Japanese Stories and Poems for Children

We live in a diverse multicultural world and there isn’t a neighborhood that doesn’t have a plethora of different races. Each of us has grown up with our own heritage, including various customs, traditions and lifestyle choices. As society blends more people together, it’s an invitation and opportunity to learn about different cultures. As a small child, I was always fascinated by the beauty of the Japanese culture. Their delicate artwork,  ingenious origami, traditional silk clothing, and their mesmerizing music were entrancing.

Books are a great way to learn about different cultures and I have two Japanese storybooks that will expand our knowledge of their ancestry, history and culture.

Japanese Myths, Legends & Folktales

Japanese Myths, Legends & Folktales is a bilingual book that features stories in both English and Japanese. There are twelve different Japanese stories and each of them teaches a moral or a lesson.

Stories include:
The Tongue-Cut Sparrow
The Strong Boy
♥ The Marriage of a Mouse
The Fisherman and the Tortoise
The Luminous Princess
The Peach Boy
The Kachi Kachi Mountain
The Old Men With Wens
The Old Man Who Made Trees Blossom
The One-Inch Boy
The Lucky Cauldron
The Monkey and Crab Fight

Each of the stories has beautiful colorful illustrations that lend themselves to the storyline. The heartwarming stories with charming characters are engaging, intriguing and capture kids attention. Read about a dragon princess, magic mallets and take a turtle-back ride to an underwater palace. Kids can also see the written Japanese Hiragana and Katakana language symbols.

My First Book of Haiku Poems

My First Book of Haiku Poems

Haiku is a very short poem from ancient Japanese origin that can be traced back to the 9th century. They consist of a specific number of syllables and three short lines that do not usually rhyme. They can be about any topic, but this book of Haiku poems focuses on our connection to nature.

The poems are written English and Japanese and feature a stunning picturesque original painting. Collectively they encourage children to expand their imagination and dream up their own interpretation. There is also an explanation provided for each poem and questions that prompt readers to contemplate and look deeper within themselves.

Disclaimer: I received product to facilitate a review. All opinions are my own, yours may differ.