Japanese Nursery Rhymes

PreS-Gr 2—Fifteen rhymes, one per spread, celebrate the changing seasons, flora and fauna, and idyllic rural life, providing an enchanting window into a culture that cherishes its close relationship with nature. Readers need not be familiar with Japan to savor these songs. The author's introduction gives the origins of the selections and presents a clear overview of the three Japanese writing systems. A helpful pronunciation guide assists those new to the language, and occasional footnotes explain cultural references in the song lyrics, such as the significance of carp streamers on Children's Day. The nursery rhymes appear in an easy-to-read format that boosts language comprehension during sing-alongs, with each line printed in Japanese characters, romanized Japanese, and English. Children will pore over the brightly colored illustrations that evoke a warm, inviting image of the country. Vivid, graphical artwork in the style of modern woodblock prints depicts happy children and endearing animals while incorporating Japanese motifs such as tiled-roof houses, kimonos, and tanuki (raccoon dogs). The accompanying music CD is vital to this book's enjoyment as it teaches the tunes and aids in pronunciation. The audio recordings are pleasant, gentle renditions in both Japanese and English. This collection holds appeal for anyone interested in the country and would be a wonderful addition to an international-themed storytime.—Allison Tran, Mission Viejo Library, CA