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Satoko Kumagai Column
from Kyoto / Japan
Satoko Kumagai
bookstore landlord
The owner of "Picture Book no Cotachi", a picture book store in Fushimi, Kyoto. Through picture books, we are transmitting the thoughts and feelings through cultural traditions and exchanges.
4.12.2025
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Tonari no Yu-kun
UEMON BOOKS' second picture book, “Tonari no Yu-kun",
The theme of the book is about children today.
When he told his mother and older sister at home that he could not communicate well with the boy sitting next to him.
She tells them the magic words.
But it took a lot of courage to say it.
I am writing about the world of a child who is seriously troubled by something that is not a particularly big event, but rather nothing at all.
Adults tend to misjudge the seriousness of children's problems.
Boys, in particular, are often treated as a chore,
They tend to be forced to be brave.
The boy on the cover has his mouth hidden by the book.
When I was making this book, I was thinking about children who started group life wearing masks and distancing themselves from others due to the Corona disaster.
We were children born in the Showa period,
We all watched the same kind of TV and read the same kind of manga,
I think there was a thick layer of popular culture that covered the whole of Japan.
There were many gags that could be understood without any explanation.
Today, there are more and more homes without TVs,
I think that the sense of sharing the same era with others on an unconscious level is fading.
It is easy to connect with people you don't even know on social networking sites over common interests, but there is no one in the classroom you can talk to.
We don't know what the child sitting next to us who we see every day is thinking.
Children today cannot be measured by adult experience,
They may be living in difficult times that cannot be measured by adult experience.
Still, the experience of being in the same space and laughing together,
I think it is important for children to be in the same space and laugh together.
The pictures are by Fumihiko Tada, an animation artist.
The pale colors drawn digitally are elusive,
The light coloring, drawn digitally, gives the characters a cartoon-like quality that is elusive and nostalgic.
But the characters seem to have been raised by people who love them, and their roots seem to be good.
I thought it was a good representation of the modern age.
The protagonist of “Tonari no Yu-kun” is aware that he is in trouble, but when he receives an opportunity, it opens his eyes.
Through such an experience, he may be able to become a giver next time.
In this way, I built relationships with people,
I believe that knowing yourself through your relationships with others will never change,
I believe that this will not change in the future.
Don't worry, children. I will teach you the magic words.
I created “Tonari no Yu-kun” with this in mind.
Book 『Tonari no Yu-kun』
Illustrated by Fumihiko Tada
Written by Satoko Kumagai
UEMON BOOKS
9.10.2024
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
The First Journey
As I write this at the end of August, it has been a week,
I have been watching the path of Typhoon Shawshan for almost a week now.
This time last week, I was planning my business trip in anticipation of the typhoonI was expecting it to have passed through eastern Japan by this time last week, but how slow it is!
How slow it is, about the speed of a walk, or a bicycle, for that matter,
Then I thought I could take the Shinkansen and come back home in a whirlwind.
I thought it would have made landfall in Kyushu, but passed through Kansai and dumped heavy rain in remote areas such as Tokai and Kanto.
It is a typhoon that causes flood damage as well as wind storms.
I think that Japan should have five seasons, including the rainy season.
I think we need to change our lifestyle to incorporate the rainy season.
In Vietnam, roads and fields are under water during the rainy season,
During the rainy season, people in Vietnam use boats to go to school.
My house in “The First Journey” is also on the water. The floor of the house is elevated, so it does not seem to be under water.
My dad has been out fishing since midnight,
My mother has gone out to pick edible flowers.
It's flooded, not what to do,
There are things to do according to the rainy season, aren't there?
Well, I am going out before the sun has risen.
I wonder how far it is to the school.
I row a small boat by myself, not a ferry boat with a boatman.
I wonder if such a small boy of early elementary school age can row a boat,
But the boy was used to it. The boat rocked along between the tops of the trees and the tips of the roofs.
Still, there is a sudden wind, rain, and crocodiles lurking in the water.
The journey to the school is already a great adventure.
Shaking off the damp darkness, we are carried by the river through the forest.
I am greeted by the wings of large birds soaring in the morning sun and countless fish.
How rich. How fulfilling.
In Kyoto, where I am located, the torrential rains that originate in the names of the regions where they occur.
They are named Taro Tamba and Jiro Yamashiro.
It seems more like living with the rain than a guerrilla downpour.
It might be a good idea to have a rubber boat or canoe as a means of transportation when roads are flooded.
By the way, where did Taro Tamba and Jiro Yamashiro go?
Did they get blown away by Typhoon Shanshan?
Book 『The First Journey』
Text and Illustrations Phung Nguyen Quang &Huynh Kim Lien
Original editing Daphne Lee
Translated by Komako Hattori
Fuzambo International
7.1.2024
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Kimi ga Irukara
First of all, I would like to say that I am a dog person.
I had a dog when I was a child,
I also have a white Shiba girl dog as my social networking icon.
If I were to put her age in human terms, she would be a middle-aged woman, about the same age as me.
She gets sick easily with pimples around her eyes and her stomach.
She is also indispensable with medicines. Dogs are my companions throughout my life.
I am a dog person, but I have a memory of cats.
When I was in elementary school, I once took care of a kitten for one night.
A friend of mine adopted a cat, but her family wouldn't let her have a family.
I promised to look for the kitten's owner the next day, so the kitten stayed in my room for the night.
However, the kitten didn't seem to like the bed I made.
It sharpened its claws on the pillars of the room and meowed endlessly in a small but dissatisfied voice.
I tried not to scare him.
I pretended to be asleep on the bed so as not to scare him, but my shins were hot.
It was curled up snugly in the hollow between my two shins as I slept.
You don't let me touch it easily, but it sleeps between my shins?
Not only can you not pet it, but you can't even move.
Generally, I am not a good sleeper, and I have to turn over at least 30 times before I fall asleep.
I have a wedge of kitten between my shins.
What an unreliable, what an unbreakable restraint.
After a full night of restless sleep, my head was in a daze as I awoke in the morning.
I was told that my friend had given me permission to keep him at her house.
I think I was easily taken away from there,
I am not sure if it was a defensive reaction of my mind or lack of sleep.
The introduction has become longer. Minako Kusaka, the author of "Kimi ga iru kara " also lives with a rescue cat.
I was wondering how the kitten felt when she was brought to a place with a different environment.
I think that child at that time was also anxious.
The picture is by Mio Hashimoto, who is popular for her carved wooden animal works.
The kitten's fragile and nervous expression gradually loosens, and its attitude becomes bigger and bigger.
The process of the kitten's attitude becoming bigger and bigger (in a good way, of course) is beautifully depicted.
Can I become a cat person? ......
A cat that is supposed to be protective of you, but before you know it, it's supporting you.
No matter how depressed I am, I'm okay.
Because you are there.
Book 『Kimi ga Irukara』
Text｜Minako Kusaka
Picture｜Mio Hashimoto
Micro Magazine, Inc.
4.15.2024
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
small boat
"small boat" is a picture book of Makoto Kumagai's art works edited and written by his partner.
The idea is that by creating a series of stories, viewers will be able to draw closer to Kumagai and see his own stories overlaid on the artwork.
Most of Kumagai's works are based on family-related things and the artist's sense of them.
The motif of "small boat" is a boat that was stored in the attic of the artist's birthplace.
Why was there a boat in the attic?
The Fushimi Ward of Kyoto City where the artist lived bordered the Yoko-Oji Swamp around the Ogura Pond, which is mentioned in the Manyoshu anthology.
The Ogura Pond has been repeatedly flooded and flood control work has been carried out, and only records of the pond remain today due to the Showa period (1926-1989) land reclamation project.
The artist himself says that he grew up not knowing that a boat was lying above his head.
The presence of the boat, waiting quietly in the attic with no place to go, was proof of the decades of peace and quiet that followed.
And even longer ago, before I was born, boats must have come and gone on a daily basis.
The boats must have been utilized in peaceful days as a means of transportation and a tool for fishing.
The tiny boats were a reminder that the present is a continuation of the great flow of time and transformation.
It is probably happening everywhere in the country as well.
Once upon a time, there was a river running through this area...
You could see all the way to the mountains in the distance...
We would be very happy if "small boat" could be a chance for adults to tell their own old tales to their children.
Book 『small boat』
illustration｜Makoto Kumagai
text｜Satoko Kumagai
UEMON BOOKS
2.10.2024
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
everybody's house
I love picture books at home.
Perhaps it is because they remind me of the excitement of Mitsumasa Anno's "STRANGE PICTURES" which made me realize that I like picture books.
Straw and pointy-hatted people gather in a small house,
They are doing their own work, relaxing, and goofing around.
They are all doing different things, yet somehow peaceful.
The cover of "Minna no Ie" by Chisato Tashiro also has that kind of atmosphere,
I thought, "Oh, this is nice," even before opening the book.
When I opened the cover, I was caught by surprise.
