Books That Take You There: Japan

Feeling the urge to see far off places, but having to armchair travel instead? Wanting to experience the delights to be found in the country of Japan? Well, you're in luck because these books will help you feel like you've traveled there yourself:

Natsumi's Song of Summer

Written by Robert Paul Weston

Illustrated by Misa Saburi

Toronto: Tundra Books, an imprint of Penguin Random House Canada Young Readers, 2020. Picture Book.

Natsumi celebrates her favorite things about summer in Japan with her cousin who is visiting from America.

The Phone Booth in Mr. Hirota's Garden

Written by Heather Smith

Illustrated by Rachel Wada

Victoria, British Columbia: Orca Book Publishers, 2019. Picture Book.

A young Japanese boy processes his grief over his father's loss during a tsunami through the use of a disconnected phone in his community.

The Perfect Sushi

Written by Emily Satoko Seo

Illustrated by Mique Moriuchi

Concord, MA: Barefoot Books, 2023. Picture Book.

A little girl wants to make the perfect sushi for her grandmother's birthday, but becomes frustrated by her attempts not coming out perfectly. However, through working with her grandfather she learns the importance of cooking from the heart or "koroko" in Japanese.

Folk Tales from Japan: Fables Myths, and Fairy Tales for Children

Written by Florence Sakade

Illustrated by Yoshio Hayashi

North Clarendon, VT: Tuttle Publishing, 2020. Informational. 79 pages.

Beloved folk tales from Japan featuring everything from singing turtles to flying farmers that will be sure to captivate all ages.

My First Book of Haiku Poems: A Picture, a Poem, and a Dream

Translated by Esperanza Ramirez-Christensen

Illustrated by Tracy Gallup

Tokyo; Rutland, Vermont: Tuttle Publishing, 2019. Informational. 47 pages.

A book of classic haiku poems composed by Japanese masters of the craft that have been translated into English, Japanese script, and Romanji characters.

Comments

Funny Farm by Mark Teague 2009

There are things I liked about Mark Teague's newest book, Funny Farm , and things I didn't like. Where should I start? I'll do the "didn'ts" first. The illustrations show animals personified. Well, some of the animals are. The main characters, Edward, and his farm family relatives, all dogs, are humanized. They stand upright, do farm chores, eat at a table, wear clothes, knit (yes, with paws) and sleep in beds. Most everybody else on and around the farm, who are also animals, act like animals. They are outside, roll in mud, live in the barn, and require care from their owners. It struck me the most on the page spread where there are pigs playing in puddle in the rain and Edward, a black and white boxer, watches from inside the house. I thought "You're a dog! Go play with them!" But, alas, he can't, seeing as how he goes through his entire visit to the farm wearing a suit and red bow tie. Another picture that bothered me was the maple syrup pa...

The Girl Who Could Fly by Victoria Forester 2008

J Fiction 328 pages I almost didn't finish this book. I got to Chapter 4, and was just about ready to quit (a kind of slow story about a girl, name of Piper McCloud, who discovers she can fly, parents freak out, she becomes a social outcast, yadda, yadda) but suddenly, right there in Chapter 4, the story takes a sharp turn and becomes really interesting . Piper finds herself in the company of others like her, but not "fliers", and under the care and authority of Dr. Hellion. I won't even tell you any more. Read this book. Forester does a great job of keeping you wondering who's the good guy and who's the bad? Piper is a likeable, strong, endearing character that girl readers will enjoy. But don't NOT give it to boys! The main male character is an extremely intelligent young man who is one of the ones you wonder about . . . good or bad? This is a good one, well worth your time.

Review: Super Boba Cafe

Super Boba Café By Nidhi Chanani New York: Amulet Books, 2023. Comics. 215 pages. 14-year-old Aria is excited to spend her summer in San Francisco getting quality time with her Nainai. She loves helping at her grandmother's Super Boba Café. But she can't help but notice that her grandmother is acting strange and secretive. She refuses to let Aria into the kitchen at all and she disappears at the same time each night without telling Aria where she goes. Meanwhile, Aria is eager to drum up more business for Super Boba Café. She gets a major windfall when the shop cat, Bao, surprises them by having kittens, and Aria realizes this is a major social media opportunity. She knows this will help Nainai's shop, but she is apprehensive to get back on social media after a terrible cyberbullying experience she had back home. As the shop starts to get busier, Nainai is more and more anxious about her secret project. This prompts Aria to investigate with help from her Nainai's neighb...

Provo Library Children's Book Blog

Search This Blog