A teen ponders the complexities of life, history, and humanity in this 1937 classic from Japan that is being animated by Hayao Miyazaki.Honda "Copper" Jun'ichi is an introspective 15-year-old living in Tokyo with his mother; his father died two years earlier. Like a typical teenager, Copper goes to school, spends time with his friends, and has experiences that affect his worldview and personal growth. Copper's analyses of his friendships and the bullying of a classmate from a poorer family, along with his youthful maternal uncle's thought-provoking conversations on science, ethics, and world history, add dimension to a spare plot. It is this latter relationship that produces Copper's nickname, shortened from Copernicus and reflecting his uncle's observation that, despite his age, Copper was already developing an expansive, Copernican approach to the world. The colloquial tone of the uncle's notebook entries and the omniscient narrator's occasional comments directed at readers are engaging. Simple and beautiful seasonal details reflect Copper's emotional journey. Small glimpses into prewar Japanese life and culture, including tofu making, school social hierarchies, city life, and the intricacies and symbolism of words, contribute to the atmosphere. A foreword by Neil Gaiman perfectly captures the mood and significance of this book, a childhood favorite of Miyazaki's and one that is sure to find a select, but eager, readership outside its original homeland.A quiet, introspective look at life and how to be human. (translator's note) (Fiction. 10-adult)

This Japanese classic, originally published in 1937 and a story beguiling enough to catch the eye of filmmaker Hayao Miyazaki, sees its first English translation here, complete with an introduction by Neil Gaiman. It's the strange and ruminative coming-of-age tale of 15-year-old Honda Jun'ichi, whose nickname, Copper, is short for Copernicus. The boy's close relationships with his unnamed uncle (who is something of a pedant) and his three best friends are front and center in the book's slow-paced development. Its spare plot comprises a clutch of episodic stories interspersed with lectures by the uncle and extended essays in Copper's notebook about the meaning of whatever event has just transpired. These reflections cover the waterfront of thought: philosophy, economics, sociology, physics, and on and on. As a result, the book is rather didactic and sometimes moralistic. However, it is enough of a sui generis curiosity to excite interest and ppily spire thought, and the Miyazaki and Studio Ghibli connection will drum up more than a little interest among anime fans.

A teen ponders the complexities of life, history, and humanity in this 1937 classic from Japan that is being animated by Hayao Miyazaki.Honda "Copper" Jun'ichi is an introspective 15-year-old living in Tokyo with his mother; his father died two years earlier. Like a typical teenager, Copper goes to school, spends time with his friends, and has experiences that affect his worldview and personal growth. Copper's analyses of his friendships and the bullying of a classmate from a poorer family, along with his youthful maternal uncle's thought-provoking conversations on science, ethics, and world history, add dimension to a spare plot. It is this latter relationship that produces Copper's nickname, shortened from Copernicus and reflecting his uncle's observation that, despite his age, Copper was already developing an expansive, Copernican approach to the world. The colloquial tone of the uncle's notebook entries and the omniscient narrator's occasional comments directed at readers are engaging. Simple and beautiful seasonal details reflect Copper's emotional journey. Small glimpses into prewar Japanese life and culture, including tofu making, school social hierarchies, city life, and the intricacies and symbolism of words, contribute to the atmosphere. A foreword by Neil Gaiman perfectly captures the mood and significance of this book, a childhood favorite of Miyazaki's and one that is sure to find a select, but eager, readership outside its original homeland.A quiet, introspective look at life and how to be human. (translator's note) (Fiction. 10-adult)