On the front cover, a lonely house was drawn in silver lines on a black background.
The walls and roof are crumbling, and cobwebs are everywhere.
How lonely ......
Then, one by one, more travelers arrived.
Roofs and walls were repaired, windows were built to let in bright light, and fields were cultivated near the house,
They also cultivate the fields near their houses and make furniture.
The travelers in Mitsumasa "ANNO’S JOURNEY" pass by,
The traveler in "Minna no Ie" (Everyone's House) stays at home and begins the work of fixing up the house.
They start from scraping wood and kneading soil to make bricks.
It is a fun picture book to watch the process of building a house.
It makes you think, "I want that room," or "I want to use this room in this way.
I can't help but think about it.
My favorite room is a small room located almost in the middle of the house.
It looks like the study of a traveler with a beard like Santa Claus that first came along.
There are more seasonal diaries.
What kind of diary is it?
It would make an interesting feature-length documentary.
In Minna no Ie, everyone is trying to arrange the necessities of life.
What are the things necessary for life?
A house to shelter from the wind and rain, food, ingenuity, and the technology to create what is needed.
We also need entertainment, friends to talk with, and walls to protect our privacy.
And work. Building a house is a never-ending project.
Everyone's house is warm and has everything we need.
It is a house built by everyone.
Book 『everybody's house』
12.10.2023
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
The Bremen Town Musicians
There is a story that I like to read when the end of the year approaches.
It is "The Bremen Town Musicians" a Grimm's fairy tale.
For a long time, the donkey had the job of carrying heavy loads, but when he got old, he could no longer work as hard as he did when he was young.
Then the donkey's owner stops feeding it.
So the donkey senses that he is no longer of use to his master.
I am no longer of any use to my master.
He cries big tears, thinking that there is no place for him here.
But he reads between the lines and leaves on her own.
How could such a terrible thing happen?
He didn't even say, "You're out,
But he didn't even tell them to go out.
I was so indignant as a young girl, thinking it was a terrible story.
The donkey then set off for Bremen.
He thought he would be hired by the town's musicians.
Then the question arose.
When did the donkey acquire his musical background?
If it were me, I would choose to be a musician from a young age if I could make a living playing music.
Was his employment more stable as a baggage handler?
Or would he have been more likely to be a musician in his spare time, rather than a workaholic?
Did I hone my performance skills and acquire the option of being a musician in my second life?
I hope it is the latter. I wish I could be the same.
By the way, what kind of place is Bremen?
Perhaps it is like the bustling capital of Kyoto in the story's setting, where people from all walks of life come and go.
It is a bustling metropolis where people from all walks of life come and go.
I imagine that there are many musicians of all sizes playing in the streets and squares.
Or perhaps a large orchestra playing in a hall.
The orchestra plays Beethoven's "The Ninth".
I think the image of "The Bremen Town Musicians" and the end of the year cross over around here.
"The Ninth" is a big number.
"The Ninth" is played by a large number of people,
I think that even a retired donkey, a newcomer as a performer, might be included in the orchestra.
Then the donkey invites a dog, a cat, and a rooster to join him on his way to Bremen.
This is not the "Ninth".
＜The donkey and his friends will play in the streets and squares.
I read on with excitement, wondering what kind of musical band they would be.
Then, late at night, the donkey and his friends find a house in the forest.
The sky is full of stars. The windows of the house are lit and the eyes of the animals are shining like stars.
In the house, thieves are spreading a feast, drinking and eating.
Christmas and year-end parties, this area also thickens the image of the end of the year.
After that, as you know, was it really a thief in the house?
Because the donkey said it was a thief, but how did he know it was a thief?
He was just sitting at the table eating and drinking.
Perhaps he was referring to humans as thieves.
Humans work animals hard for a long time, and then when they get old
When they get old, they throw them away without any respect for their long years of labor.
It may be no wonder that the animals call us thieves.
Since the donkey is so perceptive, it is better to call him a "thief" to motivate the other members of the group.
the donkey might have instantly decided that it would be better to call him a "thief" to motivate the other members of the team.
By the great leadership of the donkey,
I thought you guys were about to get old and discarded.
It is painful to see you perform so well.
The donkey's owner was sorely missed.
And what I love most about this story,
The ending, which is that we are not going to Bremen after all.
Plans are undecided. There is more than one goal.
If you find a place where you feel comfortable,
If you find a place where you feel comfortable, then that is the goal.
Book 『The Bremen Town Musicians』
A Tale by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Illustrated by Hans Fischer
Translated by Teiji Seta
Fukui khan shoten Publisher inc.
10.15.2023
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Melting into the Sunset
I will be home before dark.
That was my promise when I was a child.
I thought the sunset was beautiful as I pedaled my bicycle with all my strength
I thought it was beautiful, but at the same time I hated it.
"Yuyake ni toketeiku," by The Cabin Company (Shogakukan), evokes nostalgia.
The ever-changing color of the sky and the feeling of rushing home are also evoked at the same time.
In the first spread, the sky is still vividly blue.
The sunset slowly fades from the edge of the mountains, turning the wheat fields gold.
The wheat shakes. A hawk shakes to keep the birds away.
The couple, who have finished their day's work, may be quoting from Millet's "Evening Bell.
The couple looks as if they are praying or working for each other.
They seem to be chewing on their happiness.
The sky is tinted with various colors in the evening twilight, and the people illuminated by the twilight are also various.
They may have spent different days and carry different feelings into tomorrow.
Though they are all different, they are all illuminated and melted by the evening sun.
People, birds, dogs and cats, trees and wind.
On the grandmother's lap, the child is looking at an album.
Hanging on the wall of the room is Van Gogh's "The Sower at Sunset"
Van Gogh admired Millet's depiction of the poor farmer and tackled the same subject matter as Millet.
The sunset with its intense light in Van Gogh's "The Sower at Sunset" seems to watch over the farmer as he sows his seeds.
Or it seems to glorify labor and production.
The work begins with Millet's "The Angelus" and includes Van Gogh's "The Sower at Sunset"
"Yuyake ni toketeiku (Melting into the Sunset)" shows a deep respect for creation.
Birds with human faces cross over the setting sun, which has already half-hidden their faces.
They look like pigeons symbolizing peace.
The buzzing dies down and the night falls.
The evening glow that has melted away everything melts away into the night.
From a child's feeling of "I'll get angry if I don't hurry," to a prayer for peace,
The evening glow melts everything, from children's feelings like "I'll get angry if I don't hurry" to prayers for peace.
In the quiet night.
Book 『Melting into the Sunset』
6.10.2023
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
On a Magical Do-Nothing Day
“What about a break from your game?”
How many times have I said these words to my sons?
Don't you have anything better to do than play games?
Apparently nothing.
They play games so much, I've made them take lessons and get a dog, but all they do is play games.
The boy of "On a Magical Do-Nothing Day"
There is a house that his mom and he go to every time we go on vacation.
It's deep in the woods and it's always raining.
Every day, his mom sits idle and writes on her computer, but all he can do is play games.
But she tells me not to play games all the time.
There is nothing else he want to do but play games,
What on earth is he supposed to do in the rainy forest?
The outside of my house was filled with boredom.
The boy thought so.
The swamp water is so cold I can hardly breathe, and the rain is patting my back.
The snail's buds are jelly-like.
I miss the smell of mushrooms. The smell of my grandfather's shed.
The sound of drums echoes in the background. It is the sound of my heart.
The moment I step outside the house and come into contact with the world, my senses are awakened.
At first, I was lonely, as if I were trapped in a gloomy forest.
I realized the richness of the forest, which I thought was nothing at all,
Like a door opening one after another, I encounter and connect with the world.
To realize the certainty of the world is to realize one's own existence.
We know ourselves not only in relation to nature, but also relative to others.
How much of the world are we exposed to in this digital age?
How much of ourselves do we feel certain about who we are?
When I return home after my adventure, I see my father's reflection in the mirror.
I share the silence of the room and the smell of hot chocolate with my mom.
It was the best day of my life.
Book 『On a Magical Do-Nothing Day』
Author Beatrice Alemagna
Trancelator Eiko Sekiguchi
Japanese edition Polyphonypress.com
4.10.2023
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
THE WOMAN WHO TURNED CHILDREN INTO BIRDS
The name Nanty Solo is a beautiful name.
Nanty" has a familiar sound, and "Solo," which means "alone," is also good.
The mysteriously named Nanty Solo is said to be able to turn children into birds.
Perhaps he is based on a real person?
What does it mean to turn them into birds?
Laura Carlin, who illustrates the book, won the Bologna Ragazzi Prize for Excellence in Fiction for her debut novel, "The Iron Man".
In "King of the Sky", Carlin depicts a child's emotional contact with another person, and the way he or she learns to be himself or herself and spreads his or her wings in a beautifully light, tender, yet not overbearing style.
