York County Public Library invites readers to join Libby Reads—the global digital book club from Libby, the library reading app. From November 18–December 2, library card holders can enjoy The Village Beyond the Mist by Sachiko Kashiwaba as an ebook or audiobook with no waitlists or holds through Libby.
Kashiwaba's classic novel invites readers into a mysterious mountain village where folklore, magic, and community intertwine. It’s a story of resilience, wonder, and the bonds that bring people together, perfect for sparking meaningful conversations across communities. The Village Beyond the Mist was published in English for the first time in 2025, 50 years after it was originally published in Japan. This whimsical novel also served as the inspiration for the award-winning 2001 film Spirited Away.
Libby Reads includes a reading guide to help readers explore the book’s themes, coloring pages, and a writing workshop. The free writing workshop, featuring the author and translator, for aspiring writers of all ages – will be available on YouTube and the Libby Reads webpage starting December 1. The global digital book club is available through more than 22,000 libraries worldwide. Formerly known as Big Library Read, Libby Reads continues the same beloved program that has connected millions of readers worldwide for more than a decade.
Readers can access The Village Beyond the Mist on all major devices through Libby or through the library’s OverDrive website, including iPhone®, iPad®, Android™ phones and tablets. U.S. readers can also utilize the “send to Kindle®” feature to read the title on their Kindle ereader. The title will automatically expire at the end of the lending period, with no late fees.
About the Book
Lina's father had suggested she go "someplace different" for the summer, and she's beginning to wish she hadn't listened. She could be at her grandma's house in Nagano now, instead of trudging through a forest in search of a town that might not even exist. But when a gust of wind carries off her umbrella, it leads Lina down a secret path between the trees to a strange and incredible world. In the hidden village of Misty Valley, centaurs roam the cobblestone streets and gnomes visit shops stuffed with spell books and enchanted desserts. All magic has a dark side, though, and sometimes even sorcerers need a human's helping hand.
About the Author
Sachiko Kashiwaba is a prolific writer of children's and young adult fantasy books whose career spans more than five decades. In Japan, her works have garnered the prestigious Sankei, Shogakukan, and Noma children's literature awards. Her novel Temple Alley Summer, illustrated by Miho Satake and translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa, won the American Library Association's 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award, and her novel The House of the Lost on the Cape, translated by Avery Fischer Udagawa and illustrated by Yukiko Saito, was named a 2024 Batchelder Honor Book. Her books have also been animated as the films The Wonderland and The House of the Lost on the Cape, among others, and her 1975 novel The Village Beyond the Mist-published in English in 2025-inspired Hayao Miyazaki's film Spirited Away. She lives in Morioka, Iwate.
For more information about the Libby app and getting started with Libby, visit Libby-the library reading app.