Materials from Asia
Perhaps the most beloved of all Japanese folk tales is the story of Momotaro, the boy born from a peach. Momotaro’s expedition to the Land of the Demons, accompanied by his faithful companions, the Dog, the Monkey, and the Pheasant, is filled with fun and excitement for all young readers. One of five of the best-loved stories from Kodansha’s Children’s Classics series, printed in a smaller format with the original Japanese beside the English translation – and all with the same illustrations.
An old bamboo cutter finds a tiny child in the hollow of a bamboo stalk. Thus begins the beloved story of the Moon Princess, whose unearthly beauty brings her fame and would-be husbands from throughout the land, but whose destiny shines far off in the sky. The delicate color and detail of Kancho Oda’s illustrations, painted over half a century ago, create a mood of charm and mystery, admirably accompanied by the lilting verse of writer, translator, and lyricist Ralph F. McCarthy.
Japanese edition of A Very Hungry Caterpillar, who bites into everything including the pages of this book! A colorful, fun book complete with holes! In Japanese.
In a tale from the Ainu people of Japan, an elder is awakened one night by a fox who charges that the tribe is taking more than their fair share of salmon from the river.
Written by the mother-daughter team of Eriko and Anna Sato, this book introduces 109 kanji characters to children with poems and illustrations. It includes all the Japanese Government specified first grade level kanji characters and a sprinkling of simple second to sixth grade characters. The kanji are introduced in the context of 36 colorful paintings and poems by 14-year-old Anna Sato, herself a kanji learner. Each of the poems is presented in both Japanese and English, and all kanji are accompanied by furigana (small hiragana letters), stroke-order diagrams, sample vocabulary and boxes for writing practice.
The Ainu examines the culture of the Ainu people of Hokkaido.
A young Japanese boy, worried that his grandfather is lonely, accompanies him to the public bath.
Guri and Gura CD Edition is the first in a series of eight animal story books about two adorable field mice and their adventures. In this story, the friends find a giant egg on their walk in the forest, which they use to bake a giant sponge cake. Smelling the cake, the animals gather around to share the freshly baked, fluffy treat. A story of resourcefulness, friendship, and sharing this fully illustrated CD edition of a favorite classic is sure to capture the imagination of young children.
In this award-winning book from Japan, three young boys curious about death learn–and teach–some valuable lessons about life and friendship.
A collection of twenty poems about animals, including the peacock, giraffe, and sea cucumber in both Japanese and English text