Who better to illustrate "Nanty Solo: The Woman Who Turned Children into Birds" than Laura Carlin?
One day, a woman named Nanty Solo appears in town,
Nanty Solo, a woman who appeared in town one day, claimed that she could turn children into birds.
The adults not only did not believe her, but were alarmed and tried to keep the children away from her.
But some children still approach.
They may not be able to suppress their curiosity, or they may be able to see the truth.
The adults were increasingly afraid and panicked when they saw the children flying freely and humming songs, leaving the adults behind.
Oh, yes. To be free is so frightening.
It must feel good to be free to flap your wings.
It would be fun to sing a beautiful song.
Even though I think so, I can't imagine myself being able to do the same.
That is what it means to be an adult.
It is very difficult to be free.
But is it really so?
Do we truly believe that we can be free?
Who was Nanty Solo?
Where is she now?
Can no one be her?
Book 『THE WOMAN WHO TURNED CHILDREN INTO BIRDS』
Text|David Almond
Japanese text｜Yukiko Hiromatsu
Illustration|Laura Carlin
Japanese edition Published by BL shuppan
2.8.2023
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
THE MIDNIGHT FAIR
The first spread that appears when you turn the cover of a book is called the facing.
The facing, which connects the cover and the text, shows the ingenuity of the designer.
The designers' ingenuity can be seen in the facing.
A plain white turnip with no printing on it is refreshing and gives a sense of spaciousness, while a special color paper or single-color printing that matches the image of the book is also good.
The special paper and monochromatic printing are also good.
Mayonaka no Yuenchi" is printed in four colors, just like the text.
The prologue begins on the back of the book.
Animals are behind the trees. Several trucks are entering the brightly lit plaza.
What do these strange-shaped objects do?
This picture book is a story from the point of view of the animals in the forest.
There are no words. It is a picture book without words.
The truck brings a mobile amusement park.
During the day, it is crowded with people.
It is time for the animals.
Neon lights glittering, popcorn bouncing.
Coffee cups spinning round and round. ......
The fantastic expression of light and shadow is enchanting.
You can almost hear the music and the cheers, the dynamic pictures.
This and that goes on and on.
Surely an amusement park in the middle of the night would be more wonderful.
Fun that humans don't know about. I envy the animals!
When the sky begins to turn white, the fun is over.
It's time to take turns with the humans. But there are traces of intruders here and there.
When you think about it, the animals have gotten used to it.
I can only assume that the dog hot dog vendor is a real job.
They cleaned up and brought back souvenirs.
It's not like this is their first time playing in an amusement park.
Maybe humans and animals share more than we think.
And animals are taking back with them what humans have created.
In forests, mountains, rivers.
Perhaps even to places where humans have never set foot.
Through many things, humans influence the environment.
We are probably influenced by animals as well.
The mobile amusement park is leaving.
Compare the first look back to the last look back.
The truck appears to have left without leaving anything behind.
Nothing left behind.
But it will come back someday.
And the animals know it.
Book 『THE MIDNIGHT FAIR』
Text|Gideon Sterer
Illustration|Mariachiara Di Giorgio
BL publishing
12.15.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE
The year 2022 is coming to an end.
What a long year it has been!
The Corona disaster, rather than ending, has entered its eighth wave.
Russia invaded Ukraine during the Beijing Winter Olympics.
A former prime minister was assassinated during the House of Councillors election.
A coup attempt in Germany during the World Cup.
The year 2022 is drawing to a close, and there is no end in sight to the various events that are taking place.
Still, one can't help but hope that something will change as the year progresses.
I can't help but have such expectations.
May 2023 be a good year for you.
Half a century ago, in 1973.
A woman set out on an adventure to travel around the world on a motorcycle.
Anne-France d'Hauteville.
She was 28 years old.
She want to go to an unknown place.
With a little luggage, she got on her 125cc Kawasaki motorcycle and
leaving Paris, she had to deal with motorcycle breakdowns, storms, and
She overcame many difficulties, such as motorcycle breakdowns and storms, and crossed the world in four months.
Anne's motorcycle travelogue was a big hit in France.
She wrote in her book,
-I want the world to be beautiful, and it is.I want people to be good, and they are good people. The world is so beautiful.
“GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE“ is modeled on Anne-France d'Hauteville.
“Louise Bourgeois, Sculptor of Threads and Spiders"
(Nishimura Shoten) and other biographical stories.
Julie Morstad's drawings are delicate and soft, light yet strong.
I imagine that the silk scarf around Anne's neck must have fluttered in the wind like this.
In an era when women's participation in society was not yet as rapid as it is today, how many women were given the courage to make their own way in the world?
I wonder how many women were encouraged by these scarves.
And to motorcyclists, too.
Half a century ago, there were women who set out in search of freedom.
The world was bright and open.
Some of the places Anne ran through have completely changed.
Some places will never be seen by anyone again.
Still, I want the world to be beautiful.
I continue to hope that human beings are good.
May 2023 be a good year.
Book 『GIRL ON A MOTORCYCLE』
Text | Amy Novesky
Illustrations | Julie Morstad
Translation | Kazue Yokoyama
Kougakutosho
11.7.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
ALLUMETTE
Please take a look at the girl on the cover.
Her hair is long and unkempt, and the frayed cuffs of her clothes are probably never worn.
She has dark circles around her eyes and the bridge of her nose is red and looks cold.
The matchstick he holds straight in his hand is as majestic as a royal scepter.
With the name ALLUMETTE written at the bottom, it looks like an election poster.
Allumette is a little match girl.
She has no parents and no home to return to, and sleeps in an abandoned car.
Even though Christmas is approaching and the town is in a festive mood.
Everyone is pushing him away, telling him to go away.
Poor Allumette prays breathlessly.
Then, with a thunderous roar, everything and anything he wished for
And then, with a thunderous crash, everything and anything that Allumette could ever wish for fell: ......
The author is Tomi Ungerer, who has captivated the hearts of many children with "THE THREE ROBBERS" (Kaiseisha) and other works.
He was born in France, went through World War II, and came to the U.S. to work on picture books.
After coming to the U.S., he worked on picture books as well as caricatures for magazines and advertisements.
He also created works with political messages such as the Vietnam War and racial discrimination.
Until his work became more stable, he had a hard time finding enough to eat.
"Allumette" was produced in 1974, and was his last children's picture book.
It was his last, but it is one of the most intensely felt.
The completely crazy world of "Allumette" is not pleasant, but it is a reality that is happening somewhere in the world.
We adults know that it is a reality that is happening somewhere in the world.
While there are those who feel terrible, there are also those who are materially fulfilled and yet poor at heart.
There are those who are materially satisfied but poor in spirit.
Where there is nothing, there is an abundance.
Those who are truly in need live quietly in some forgotten corner of the city.
Somewhere in the world, in the constant disasters, wars, and pandemics that keep happening.
People offer to help, people make donations, and powerful people try to take advantage of the situation.
Yet many of the people still choose to help each other to overcome the difficulties.
It's hard to say this to Andersen, but I hope Little Match Girls survives.
Book 『ALLUMETTE』
Created by Tomi Ungerer
Translation｜Shuntaro Tanikawa
Kogakusha
10.7.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
The Star Thief
They say it is not a crime to be a flower thief, but what about a star thief?
The thief wanted to live alone at the top of the mountain and touch the stars in the sky.
He probably lived alone at the top of the mountain and looked at the stars every night.
Perhaps he felt closer to the stars than to people.
Deep in my heart, I wanted to have a star of my own.
How reassuring it would be to have a star in my heart.
Deeper in my heart, I wanted to have the stars all to myself.
I would be greedy to go so far.
But to have all the stars in the night sky is grand and romantic.
One night, the thief finally stole all the stars in the night sky.
But the stars don't belong to anyone.
You can reach out and get them, but you can't keep them all to yourself.
The old man uses his wits and the young man uses his courage to catch the thief.
The villagers verbally condemn what the thief has done and do not forgive him.
How can we explain to children that they are also taught not to touch the stars, but when adults break their promises, what can we explain to them?
Now, the crucial thing is to put the stars back in the sky, but how?
“THE STAR THIEF“ is the first work Andrea Dinoto has written for children. It is filled like a barrel full of stars with something to tell.
It is going to move in a dusty warm comical way while also depicting the darker side of the heart, such as the desire that lurks deep inside.
The thief running with a barrel full of stars is like an innocent child.
What is sin? What is a suitable punishment?
Are sinners not entitled to make wishes?
What is the difference between touching a star in the sky and touching a star on earth?
What is forgiveness?
Book 『THE STAR THIEF』
Text|Andrea Dinoto
Illustration｜Arnold Lobel
Hold Shuppan Publications,Ltd.,
9.5.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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DOG from TALES FROM THE INNER CITY
I prefer a dog as a pet. Dogs can be walked.
I got my first dog when I was in third grade.
A mongrel dog with long hair and droopy ears with a western feel.
