Review by Booklist Review
Gr. 2-4. Nineteenth-century silk handscrolls, painted by master Naganobu and housed in the New York Public Library's Spencer Collection, illustrate this handsome retelling of a much-loved Japanese folktale. The story bears similarities to American tall tales of heroic strongmen: an infant emerges from a peach, is dubbed Momotaro (Peach Boy) by his foster parents, and grows into a remarkable, ogre-defeating hero. Possibilities for group sharing are limited, as the handscroll segments have been scaled down to the dimensions demanded by the book's particular design and format, and the lengthy text tends to overwhelm the delicate art. Still, children unfamiliar with the story will find the text a useful gloss on the artwork. In a postscript, art historian Wada explains the symbolism of the paintings and talks about how the art was originally appreciated (the experience of viewing scrolls was much like that of watching a movie ). Use this with Judy Sierra's Tasty Baby Belly Buttons (2003), an adaptation of the Peach Boy story with a girl as the main character, or as art-class inspiration. --Jennifer Mattson Copyright 2005 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Rather than updating this classic Japanese folktale with new illustrations, the publisher boldly pairs Wada?s lucid, lyrical retelling with the magnificent Momotaro handscroll of Japanese painter Kano Naganobu (1775?1828). Now housed at the New York Public Library, the scroll presents the story?s dramatic moments (?Run for your lives, or surrender immediately!?) with beguiling brush and ink figures shown against misty mountains and groves of bamboo, in tones of muted gray and rust. The scroll unrolls along the book?s pages cinematically, with wide white borders emphasizing its horizontal breadth and expansive landscapes. Wada?s narrative follows Momotaro through his remarkable early adventures and describes how he wins over his animal allies (a dog, monkey and pheasant). Momotaro?s exploits have convulsed and amazed generations of Japanese children; mixing elements of the Daniel Boone and Robin Hood figures, he conquers a clan of terrible ogres who have terrorized the populace and stolen their treasure. The artist likes Momotaro and his animal sidekicks, but he prefers the ogres. They have lumps on their heads and blue and red bodies that resemble sacks of melons. Once the hero has driven their chief to capitulation, the ogres do whatever Momotaro tells them to, with hangdog looks. Adults should not shrink from the ?high art? appearance of the scroll (a postscript describes the artist?s fascinating process). Young readers will not hesitate to take his wild figures into the private stables of their own imaginations. A captivating choice. Ages 9-12. (May) Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information.
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-8-For centuries, Japanese storytellers have recounted how Momotaro, the baby found inside a peach and raised by a childless couple, grew up to defeat a tribe of thieving ogres. Kano Naganobu (1775-1828), an official painter for the Shogun, depicted Momotaro's exploits on a pair of silk handscrolls. Wada has retold Peach Boy's adventures to accompany reproductions of scenes from those scrolls. The result is a handsome book that will invite older children to see this beloved story through Japanese eyes. The delicate watercolors depict the hero and his animal helpers against mist-shrouded backdrops of mountain and sea. All of the characters are small, moving through vast open spaces. Even the ogres are dwarfed by the landscape; they are presented as not-so-fearsome beings who repent their ways and voluntarily return their ill-gotten treasure. An afterword provides information about the artist and explains why the tale remains so popular. This title is not a substitute for versions aimed at younger readers, but it is an excellent supplement where authentic Japanese material is needed.-Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Horn Book Review
Momotaro, the Peach Boy of Japanese folklore, defeats marauding ogres with the help of a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant. This graceful retelling, detailed and descriptive, is illustrated with a treasure: an early nineteenth-century Japanese handscroll, painted on silk. Careful readers and viewers will be richly rewarded. The postscript provides additional information about the scrolls and the tale. (c) Copyright 2010. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
An exquisite scroll, painted in the early 18th century and now in the Spencer Collection of the New York Public Library, illustrates the story of Momotaro, the Peach Boy, retold equally exquisitely by a curator of Japanese art. Wada's language is as limpid and magical as the sound of flowing water as she relates this popular Japanese folktale. An elderly couple has their wish for a child fulfilled when the wife finds on a riverbank a huge, glowing peach that holds a tiny baby boy inside. He grows up strong, wise and loving, and when he's 15, he sets out to rid the land of marauding ogres. Along the way, a dog, a monkey and a pheasant join him. The ogres aren't impressed but not only does the quartet defeat them, Momotaro convinces them to mend their ways and return all the treasures they've stolen. The painting on silk repays close examination, and the text gracefully illuminates details in the images that might be overlooked. Lends itself wonderfully to reading aloud, too. (Picture book/folktale. 5-10) Copyright ©Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
