Catfish Rolling is a whimsical debut about memory, grief, and finding your place in the world when time seems to be slipping through your fingers.

Beneath the islands of Japan lies a catfish of legendary size, and when it rolls, the land rises and falls with it. Sora was holidaying in Japan with her family when the catfish rolled and caused an earthquake so powerful it fractured time itself. Now there are pockets of time – or zones – where time moves either faster or slower than normal, and eerie, strangely shaped shadows linger.

Since her mother and grandfather disappeared in the earthquake, presumed dead, Sora and her father have spent years exploring the zones, trying to understand what happened. So, when her father goes missing, Sora will stop at nothing to get him back, even if that means venturing deep into the liminal spaces between time and confronting the catfish itself.

Inspired by the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake as well as the Japanese legend of the Namazu, Kumagai spins the perfect blend of a fantastical adventure and an emotional journey. Through Sora’s grief, we learn how loss can make someone mature faster, particularly a child who must look after their parent as they mourn. However, we also see how love transcends time, distance and death, no matter one’s age or maturity. Catfish Rolling is an ode to the unexpected tremors that unbalance us in life, and to the people who steady us again. For ages 13+.