He would wander around the elementary school and
the leftover bread from school lunches from the children.
I saw the dog near my house.
I woke up early to give him milk, and he became my dog.
I could go anywhere with the dog, even in the mountains at dusk.
I was easily tempted to be alone, so the dog became a good excuse.
I watched with my dog as the fields and mountains were cleared and turned into new residential areas.
When the dog's last day was approaching, I took him in my arms.
I took him in my arms and climbed the mountain where we always went for walks.
The dog, who often spent most of his time in a state of lethargy.
He was resting his chin on my shoulder, as if he was trying to listen and sniff something.
He rested his chin on my shoulder and cooed his throat.
In this way, I spent precious time with dogs.
I spent time with him and parted, as humans and dogs have done in many parts of the world for 15,000 years.
The dog in Shaun Tan's "DOG from TALES FROM THE INNER CITY" is not like any of my dogs.
I know this feeling, even though they do not resemble any of my dogs.
Humans and dogs are so different and yet so close.
With a dog, I can walk away.
Dogs make my loneliness complete.
Book 『DOG from TALES FROM THE INNER CITY』
by Shaun Tan
Translations by Sachiko Kishimoto
Kawade Shobo Shinsha
7.11.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles
A small house on a sea cliff is home to a postman with a handkerchief from the sea.
He scoops up glass bottles that are washed ashore by the waves and delivers them if they contain letters.
If there is a letter in it, he delivers it.
Every letter has a recipient.
One day, the letter he scooped up was an invitation to a party without an address or sender.
The postman with the ocean handwritten letter has no choice but to go around to each of the recipients.
He visits each and every one of them.
Erin E. Stead's smooth and soft touch of pencil soothes the heart.
The beautiful grain of the woodblock prints is like waves swaying in a gentle breeze, and the grainy colors are like the slightly rough heart of a bottle boy who lacks self-confidence.
The story is told in beautiful words, just as in the poetic illustrations.
The postman of the ocean's handwritten letter is a sincere and humble man.
Even though he knows that the letters he delivers hold treasures like pearl oysters, he does not flaunt the importance of his work.
But he says he has never received a single letter, has no friends, and does not even have a name.
What does it mean to have no name?
Does it mean that he is only involved with people through his job as a "postman"?
Does it mean that you are called by your job or role?
Are we called "policeman," "teacher," "clerk," "nurse," "mother," and so on?
Do we also only expect people to do their job or fulfill their role?
We expect efficiency and uniformity of service from everyone.
Do we take for granted the work and roles that are supported by a person's diligence and integrity because of his or her profession?
A letter without an address or sender, scooped up by a postman of the ocean's hand, is very attractive but incomplete.
The incompleteness of a perfect letter, which would have been completed by posting it in a mailbox, allows for face-to-face contact and communication.
Perhaps it was the postman who thought he could only relate to people through work.
Maybe you thought that people were waiting for letters, not you.
He delivers important letters with care. He may not know how happy that makes me.
But that won't be a big problem anymore.
Tomorrow, I will continue to deliver letters with care.
To those who are waiting for me.
Book 『An Old Tailor Shop at Intersection』
The Uncorker of Ocean Bottles
Text by Michelle Cuevas
Illustrations byErin E. Stead
Translations by Miki Yamamoto
Kagaku-Dojin Publishing Co., Inc.
5.5.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
An Old Tailor Shop at Intersection
A clothing store opened at a three-way intersection in town.
This was when everyone was still wearing ethnic clothing.
Mr. Doc is the owner of the Sansaro Yofuku store at the three-way intersection.
The first customer finally arrived.
He carefully selected the fabrics, took measurements
We took a paper pattern and tailored the clothes to fit the customer perfectly.
Seeing the look of satisfaction on the customer's face, Mr. Dock
I'm so glad.
Times change, and with the outbreak of war, the stores and the town fall into disrepair.
Everyone began to wear clothes, and many clothing stores sprang up in the town.
Soon, the town was filled with mass-produced, cheap, similar-looking clothes.
The way of making clothes carefully and wholeheartedly, valuing the techniques that have been handed down from generation to generation, does not fit with the times?
Is it not in step with the times?
No, no, I would like to think not.
Even though there is an abundance of cheap and easy-to-buy ready-made products
People will not all be the same size.
Individuality and special memories will not disappear.
There must be technology and care that cannot be mechanized.
Even if it is not convenient for many people
But we can deliver something special to just one person who needs it.
It is wonderful to have a job that makes you feel happy.
Book 『An Old Tailor Shop at Intersection』
Copyright Jaesun Ahn
Japanese translation Kirin Hayashi
Toy Publishing Corp.
4.5.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Windy Night
Riku is looking out from inside his room.
He seems to be trying to grab a leaf that is dancing in the wind.
Hu-hu-hu-hu-hu!
The mother says to the child, "It's a great wind.
It's like someone is crying and asking me to play with them.
To Riku, the sound of the wind sounds like a sad cry.
The wind rattled and shook the windows.
Riku seems to be concerned about the outside. He also feels a little scared.
Just then!
In 2020, with the publication of "Aitaina" (Hidamari-sha)
Yui Abe made her debut as a picture book author.
This was followed by "Pretending to sleep Yuuchan" (Hakusensha), and
"AKAKY & THE SNACK THIEVES" (Fukuinkan Shoten).
She is a hot author with a string of publications under her belt.
Yui Abe's picture books are based on children's feelings.
It seems to me that the dreams of children are reproduced exactly as they are.
How can we understand children's feelings so well?
I long to fly through the night sky on the wind.
I'd eat a full snack and sleep on a cotton candy bedding.
Warm naps.
That said, there are many occasions to sleep.
Sleeping comfortably is the happiest thing in the world, isn't it?
In the story, we are filled with a sense of happiness, even though we may be feeling bewildered or anxious.
In such a world, children's imaginations are free to flourish.
And what's more, the children in the story are full of charm.
They are pampered, carefree, and full of curiosity.
Their round, balloon-like faces seem to be bulging with potential.
Even if a big wind blows him away, he will play with him.
He will survive any adventure and return home without fail.
Children grow up by traveling through many dreams, don't they?
Book 『Windy Night』
2.5.2022
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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The Suitcase
One day, a strange animal arrived.
It looked very tired.
He was pulling a big suitcase.
What on earth is in it?
The strange animal replied.
But is that true?
Everyone has doubts about the strange animals who have struggled to cross the sea and barely reach it, and pry open their luggage with curiosity.
While the exhausted stranger is resting for a moment.
They don't even know what kind of thoughts are packed in there.
How could they have done such a violent thing?
How could they pry open someone else's belongings without permission?
If it's a stranger, I can't believe what he says.
Can I work rudely?
When I was in elementary school, there was a large new housing development in our school district.
Every new school year, one or two new students would arrive, and we would gather around them and ask, "Where are you from? Where do you live?
Do you have the same textbooks? What are you learning?
Some people took it as a favor.
Some people took this as a sign of goodwill, while others looked puzzled.
Some people came to me looking forward to the move.
Some of us were looking forward to the move, while others must have been anxious to leave their familiar environment.
There are people who come across the sea for various reasons.
Some come to Japan with dreams, while others arrive barely alive.
Some people want to talk about it, others don't.
How should we welcome these strangers?
This is something that the whole society should think about.
When a strange animal wakes up.
What do you think he sees?
Book 『The Suitcase』
Text and Illustrations by Chris Naylor-Ballesteros
Translated by Miyoko Kubo
Kagaku-Dojin Publishing Co., Inc.
12.5.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Tibble and Grandpa
Tibble's favorite Grandpa is a little sick.
He's always working in the yard and he doesn't seem to hear Tibble talking to him.
Tibble asked.
"Grandpa, what are your Top Three sandwich?"
"Grandpa, what are your Top Three Jellyfish?"
Conversations are born little by little, even from Grandpa
"Top Three Days Out?" he asked.
Grandpa seems to be better than before.
Is it a grandfather who is a little biased? If you thought,
In reality, he was kind and playful, and he was a good playmate for Tibble.
The fantastic and beautiful illustrations are by
Daniel Egnéus, born in Sweden.
In addition to children's picture books, he is also a highly acclaimed fashion illustrator.
He is also a highly acclaimed fashion illustrator.
The illustrations depict an innocent Tibble and Grandpa whose heart has gone somewhere else.
In the first half of the book, Grandpa's heart has gone somewhere else, and the innocent Tibble is enveloped in a quiet, but gradually powerful and fresh color palette.
In the second half, I understood why the Grandpa was not in good spirits.
Tibble's innocence opens the door to Grandpa's heart.
Tibble put into words what Grandpa had been thinking.
The truth is, Tibble is still too small to understand Grandpa's sadness.
He may be too young to understand Grandpa's grief.
But in his eyes, he could see the memories shining like stars in Tibble's small chest.
It's okay.
You can share your sadness and loneliness with Tibble.
