Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* Kaneko's children's poetry is translated into English for the first time in this beautiful text. Translators Jacobson, Sally Ito, and Michiko Tsuboi give young readers a glimpse into Kaneko's writing and life in early twentieth-century Japan. The first part of the book provides an emotive biography, which reveals the abusive relationship she had with her husband that ultimately led to her suicide. These weighty topics are softened, but not diminished, by gentle, painted scenes that reflect Kaneko's kind nature. The second half of the text provides a collection of Kaneko's poetry in Japanese, accompanied by the English translation. Despite some of the more difficult aspects of her personal life, Kaneko had a very whimsical view of the world, which is passed on to her readers via her poetry. For example, in the poem Waves, Kaneko describes the ocean waves as erasers (wiping away words / written on the sand) and soldiers (advancing from the open sea). Hajiri's illustrations provide a gorgeous visual learning tool for hesitant poetry readers. This lovingly wrought text brilliantly honors Kaneko's work and gives readers a welcome opportunity to revel in her unique way of looking at the world.--Rodríguez, Sonia Alejandra Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
The work of Japanese children's poet Misuzu (1903-1930) was nearly forgotten until a contemporary writer unearthed her poems; one of them, "Are You an Echo?," brought renewed attention to the poet when it was broadcast after the 2011 tsunami. Ito and Tsuboi render Misuzu's plainspoken poems into graceful English ("The fish in the sea-/ no one looks after them;/ they do no harm./ And yet, here I am about to eat one") and Jacobson provides the tragic biography of an artist whose life blazed and ended early. Misuzu finished high school in an age when most women had little formal schooling and started writing soon after. Children's magazines clamored to publish her work, but she suffered in a dreadful marriage and committed suicide at 27, leaving her young daughter in the care of her mother. Hajiri's warmhearted illustrations of turn-of-the-century Japanese life recall the work of Allan Say; they dwell on the closeness between Misuzu, her mother, and her daughter. The poems, several printed in both English and Japanese, are aimed at very young readers, but the biography is not; guidance from teachers or parents will likely be needed. Ages 9-14. (Sept.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by School Library Journal Review
Gr 3-7-This sensitively crafted picture book offers a glimpse into the life and work of Japanese poet Kaneko (1903-30). Accompanied by colorful, soft illustrations, the first half recounts Kaneko's short life along with a selection of her poems that thematically complement the text. The second half is a larger (also illustrated) collection of her poems in English and Japanese. Young Misuzu is described as a sensitive, inquisitive child; her family encouraged her love of reading and education. When she was 20, her first poems were published and were well received. She would go on to write more than 500 poems. The narrative covers the many challenges Kaneko faced. (She committed suicide at the age of 26.) Framing Kaneko's life story is the account of Setsuo Yazaki, who worked tirelessly to track down and preserve her poetry after it fell into obscurity. Kaneko's brief poems express kinship with the world: sleepy telephone poles, fish, grieving orphaned whale calves, and more. Poems like "The Cicada's Clothes" and "Dewdrop" convey a childlike sense of wonder: "Let's not tell anyone./In the corner of the garden this morning,/a flower shed a tear." Even in translation, her work has an elegant simplicity and clarity. VERDICT This wonderfully illustrated book stresses the positive legacy of Kaneko's tragic life. A recommended purchase for all collections, especially those with an interest in international poetry.-Marilyn Taniguchi, Beverly Hills Public Library, CA © Copyright 2016. 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
Translated by Sally Ito and Michiko Tsuboi. Part biography, part poetry collection, the book begins with Jacobson's sensitive biographical narrative of Japanese children's poet Misuzu Kaneko's grim life (she committed suicide at twenty-six). The second half features fifteen of Kaneko's child-centered, empathetic poems printed in English first, then Japanese. Hajiri's illustrations capture time and place in addition to rendering delicate close-up views of the world from a young child's viewpoint. (c) Copyright 2017. The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
A combined picture-book biography and brief anthology of poems by Japans foremost 20th-century poet for children. In her brief life, Misuzu Kaneko wrote and published hundreds of poems exploring the feelings of snowflakes and sardines, whales and birds. After her death, though her work was translated into many other languages, Misuzus poetry fell into obscurity in Japan, revived only following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami that devastated Tohoku. The biographical portion of the book, by journalist Jacobson, covers Misuzus triumphs and tragedies, incorporating 10 poems that reflect her interest in the natural world and her gift for investing creatures and inanimate objects with unique perspectives. This section also sensitively addresses Misuzus suicide at age 26, following the swift progression of a then-untreatable sexually transmitted infection contracted from her husband. The second half of the book, which can be read along with the biography or separately, comprises 15 more of Misuzus poemspresented in both the original Japanese and in translationaccompanied by warm, thematically related illustrations. Each brief poem addresses nature, childrens observations, or both, in language that will be both accessible to the youngest readers and thought-provoking for adult caregivers. Striking, memorable imagerya lost hat enjoying a new life as a birds nest, the mystery of a cicadas molted huskguarantees fruitful rereadings for readers of all ages. (Picture book/poetry/biography. 6-11) Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
