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Synopsis
Although the tradition is to present carp kites only to boys on Children's Day, Kimiko's parents find a way to make the day special for her.
Cristy Keith <%ISBN%>0881064114 - Children's Literature
This delightful children's book offers insight into Japanese culture and the ways in which children learn to accept tradition. The protagonist of the story is a young Japanese girl, Kimiko, the only daughter of four children in her family. As the story begins, the festival of Children's Day (formerly called Boy's Day) approaches. Japanese families fly carp kites for each of their male sons during this festival. Kimiko envies her brothers' kites and desperately wants a carp of her own. As she struggles with accepting tradition, her mother helps her to see how she can bend traditions without breaking them. She compares young Kimiko to a carp, always swimming against the current. At the end of the story, Kimiko gets a real carp of her very own and accepts her family's traditions. Kroll and Roundtree used the text and illustrations to educate readers about Japanese culture and entertain them. The colorful illustrations depict Japanese cultural elements, such as holiday decorations, traditional dress, and mealtime traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining and educational reading experience. 1996 (orig. 1993), Talewinds/Charlesbridge,
Editorials
Children's Literature
This delightful children's book offers insight into Japanese culture and the ways in which children learn to accept tradition. The protagonist of the story is a young Japanese girl, Kimiko, the only daughter of four children in her family. As the story begins, the festival of Children's Day (formerly called Boy's Day) approaches. Japanese families fly carp kites for each of their male sons during this festival. Kimiko envies her brothers' kites and desperately wants a carp of her own. As she struggles with accepting tradition, her mother helps her to see how she can bend traditions without breaking them. She compares young Kimiko to a carp, always swimming against the current. At the end of the story, Kimiko gets a real carp of her very own and accepts her family's traditions. Kroll and Roundtree used the text and illustrations to educate readers about Japanese culture and entertain them. The colorful illustrations depict Japanese cultural elements, such as holiday decorations, traditional dress, and mealtime traditions. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it to anyone looking for an entertaining and educational reading experience. 1996 (orig. 1993), Talewinds/Charlesbridge,— Cristy Keith <%ISBN%>0881064114