And I'm sure the stars are watching over them.
Book 『Tibble and Grandpa』
Tibble and Grandpa
Text by Wendy Meddour
Illustrations by Daniel Egnéus
Translations by Miki Yamamoto
Kagaku-Dojin Publishing Co., Inc.
11.5.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Mon bison
One spring day, when she was four years old, her mother took her to a meadow where she met a bison.
The little girl and the big bison share a heart-to-heart.
The bison goes back to his friends, but he always comes back when the snow falls.
And so the girl and the bison spend the winter together. For years and years.
The sky, the forest, the birds...
The sky, the forest, and the birds all seem to miss the bison.
This is how the girl feels during the first absence of the bison.
The world looks different. Even the birds, flapping their wings freely, look lonely.
It's a feeling she never had before she met Bison.
The size of the absence you feel because of your precious existence.
When the snow falls, the little girl and the big bison are reunited.
They talk about what happened in the forest while the bison was away.
As if to fill the time of absence.
The bison has dark, kind eyes.
Maybe the girl has seen everything about the bison in her eyes.
In preparation for the next absence of the bison.
And so, the girl and the bison greet the winter in the same way for many, many years.
It's as if they are repeating forever.
The picture, drawn with a limited number of colors based on the color of charcoal
In the cold, dull winter air
I can feel the warmth of the bison and the warmth of heart-to-heart communication.
I guess a girl and a bison don't need many things.
The background of the cuddling girl and the bison is white and empty.
Nothing is needed.
The owner of this well-honed, sharp sensitivity and delicate, rich expressiveness is
Gaya Wisniewski, who was born in Belgium in 1980.
Surprisingly, this work, which has won four European picture book awards, is her debut picture book.
The translator, Hideya Kiyooka, also says that this is his first book to be translated.
Moreover, he also designed the book.
I wonder if this is a picture book secretly created by a minimum number of people.
It makes me wonder if I should keep it a secret and not tell anyone.
This is a love story of a little girl and a big bison.
There is no doubt that having an important existence is a blessing.
However, the larger the presence, the greater the loneliness of absence.
If that is the case, would it be better not to have an important presence from the beginning?
I would like to think not.
Unlike the time of the first absence, the years have accumulated with tranquility and love.
An abundance of happiness will fill up the absence.
The stars in the sky are telling us. The beginning of eternity.
Book 『Mon bison』
By Gaya Wisniewski
Transrated by｜Hideya Kiyooka
Kaiseisha Publishing Co., Ltd.
10.5.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Omaku
"Omaku" is a strange word.
When I searched, I found out that in the Kyoto dialect, some people say "Omaku" for pillow.
I wonder if they say it? I think I might.
That said, pumpkins are called "Okabo".
Tofu is shortened to "Otofu" and soy sauce to "Oshoyu".
"Oido" refers to the buttocks, but we don't hear it anymore.
That's how I felt when I saw the title "Omaku".
When I saw the title "Omaku", it seemed to me to be a word that refers to something that is so familiar to us that we are not even aware of it.
"Omaku" (Choubunsha) is part of the "Tono Monogatari" series of books based on Kunio Yanagida's "Tono Monogatari," narrated by Natsuhiko Kyogoku and illustrated by up-and-coming picture book artists.
This is one of the books in the "Tono Monogatari" series of picture books.
It was self-published in 1910. More than 110 years have passed since the first publication, so it is a long time ago from the present.
However, as the preface of "Tono Monogatari" says, "This book is a current fact," it is a true story that Kizen Sasaki saw and heard "just recently.
Of course, the "Zakiwarashi" and the "Kappa" are also true.
The introduction has become longer.
The picture of "Omaku" was undertaken by Toshikado Hajiri.
In a tranquil landscape with a clear blue sky, there is a sense of reality in the detailed depiction of the flowers and plants along the riverside.
A man floats in midair at the height of a man.
It looks like a surrealist painting.
The girls are not afraid to look at the man floating in the air.
"Who is that uncle?"
Is it "Omaku"?
What is "Omaku"?
Is "Omaku" a "precursor" or a "worm's sign"?
Oh, I see.
Maybe "omaku" is not a door but a curtain.
Beyond the blue sky that seems to suck you in when you stare at it.
It may be connected to the Tono of 110 years ago.
When the evening sky is dyed red and the sun sets behind the mountains.
When the surface of the river reflects the whole area like a mirror, the curtain between the other shore and this shore opens, swaying in the wind.
Souls come and go, transcending time and space.
This is what is called "Omaku" in the Tono area.
Book 『Omaku』
Author|Kunio Yanagita
Text｜Natsuhiko Kyogoku
Illustrations｜Toshikado Hajiri
Choubunsha Publishing Co., Ltd.
9.5.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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I TALK LIKE A RIVER
There is a word "speak fluently"
Fluent means that the words come out smoothly and without stagnation.
The image I have is that of an announcer who speaks with precision.
Like water that flows smoothly...
Flowing water?
Where and how does it flow?
"I" has some sounds that cannot be pronounced well.
Words get stuck in my mouth, and I can't get them to come out.
And yet, my heart overflows with unconcealed trepidation.
On days when I could not speak well, my father would take me to the river.
He would look at the river and say, "It's the way you talk.
The river is bubbling, surging, swirling, and breaking.
Like "me", it's not constant.
"I Talk Like a River" was modeled after the author himself, Jordan Scott.
The book is based on the author himself, Jordan Scott, and carefully describes how some words are difficult to pronounce.
A conversation with his father freed his mind from the unbearableness of the classroom and made me cry when he was able to accept himself.
Sidney Smith expresses these emotions beautifully in his paintings.
In " TOWN IS BY THE SEA ", " Sidewalk Flowers", and "SMALL IN THE CITY", the characters are not the main characters.
His work is quiet and reminds someone who isn't the main character to be there. You get the peace of mind that you haven't forgotten.
Among them, the expression in "I Talk Like a River" stands out.
In the shining picture, "I" look like a part of nature.
He transcends the "normality" of the classroom and becomes one with nature.
Outside the classroom, stuttering is as natural as a river.
It is also natural that we are not the same as others.
Book 『I TALK LIKE A RIVER 』
Text｜Jordan Scott
Illustrations｜Sydney Smith
Translation｜Masaru Harada
Kaisei-sha Publishing Co., Ltd., Tokyo
8.2.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Night is coming
He's got a big stuffed bear in his arms, sleepy eyes.
Is it time for me to go to bed?
His mouth is tied in a straight line, and his face are full of tension and determination.
I'm going to sleep alone from today.
But the "night" is coming.
The night is coming, not the "night".
I can't touch it, I can't smell it.
But the child feels the presence of the approaching "night".
The shadows on the wall seem to start moving. The pattern on the wallpaper looks like something.
The moment you close the door to the children's room, you feel that your mother and father are far away.
The moment you turn off the lights, you feel like you've been thrown out into space where it's pitch black and you can't see anything.
When I turn on the lamp, the shadows created by the light, "night" has finally arrived.
It's scary to be alone!
Such feelings are depicted realistically in this book.
When we are scared, we actually use our imagination.
We create all kinds of things.
The interesting thing about picture books is that you can project yourself into the story and at the same time,
you can look at it objectively.
Children can share the "scary" part of the story with themselves.
But it's kind of cool. It's kind of funny.
The ghost-like thing is scary but also cute. Maybe I want to meet them.
The balance between scary and friendly is very good.
I think I'll sleep alone today.
I'm sure there are children who feel that way.
If not today, it can be tomorrow, or even much later.
They will grow up slowly, and before they know it, they will be adults.
"Knowing what to be afraid of will give you greater peace of mind and a deeper restful sleep.
"Most of our fears are just our imagination.
But are all of them really your imagination?
Book 『Night is coming』
7.2.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Because Haru has wings
It's impossible, but strangely real.
A strange feeling after reading it, as if you had a dream at dawn.
"Haru niwa hane ga haeteru kara" is as sparkling and elusive as a splash of water, and dangerous and shiny like a piece of glass.
The words released by the novelist Ao Omae formed a rainbow through the prism of the manga artist Natsujikei Miyazaki.
I thought this picture book was like watching a rainbow.
I can see it, but I can't touch it.
I can't touch it, but I can feel it.
Haru, Natsu, Aki, and Fuyu.
Their ages are probably around junior high school.
Their ages are too complicated to be called children, and too undefined to be called adults.
The sharpness of the four girls' inner senses and their painful kindness are dazzling.
Haru may have had the high potential to fly.
But he wouldn't fly if it meant making his good friends feel lonely.
Natsu may have had a keen eye to see through people's feelings.
However, being too understanding may have made people uncomfortable.
She would put away her wings and close her eyes for the sake of her most precious friend.
Even if I can't fly or see, it's much better than having my friends leave me.
We hold ourselves back because of our inexperience, we hurt each other, we cry in pain, but we don't leave.
