Kiyoi is thirteen and living on his own in postwar Tokyo when he joins Tokida, a restless and secretive boy, as an apprentice to Noro Shinpei, one of the most famous cartoonists in Japan. Live drawing nude models, a student demonstration, and a bizarre night on the town number among his experiences in his new life of independence.

But Kiyoi must also reckon with the past: with the rift between his divorced parents, and with the samurai heritage that prejudices his grandmother against his Korean father and against change. And then a question about the future, the most challenging question of all, comes in a letter from his father. Would Kiyoi like to go to America?

Allen Say draws on his own background in this unusual portrayal of a Japanese boy growing to self-reliance and self-determination. Rich in the culture and atmosphere of Tokyo after World War II, The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice is a thoughtful exploration of the different kinds of loyalty and the times to break away.

From the dust jacket