ALA Booklist

Takabayashi offers little ones a child's-eye view of life in suburban Tokyo, along with a chance to roll some Japanese words and phrases around on their tongues. For each month, seven-year-old Mimiko supplies a description of a holiday celebration or other family activity, new or traditional, shown in vignettes drawn with fresh, childlike simplicity. After putting down newspapers to protect the tatami (straw floor mat), Mimiko and her mother roll out special paper to practice shodo (calligraphy); Mimiko studies pictographic kanji in school (several characters are shown and translated), dons a beautiful but uncomfortable kimono for a Juichigatsu (November) holiday, and helps to decorate a small Christmas tree (because Even though we don't celebrate this holiday, it is still a fun tradition). The Japanese vocabulary is reprised, with pronunciation and definitions, at the end. Whether her audience is driven by interest or assignment, Mimiko makes a lively guide with a distinct voice.

Horn Book

Seven-year-old narrator Mimiko takes readers on a month-by-month tour of contemporary Tokyo, briefly describing one or two festivals, customs, or facets of life each month. Colorful illustrations accompany the text, which remains consistently childlike throughout, focusing on the stuff of daily life--a kid's daily life. The book crams numerous details into a small space in a compact and attractive manner.

Kirkus Reviews

Here is a charming—and accurate—introduction to Tokyo as seen through the eyes of a fictional seven-year-old girl. Mimiko takes readers month-by-month through the year, highlighting foods, festivals, and family and school activities. The left edge of each month's double-paged spread names the month in English, in Japanese characters, and in transliteration. Takabayashi (born and raised in Tokyo) has painted many small, lively vignettes, all informatively labeled, to extend her more general text and larger pictures. The vibrant watercolors elegantly combine childlike simplicity with a wealth of detail. We see school texts and uniforms, Japanese writing, the Japanese zodiac, Mimiko's top ten favorite meals, a bullet train passing Mt. Fuji, and more. A painted map of Japan provides a frame of reference, and the final page includes pronunciations for the months, the numbers from one to twelve, and a few Japanese words and phrases. (Picture book/nonfiction. 4-8)

Publishers Weekly (Fri Oct 06 00:00:00 CDT 2023)

Bright, bustling illustrations abound in this pictorial peek at Japanese life and customs through the eyes of a Tokyo schoolgirl. Mimiko takes readers on a journey through the calendar year, highlighting each month's important traditions. Takabayashi (<EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Marshmallow Kisses) devotes a two-page spread to each month, filling it with petite, concentrated watercolors (many of them captioned in Japanese and English). Pictures of Mimiko's 10 favorite meals (curry rice and <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">tempura top the list) fill one page, while 20 appealing <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">wagashi cakes for a tea ceremony occupy another. Takabayashi marks the start of school in April with intricate pictures of school uniforms, Japanese notebooks and school lunches. On the facing page, she acquaints readers with Japanese writing and forms a clever border by pictorially showing how 10 <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">kanji characters (Chinese characters used in Japanese writing) evolved from the pictures they represent. Such versatile artwork demonstrates the text's examples throughout the book. Though the busy layout may be visually overwhelming at times, it invites readers to slow down and savor each picture. A glossary of Japanese words and numerals plus some simple phrases conclude this informative volume. From <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Ichigatsu (January) to <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">Junigatsu (December), Takabayashi accessibly and handsomely gives children a taste of life in Tokyo. Ages 4-8. <EMPHASIS TYPE=""ITALIC"">(Sept.)

School Library Journal

K-Gr 2-Seven-year-old Mimiko leads readers through a year highlighting the festivals, activities, food, and her family's daily routine. The name of each month is written along the left border in phonetic Japanese, English, and Kanji (Chinese characters used in Japanese writing). January begins with oshogatsu, a New Year celebration. The illustration depicts the family having a special meal, and various holiday items. The facing page is about calligraphy, or shodo. The illustration shows mother and daughter practicing their brushwork (January 2nd is said to be perfect for writing), as well as the Japanese zodiac, and a racket used for Japanese badminton, which seems out of place. Other festivals included are setsubun, celebrated the day before the first day of spring (February 3rd); the Bon Festival in July; and school field day (undokai) in October. Readers learn that Valentine's Day is celebrated, and although Christmas is not, Mimiko observes the tradition of decorating a tree. The last page lists the months again, with a pronunciation guide, as well as common words and phrases. This book's gentle, childlike watercolor illustrations capture an array of special and mundane events in one youngster's life. An appealing browsing item rather than fodder for reports.-DeAnn Tabuchi, San Anselmo Public Library, CA Copyright 2001 Cahners Business Information.