Jealousy, envy, dependence, obsession, and various feelings that cannot be named are hidden in plain sight.
The days pass momentarily, maintaining a delicate balance like walking a tightrope.
Like a seesaw, the relationship is balanced, and there is no way for one side to come down.
Isn't it hard for you? Aren't you straining yourself?
If you're that kind of friend, wouldn't it be better if you weren't together?
If you were in front of me in real life, you might be tempted to say so.
While hurting and being hurt.
Even so, "friends are more important than me. Friends are what we can trust more than anyone else.
The story depicts "friends are important" without logic.
Individuals who clash with each other gradually learn to take it in stride and develop understanding and empathy.
It's a miracle that we met, and when we're all together, we're the strongest.
It's cool, beautiful, and sparkling.
Book 『Because Haru has wings』
Text by Ao Omae
Illustrated by Natsujikei Miyazaki
Akishobo Co.
6.2.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
MUSIC FOR MISTER MOON
When the parents hear Harriet play the cello, they envision their future daughter playing in an orchestra.
What kind of performance is that?
Accurate, polite, understated, with a refined tone.
But Harriet prefers to play the cello by herself.
I don't want to play in front of people.
But I don't want to be in an orchestra.
I don't think I ever said it outright.
One day, my parents said to me, "You can be an orchestra player in the future."
"Is that so?" And I agreed with my parents.
I couldn't say "I don't want to be" when I saw the happy faces of my parents.
I think it's still the same
If I told them now that I didn't want to join the orchestra.
I'm sure my parents would look at me sadly.
That's not what I want.
I don't want to be praised. I just want to like it.
is it strange?
It's not that I don't want to be with everyone.
I just want to be free to do what I want without having to conform to anyone else.
Is that selfish?
It's not that I want to hurt you. I just like to be alone.
Is that lonely?
Harriet just wanted to be alone.
But she hurts the owl and scares the moon.
I think Harriet is a good girl, and she has been loved and cared for very much.
However, I think she may have taken it as a burden.
Maybe she was only receiving and didn't know how to give.
Maybe she was afraid of hurting someone else.
When she met the moon, Harriet's heart changed a little.
Just by being there, the moon decorates someone's memories and helps someone.
The moon wants to hear Harriet's cello.
What kind of sound would Harriet's cello make?
I think it would be quiet, calm, soft, and gentle.
Maybe it's like the moonlight.
Book 『MUSIC FOR MISTER MOON』
Text by Philip C. Stead
Illustrated by Erin E. Stead
Japanese text by Mari Tanaka
Pneumasha Co.
Book 『Because Haru has wings』
Written by Ao Ohmae
Illustrated by Natsuji Miyazaki
Aki Shobo
5.2.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Lovely loneliness
The story grabbed me right from the beginning.
Ippei, who is a good painter, is surrounded by everyone in the classroom asking him to draw and show them his pictures.
But the child's attention was soon scattered all over the place.
By the time he had finished his drawing, he was all alone.
But Ippei says he is used to being alone like this.
Even when he fell on a rainy day and his umbrella was broken.
He was left all alone without anyone noticing.
He say that you are used to such loneliness.
It's not that he's okay with being alone, it's just that he's used to it.
He may be a little better at pretending to be okay.
But it's not enough to make me forget.
He's alone again.
If you don't notice, you don't realize that you're making someone else feel lonely.
Even Ippei-kun can make someone uncomfortable without realizing it.
If he had looked the person in the eye and talked to them, he might have noticed.
But if I gave a hand to someone who was in a bit of trouble.
If you start talking to them eye to eye.
You're no longer alone.
If you just pay a little attention to others.
The truth is that we are all alone. Basically, you're alone.
It's not bad to be alone.
If there is no one else, it means you can be alone.
The sky at dawn, the silence.
Book 『Lovely loneliness』
4.1.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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If you come to Earth
Lying on the earth, a boy is writing a long, long letter.
This is a beautiful cover with a lot of gold color.
The cover of the main body of the book without the cover is also beautiful.
What does a friend in space look like?
I'd like to tell you about the Earth to a friend I've never met somewhere in the wide universe.
The boy writes a letter to a friend he has never met somewhere in the wide universe to tell him about the earth.
The earth is near the big sun, and the moon is right next to it.
It's a green and blue planet.
What kind of place is it, what kind of people live there, what kind of life do they lead?
What kind of people live in what kind of place?
People can fight with each other, but they can also cooperate.
We grow old, but we can help each other.
That's what we earthlings are like.
What about you?
When will you come to Earth?
I am writing such a long, long letter.
According to the author's afterword, the idea for this book was born at the top of the Himalayas in Bhutan.
While working with 10 children at Save the Children, a non-profit international organization, she decided to create a story that would unite the hearts of children around the world.
I thought the same thing when I was in Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, India, Singapore, and New York.
After talking with children all over the world, I was able to turn my ideas into stories with their help.
For example, "If you were to give a snack to someone from outer space, what would it be?
Children's answers are full of compassion as they imagine someone they have not seen yet.
We don't even know if they have teeth or not.
And it is very difficult to explain about the earth.
We all have different faces, different ways of living, different ways of thinking, and no one person is the same.
There is no one person who represents a typical human being on Earth.
However, we are all the same in the sense that we were all born and live on Earth.
Imagine describing the earth to someone in the universe.
Wouldn't you want to say it in a nice way?
If everyone on earth thought that they wanted to say something nice, the world would become a little better.
Book 『If you come to Earth』
3.1.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
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Pokko and the Drum
There was a girl frog named Pokko.
She lives with her father and mother in a mushroom house in a quiet forest.
The father and mother think it was a mistake to give Pokko a drum.
The father wants to live a quiet life.
Pokko makes so much noise that her father asks her to go outside.
But don't make too much noise.
He doesn't want to stand out.
But as Pokko plays the drum outside, more and more people join her...
Canadian illustrator and cartoonist Matthew Forsythe's warm-toned illustrations are beautifully colored and comical.
The father cooks dinner for Pokko and his family and talks to Pokko.
The mother only reads books.
However, she seems to understand Pokko better than her father.
In the text, the phrase "to Pokko, a girl" invites us to read the story from a gender perspective.
Pokko must be a very talented girl.
No matter what is given to her, she always uses it in a way that is beyond her parents' expectations.
But her father says it was a mistake.
He doesn't want to stand out.
If Pokko had been a boy, what would he have thought?
When Pokko leaves home and plays the drums alone in the quiet and beautiful forest, she thinks, "It's too quiet.”
Maybe there are other animals who want to live as happily as Pokko does, but their family, who doesn't want him to stand out, requires him to be quiet.
On the way, a wolf joins the pack and eats a rabbit.
Pokko scolds the wolf with a firm attitude, and the wolf is truly sorry.
Pokko is small, but he doesn't run away from the wolf out of fear.
And she seems to have all the qualities of a leader.
A lot of animals follow Pokko.
The music gets louder and louder, and soon Pokko's father and mother are involved.
The father is startled and says, "Stop it! “ But when he sees Pokko in the lead, he says to his wife, "Her's really good?”
Just because the forest is quiet doesn't mean that there are no problems.
We may be made unaware of what our heart really wants.
A presence that makes you aware may feel noisy.
Book 『Pokko and the Drum』
2.1.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
In Memoriam: Mitsumasa Anno
Mitsumasa Anno, painter and picture book author, has passed away.
There is no end to the list of Mr. Anno's representative works, but for me, his special picture book is "Strage Pictures" a long-selling book published by Fukuinkan Shoten Publishers' Kodomo no tomo in 1968, which has been loved for more than half a century.
The first time I saw this picture book was at a temple near my parents' home.
There was no children's park in the old country town, so the temple became a playground for the local children.
There was a piano at the temple, and once or twice a week, a teacher would come and teach piano lessons.
I was taking piano lessons elsewhere, so while my friends were taking lessons, I was quietly reading books on the small bookshelf by myself.
While my friends were taking lessons, I was quietly reading books on a small shelf by myself. Among the books like "The Birth of Buddha", there was "Strage Pictures".
In "Strage Pictures", there are many dwarfs with pointy hats. ...... I'm not sure if they are dwarfs or not.
Don't be so sure.
If you turn the book upside down, they are standing upright.
You have to go up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up and up.
Some people are exhausted. It's a strange picture that I've never seen before, whether it's small or big, up or down, or even where it leads.
I was so absorbed in the mysterious world of pictures with a foreign atmosphere that I could not stop looking at them.
I even tried to find a pointy hat hidden in the high ceiling of a temple hall or on the palm of a Buddhist monk.
Picture books are so interesting! I love picture books.
The first picture book that made me realize that I liked picture books was "Strage Pictures".
When I became a junior high school student, I no longer played at the temple like the younger children, but I really wanted to keep it with me.
I bought the first picture book with my allowance, "Strage Pictures".
I did this because I remember seeing "Strage Pictures" spread out on the tatami floor at a temple.
