Time Machine 3: Sword of the Samurai

Rating:
Summary: Great Intro for Kids
Review: I had this book in its original dead-tree edition as a kid, so I can vouch for the MS Reader edition. That said, it's a fun read in the style of the first person "choose your own adventure" books that enjoyed a vogue in the mid 1980s. "You" travel through time to medieval Japan in an effort to retrieve the sword of the ronin Miyamoto Musashi, author of the Book of Five Rings. The story is fast-paced and fun, especially for kids with a budding interest in history.

If I recall correctly, it is written in a gender-neutral voice and, while it does touch on the violent realities of contemporary warfare, it's not overly violent or gory. There's a nice sense of the culture of the period, including discussions of the code of Bushido and the personal philosophy of Musashi, that are related in a way that makes it accessible to young readers. I don't think I'm overstating myself when I say that I owe my continued interest in Japanese culture and history to my reading this book.