When we lived in Okinawa, the jungle was always just a breath away.

At dusk, we’d round up our young kids and go walking with flashlights—bat hunting, we called it.

We’d shine our lights into the trees and freeze when flying foxes, two feet long and red-eyed, hung upside down, leathery wings wrapped around their bodies like Dracula’s cloak. There were packs of wild dogs in those days, too—silently following us as we explored. Sometimes, our lights would catch a glistening web stretched across the trail, or even the street.

One morning I was on my way somewhere and went to get into the car. I reached for the door handle, but it wouldn’t fully open. It was snagged! A banana spider had spun a web ten feet across the parking area, anchored from a tree to the car.

What do you do when a giant spider catches your car? Well, first off, you look for the spider!

Then you yank, and yank, and yank, until—SNAP! The web breaks and you’re free. Then you jump in and get out of there!

Night Hunt! Ryukyu is inspired by our adventures while living in Okinawa.

Set in the Ryukyu Island jungles, this beautifully illustrated story follows a nighttime flashlight expedition, discovering real wildlife: flying foxes, banana spiders, wildcats, snakes, and more. Told in riddles, it’s a seek-and-find mystery made for curious kids, and brave grown-ups.

Watch the trailer for a sneak peak!