"Strage Pictures" is the starting point for children's picture books.
It's fun to look at things from different directions, to imagine the unseen side, to doubt whether what you see is an assumption, and to think about whether it's true or not.
Those things are fun!
This is what "Strage Pictures" is all about.
When I learned of his death on the news, the exhibition of Mitsumasa Anno's illustrations was being held at Ehon no Cotachi.
Surrounded by his pictures on the wall of the gallery, I felt sad, but I also felt that this world has become much more beautiful thanks to Mr. Anno.
1.3.2021
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Mary Poppins
Mary Poppins arrives on the east wind at the Banks house in Cherry tree lane, London.
When Mary Poppins arrives at the Banks house in Cherry tree lane, London, she performs a feat of graceful sliding up the banister of the staircase.
She has already won the hearts of the four children of the Banks family, the older two, Jane and Michael.
The important thing is to be gentle.
Mary Poppins is an adult who knows what she's doing.
She negotiates the terms of her employment with Mrs. Banks and makes her wishes come true.
I admire her resolute attitude, as if she knows the world better than she does, without any hint of humility because she is employed.
I don't remember Mary Poppins being this mature.
Wasn't she supposed to be magical, carefree, fashionable, and childlike?
Mary Poppins" is a delightful and fun story, but it is also a story about the loss of imagination and the loneliness of being trapped by common sense as children grow up.
The two younger members of the Banks family, baby twins John and Barbara, can talk to sunlight and starlings. They can talk to sunbirds and starlings in a language that human adults can't understand.
But like everyone else, they will soon lose the starling's language.
John and Barbara don't even realize that they've forgotten, and it's the starlings who realize that the time has come.
Mary chided the starling, "Are you crying? Mary chided the starling.
It's like she's seen it a hundred times before.
What makes Mary Poppins special is that she is a rare person who has retained the heart of a child and has acquired the sense of an adult.
In addition to Mary, other people who defy common sense are Bert, who puts himself in his drawings, Mr. Wigg, who floats in the air on laughing gas, and Mrs. Corry, who sticks stars in the night sky.
Mary treats each person with consideration and courtesy.
Being an adult is not just about being assertive or having common sense.
To the children of the Banks family, she maintains a strict attitude as a nanny.
Mary, who is difficult and knows everything but doesn't tell us easily, doesn't question Michael on Tuesdays when he's been bad for no reason, but on the contrary, she has an attitude of bad days for no reason, and even shows the world's vastness with a The Magic compass.
Michael, realizing that he is a small child, feels safe at Mary's side, takes his time to drink milk, and sincerely feels glad to have been born in a warm bed.
In front of Michael, Mary cleans up the dinner table without any sentimentality, but with the attitude that it is only natural for a child to be happy.
For children, "Mary Poppins" is a delightful fairy tale.
For adults, it is a story that makes them wonder what it means to be an adult. For adults, it is a story that makes them think about what it means to be an adult.
When dealing with children, it is often said to "look at things from the child's perspective," but I don't think it means to adapt to the child.
Mary Poppins is a person who understands the world as children see it and can open the door to the world.
She is someone who can encourage them to grow by meeting adults who are themselves.
She is someone I would like to use as a role model.
Book 『Mary Poppins』
Created by｜Travers
Translation｜Eriko Kishida
Picture｜ Mitsumasa Anno
Asahi Press
12.1.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
House with a ghost
There is a ghost in my parents' house.
The shutters were rattling, the pillars were making a creaking sound, the ceiling was making little footsteps, and something was living there.
It's a ghost.
The proof is that they've never shown themselves.
I didn't mind that they were there, but they were hiding the TV remote control and
I don't want them to stop the alarm clock without permission.
If you have a shape, you're white, round and fluffy, floating in the air.
I'm a bit shy, a bit scared and distressed.
I'd be happy to talk to you about it, but
It's been 20 years since I left my parents' house without being able to open up to them.
The ghosts in Mamiko Shiotani's Yaneurabeya Ghosts are
I've been living alone in the attic of my old house for a long time now.
When someone comes in, it becomes as transparent as glass, and when I sleep, I am small enough to put in a matchbox.
So no one notices the ghosts.
But at some point, the girls of the house started coming to the attic every day, and the ghosts were not amused.
She felt like she was taking up space all to herself.
But the girl was actually looking for something in the attic...
You say that it's good to be alone, that you don't want to be noticed and that you don't want to be noticed, but
It's surprisingly happy when people notice.
That's what happens, isn't it?
You may think you are in contact with people on a regular basis, but you don't communicate with them except for work.
You think you're having a conversation with your family, but all you're doing is nitpicking.
I've tried so hard to get them to act the way I want them to act, but it doesn't work, and their spilled frankness comes across as slurred.
It's not easy to communicate your true feelings if you aim for it.
I think it's the same for both adults and children.
Ms. Shiotani's unique expression, which looks like a collection of particles drawn on a black background, is a strange world carefully drawn with a charcoal pencil.
The sharp lines and slippery glassy ghosts in the rough surface of the picture are quite mysterious.
It can take up to a month or two to draw a single piece of work.
To get a closer look at the original drawings, an exhibition of them is currently being held at the Children's Picture Book Gallery from November 27 to December 15.
Please come and see the exhibition.
Please take care of yourself to prevent the spread of the new corona.
Book 『Ghost in the Attic』
Created by｜Mamiko Shiotani
Publishing｜Kaiseisha
11.1.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Ivan the Fool
'Ivan the fool'.
It is by no means 'Ivan is a fool'.
The word 'idiot' is sometimes used as a derogatory term for lack of wisdom.
It's like Stupid Honest, Stupid Big, Fishing Stupid Diary, and then Genius Bakabon.
The way they're straight, the way they're so big, the way they're so obsessed that they can't see anything else.
As the saying goes, "There's a fine line between an idiot and a genius," and it can also be used to refer to a substandard person or behavior that cannot be imitated by ordinary people.
Now, here's "Ivan the Idiot".
When I was a child, I wondered what was so stupid about Ivan.
What a thought, but it's not an extraordinary thing to be honest.
I've grown up to be a badass adult who realizes that.
The eldest brother, a soldier, and the second brother, a merchant, both rule their respective countries, but after losing everything at the instigation of a little devil, they return to their parents' home.
Unlike his so-called "smart" brothers, Ivan has no greed and is willing to give up his property and he takes care of his aging parents and works hard at farming, making octopus in his hands.
He is so unselfish that the devil's whispers are out of the question.
On the contrary, Ivan turned the little devil's tricks to luck and became the king of a country, not because of his military or economic power, but because of We will create a sustainable and self-sufficient country, just as we have done ourselves.
My youngest sister, who lives with Ivan, is deaf and can't speak well.
I have a way of telling who is hard working and who is not.
Oh, that's nice, isn't it?
You can get around well, you can round people up in a cunning way, you can make it easy and squeeze them out.
In some organizations, such things are valued and promoted as "smart guys".
How refreshing to see Ivan's stupidity in such a world that is so unworldly.
It is truly a story to read again in this day and age.
Lev Tolstoy (August 28, 1828 - November 20, 1910) was a he is also known for his major works such as War and Peace and Anna Karenina, as well as his non-violent works.
Ivan the Fool" may depict Tolstoy's ideal way of life.
The new translation of Ivan the Fool by Yu Komiya of Anonima Studio Publications is rhythmic and very easy to read.
This is a book for parents and children to enjoy and get to know the essence of Tolstoy's work.
The illustrations are by Hans Fischer, who is also the author of "Pichi the cat" (Iwanami Shoten) and "Bremen's Ongotai" (Evangelical Bookstore).
The illustrations are by Hans Fischer, who is also known for his work on "Pichi the Cat" (Iwanami Shoten) and "Bremen's Ongakutai" (Fukuinkan Shoten).
This book has a slightly old-fashioned, adult-style binding, and would make a great gift for children in the upper grades of elementary school or junior high school.
I'm sure you'll get the point across.
Hopefully, we'll live in a world where people don't look foolish if they live a normal, honest life, even if they're not as good as Ivan.
Book 『Ivan the Fool』
Created by Lev Tolstoy
Hans Fischer
Translation
Publishing｜Anonima Studio
10.3.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Rébétiko
The man Stavros of the cover is drawn against the background of red earth color like a Greek pot.
He smashes a glass against his own forehead and bleeds violently.
If you'd rather bleed than the music... kill me! Now!
Or we'll play it for you.
His name is Levetes; he is a musician who plays the popular music "Levetiko", which originated in Greece in the 1920s.
The story takes place in Athens in October 1936. Marcos, the leader of the Rebates, is being released after six months in prison and is greeted by Stavros and his friends.
At that time, as a result of World War I and the War of Rare Earths, the Greek Orthodox Christians who had lived in Turkey for several generations were repatriated to Greece, where they numbered 1.5 million people.
