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

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