Hikaru in the Light! Vol. 1

Gr 4 Up–Hikaru is a shy girl with a great singing voice, but her audience so far has only been the people in or near the Tokyo bathhouse where she works after school. Her best friend Ran already found fame as a member of a girl group, and Hikaru wonders how her own life might have changed if she’d made the same choice. When Ran comes back to town and invites Hikaru to join her in a new singing competition, Hikaru decides that she might be ready for the spotlight, after all. This story is sometimes sweet and funny, but sometimes an emotional roller coaster as readers watch a timid girl discover whether she has the potential to become an idol. Hikaru is a memorable and entertaining protagonist and especially endearing when she is so nervous during her audition that she decides to hold a mop in her hand instead of a microphone. The artwork captures the energy of the auditions, the power and emotion of the dances, and the humor of the shocked reactions as Hikaru gets closer to achieving her dreams.