s use of its sword-like bill. The comparisons are remarkably apt, expressed through exciting stories and equally interesting science. Along with the compelling text, striking photos and detailed illustrations infuse a sense of wonder into the proceedings. Comprehensive back matter includes a glossary, an introduction to the scientists behind the studies, source notes, and even video suggestions in case a reader wants to watch the awesome feats in action. A wonderfully fresh look at the amazing animal world around us.”

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Complete Bibliography

Although the back matter for Nature’s Ninja: Animals with Spectacular Skills is extensive, the amount of space available for bibliographic materials was limited. Below you’ll find a complete list of the sources I used in writing the book (in addition to personal communications with scientists) organized by chapter. I’ve taken the liberty of formatting each entry with the title first.  

Introduction  

  • Ninja is the preferred plural according to Merriam-Webster, although readers will likely encounter “ninjas” as well elsewhere.
  • My expert reviewer for all things ninja, 15th Dan Shihan Dr. Michael Asuncion, martial arts master and head of the Michigan Bujinkan Dojo in Ann Arbor, suggested that “the art of the ninja” is perhaps the most accurate translation of ninjutsu.   

Chapter 1   

Chapter 2   

Chapter 3   

  • “How sailfish use their bills to capture schooling prey.” P. Domenici , A. D. M. Wilson , R. H. J. M. Kurvers , S. Marras , J. E. Herbert-Read , J. F. Steffensen , S. Krause , P. E. Viblanc , P. Couillaud and J. Krause. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 281, no. 1784 (June 7, 2014). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2014.0444
  • “Proto-cooperation: group hunting sailfish improve hunting success by alternating attacks on grouping prey.” James E. Herbert-Read, Pawel Romanczuk, Stefan Krause, Daniel Strömbom, Pierre Couillaud, Paolo Domenici, Ralf H. J. M. Kurvers, Stefano Marras, John F. Steffensen, Alexander D. M. Wilson and Jens Krause. Proceedings of the Royal Society B 283, no. 1842 (November 16, 2016). https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2016.1671
  • “Sailfish ‘slasher’ film sheds light on evolution of group hunting.” Science, November 1, 2016. https://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/11/video-sailfish-slasher-film-sheds-light-evolution-group-hunting “The Evolution of Lateralization in Group Hunting Sailfish.” Ralf H.J.M. Kurvers, Stefan Krause, Paul E. Viblanc, James E. Herbert-Read, Paul Zaslansky, Paolo Domenici, Stefano Marras, John F. Steffensen, Morten B.S. Svendsen, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Pierre Couillaud, Kevin M. Boswell, Jens Krause. Current Biology 27, no. 4 (February 20, 2017), 521-526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.12.044
  • “Secrets of a sailfish attack.” ScienceNews, April 23, 2014. https://www.sciencenews.org/blog/wild-things/secrets-sailfish-attack
  • “The evolution of lateralization in group hunting sailfish.” Ralf H.J.M. Kurvers, Stefan Krause, Paul E. Viblanc, James E. Herbert-Read, Paul Zaslansky, Paolo Domenici, Stefano Marras, John F. Steffensen, Morten B.S. Svendsen, Alexander D.M. Wilson, Pierre Couillaud, Kevin M. Boswell, Jens Krause. Current Biology 27, no. 4 (February 20, 2017), 521-526. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2016.12.044
  • “The soft power of sailfish bills.” Nature, April 23, 2014, https://www.nature.com/news/the-soft-power-of-sailfish-bills-1.15086    

Chapter 4  

Chapter 5 

Chapter 6 

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

 Chapter 9

 

Copyright © 2023 Rebecca L. Johnson