They were forced to live in misery, and the slums that formed on the city's doorstep were filled with people living their days.
The musicians who were included in this group brought Turkish music to Greece, and Rebetiko was born.
The relationship between Greece and Turkey is long and complex, and their roots are intermingled.
The rebetes were symbolic of the mixing of the West and the East, and they were also eyed for this.
General Metaxas, who came to power in 1936, imposed a dictatorship and regulated speech.
He eliminated orientalism, spearheaded the rebates as the cause of the decadence of the people, and tightened the controls.
Indeed, the slum dwellers, frustrated by the lack of vision, spend their days in apathy, violence and drug addiction. Languid, obscene and barbaric, the music played by Rebates sings of sorrow at being abandoned, venting their feelings of despondency and uniting the people with their feelings of helplessness.
It should be noted that there is some bawdy language in this book.
But what's numbingly cool is that in the cramped atmosphere of the impending World War II, where even singing with unsettled freedom is discouraged, Rebetico sings about the truth of life, the freedom of the soul that is not at the mercy of anyone.
Rebetiko: Songs of the Weeds is a band desine for adults.
Bandes dessinées are French-speaking manga, also known as graphic novels.
Most of them are published in large hardcover format, and are somewhere between picture books and manga, but they are a genre that has attracted a lot of attention because of their powerful stories and drawings, which are worth reading for adults of YA and older who are not satisfied with picture books.
The author, David Prudhomme, was born in France in 1969.
David Prudhomme's paintings are wonderful, as he says he was captivated by Rebetico.
You can almost hear the rhythm in the figure as he dances and shakes his body, and it is the expression of shadows that creates the world created by the background and spirit in which the music and music were born.
The delicate expression of light and shadow throughout the piece is a sight to behold.
Shades and shadows express the dimness of the interior and the sunlight of the outdoors. Speckled patterns created by the shade of trees.
The red color which gradually dips into the setting sun. The darkness of the night.
The darkness of the bar at night is different from the darkness of the hashish cave in the daytime.
The dawn which arrives on the sea after rowing a boat through a riot.
The sun shines brightly on the world and casts a dark shadow as if nothing happened.
But that doesn't mean that nothing has happened.
There are things that stay, things that slip away, and things that drift away.
Each one has its own choice.
The soul is free.
Book 『Rébétiko - Song of the Weeds』
By David Prudhomme
Translation: Hara Masato
Southern Books, Inc.
Published: October 2020
9.4.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
The World of Shinsaku Osada
Shinsaku Osada's latest books, "True Star" and "The Moon of the Soragoto" have been released.
303BOOKS has released two books at the same time.
The True Star, painted in red and black, and The Moon at Every Door" is a mysterious world of blue and black.
The gaping holes in the cover are snarled and seem to represent something.
It's a shape that seems to be nothing, something that catches you by surprise.
Is the star in "The Real Star" really a star?
They don't seem to be confident.
To the other stars, "Hey, you guys are stars, right? I asked him.
You know, "Of course.
I guess I never really questioned it.
I'm a star, right? Are you sure about the stars? What are the stars?
What's the truth? What is it that we're looking for?
Maybe we've all felt that way.
Uncomfortable and difficult to live with.
Maybe you've wondered if there's another place for you to be, or
I'm not sure if this is the right thing to do.
Maybe we don't need to think about such things.
The moon in "The Moon of the Beaten Path" cannot sleep.
It can't sleep, it has to stay awake forever.
The night doesn't end forever, and we can see it through the gaps in the night.
Strange creatures hover in the darkness.
The night persistently clings to them and never lets go of the moon.
Would you rather throw yourself into the night?
Let your dreams eat you up!
Have you been in the darkness of the night, or are you trapped in the darkness within yourself?
Shinsaku Nagata has been working on two books at the same time or a trilogy.
Often published, the stories move forward in pairs or in series.
They contain conflicting worlds and contradictions.
Although each element is intricately intertwined with the other.
It doesn't feel like it's melting and mixing together.
It's like there's something shiny in the chaos.
I'm tempted to find something like that.
Suddenly that Nietzsche's saying comes to mind.
He who fights against monsters should be careful not to become a monster himself.
He who looks into the abyss is also looked into by the abyss.
Book 『The Moon of the Soragoto』
Book 『True Star』
8.2.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Let's Go - - Ga je mee?
Kyoto seems to be getting more and more people in the center of the city.
Our shop is far from the tourist areas, though, so it's not too different.
The government's "Go to Travel" policy has begun with an undeniable lack of preparation.
You want to go somewhere, but you don't know where to go.
That's when daydreaming comes to the rescue.
"Ga je mee?" is a very pleasant picture book.
It starts with a view of the city from the sky.
The view from a flying bird's eye view is called a bird's eye view, but It would be better to have a drone's-eye view if I had a current sense.
"Me" was asked to do an errand.
What should you do? The road is grim.
There are dragons in the forest on the way and the sea beyond the rugged rocky mountains.
You can be attacked by pirates, you know.
Isn't it too harsh to go to the grocery store to buy apples?
I'll tell you what it is, a large garden of trees, a forest, a pond, and the ocean.
Any place is a great adventure with the rich imagination of a child.
Breathtakingly beautiful Dematone's drawings are a revelation every time you look at them.
The author, Charlotte Dematons, is a Dutch picture book author.
The Netherlands is said to have the highest level of child happiness in the world.
In school, they can learn from any subject they want.
Work-life balance is so prevalent.
She spends a lot of time at home with her family.
Even from the gardens of the houses in the town depicted in this picture book.
We see a glimpse of each of them enjoying life in their own way.
Children are happy and free to flap their wings of imagination and go on adventures.
It's like a fairytale that such a country exists.
Book 『Let's Go - - Ga je mee?』
Charlotte Dematone
Nozaka Etsuko
Bronze New Company
7.1.2020
DAYS/ Satoko Kumagai Column
Kicks from Books
Different ways of thinking about "work"
Have you ever heard of a Baul?
A bard who lives in rural Bangladesh or wanders from village to village, a bard who belongs to no caste People who don't.
That word alone is too mysterious, and the only thing I can think of is a wandering minstrel, a snafuquin. It seems to be listed as an intangible cultural heritage by UNESCO, which means it is real.
"In search of baul" is a non-fiction book about a journey to find Baul.
The traveler, Mrs. Akio Kawauchi, had just retired from the United Nations at the time, so his background is also interesting.
What is a Baul?
Where do I go to meet them?
There's something about this trip, from the preliminary research, to finding a guide, to finding someone who seems to know more about it.
I can only assume that I'm being guided by some mysterious force before I even set out.
Already published by Gentosha in 2013 and won the Jiro Nitta Literary Award the following year, this third The complete edition of Looking for Baur, published by 3rinsha, has a lot of ingenuity in its binding.
All of them are not over or underdone, for example, the exposed collation looks like a textile pattern because it doesn't have a spine.
The rainbow-colored binding thread is beautiful, but it also has a nice crisp opening, so the photo spread It's stress-free.
Why is that?
I just got it today, and it already feels as comfortable in my hand as a book I've had by my side for years, as expected. Tamon Yahagi.
One big difference is that the book includes plenty of photos by his travel companion, photographer Akira Nakagawa. Being there.
For those of you who have already read the text, oh, there are a lot of pictures that are instantly recognizable as that scene, and you'll see it once.
I can't think of this book as anything other than a "complete version" of the book without the photos.
In fact, I've only worked with photographer Akira Nakagawa once before, more than 20 years ago. But when I was working for a publishing company, I was asked to accompany an artist for an interview.
Everyone at the company called him Akira-san.
During the interview he was taking pictures with his camera, and afterwards he asked for a portrait too.
I think it was an 8×10 with a wooden frame that was taken out of the case?
The big camera was so beautiful, and the artist and I were both staring at it for a while.
We had some time to spare, so we stopped by a coffee shop to have a cup of coffee and then went home, and we talked about the camera we had just seen.
I tried it.
It's a beautiful camera with a wooden frame.
Are you really particular about the tools you use for work?
You must be scared of being on camera.
I've got this look, too.
I'm hoping that it will ease your mind a little.
Yeah, that's how you're supposed to face your subject, not make them feel poised.
It's not a one-sided relationship where the photographer is the viewer and the subject is the one being looked at, but rather a relationship of equality.
I vaguely heard them talk about things in various languages.
I should have listened to it properly.
In my excuse, I was left feeling like I was on a journey to find words.
Akira-san, who looks for words that accurately describe it, words that don't mix with lies, and photographs that are also about the bare bones and the essence.
I wondered if he was trying to see something that wasn't superficial.
Maybe Akira-san was looking for Baul from then on.
Maybe Akira-san is the Baul.
'There's already a Baul inside you.
This is how you came to find me.
Book 『In search of baul』
Akio Kawauchi : Sentence
Akira Nakagawa : Photo
Published by 3rinsha
