For Educators: Risuko Resources

Resources for Educators

For educators: Onna-bugeisha — Japan's warrior women (Ishi-jo,_wife_of_Oboshi_Yoshio)
Onna-bugeisha — Japan’s warrior women (Ishi-jo, a noblewoman, defends herself with a glaive)

Risuko by David Kudler is a middle-grade/young adult historical novel set in sixteenth-century Japan during the Sengoku Jidai or Warring States period (c. 1467 – c. 1603).

A glimpse into a rich culture and a fascinating historical era, Risuko also serves as a fascinating exploration of the nature of heroism, female agency and gender roles in a traditional culture, as well as the idea of personal honor in a society where honor is taken very, very seriously.

Educator Links

Risuko and Bright Eyes Chapter Study Guides

A list of study and quiz questions for grades 6–10

Risuko and Bright Eyes Essay/Discussion Prompts

Larger questions to spark classroom discussions or essay writing

Articles and Links

Kunoichi: did they exist?

(More articles and links coming soon!)

Accelerated Reader Scores

Risuko:
ATOS Book Level: 5.6
AR Points: 12
Word Count: 74,530
Average Word Length: 4.2
Average Sentence Length: 12.1
Language: English
Bright Eyes:
ATOS Book Level:
5.3
AR Points: 11
Word Count:
70499
Average Word Length:
4.2
Average Sentence Length:
11.1
Language selected: 
English

Keep watching this page for more resources,
including articles on the history of Japan’s civil wars and biographies of the historical figures who appear in the book

Kunoichi Companion Tales covers

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Seasons of the Sword