In the Meadow is our first book in our Being in the World series, a collection of nature books from Japan. Each book will focus on what it feels like to be in a particular place. In this book, a little girl experiences what it’s like to be alone in a field where the grass is as tall as she is and there are many insects and sounds. The book ends on a peaceful note, with mommy and daughter together.
Yukiko Kato is a famous Japanese novelist.
Komako Sakai is well known for Emily’s Balloon and The Snow Day, both of which received starred reviews and an enthusiastic reception.
"The Japanese illustrator Komako Sakai has an uncanny ability to conjure the experiences of young children, those 3- and 4-year-olds for whom ordinary life is still a series of wonders and mysteries, of apprehensions and comforts." - Meghan Cox Gurdon, The Wall Street Journal
"With her fascination with nature and her first steps into independence and back again, Yu is a relatable, believable preschooler; and illustrator Sakai once again eloquently captures the facial expressions and postures of the very young." - Martha V. Parravano, The Horn Book
"Wonderful! Both narrative and illustration perfectly capture a young child's perspective of the world. Discover a grassy meadow with Yu-chan and experience it with your senses and imagination as she does. Parents will find the illustrations endearing and the interior monologue of Yu-chan "pitch perfect." Kiddos will relate because they will recognize her wonder and curiosity." -Lisa Barker, biblioreads.blogspot.com
"This gentle book from Japan captures a young child’s wonder about the natural world in a sweet, pitch-perfect manner. Nature scenes ranging from the oceans to the meadows, realistically rendered in acrylic and oil paints, are perfectly matched to this tender nature book." - Usha Rao, curled up with a good kid's book
"This picture book explores nature in a very personal way. All of the senses are involved in the description of the meadow, from the scent of the crushed grass under her feet, the way the grass feels on her skin, the way the grass looks as it sways, to the sounds of the meadow and its creatures. This immerses the reader in the experience of the meadow, both its beauty and the way you can lose yourself in it.
Kato’s words are simple, perfect for small children. They reveal the meadow slowly, building it into a full experience. [Sakai's] illustrations are done in acrylic paints and oil pencils. They are done in delicate lines, yet have a freedom, a naturalness. The vast green of the field, dances on the page, at times detailed and at other times simply an expanse.
This lovely book is ideal to use with toddlers and preschoolers who will see themselves in the meadow. It would be a great piece to use with an art project where children draw their own meadows, or even build collages from found grasses. But primarily, it is a fresh, wonderful look at nature from a small child’s point of view." - Tasha Saecker, Waking Brain Cells
"While Kato uses few words, they are well chosen and express the wonders of nature. Onomatopoetic sounds[...]as well as descriptive sentences will be like music to a young child's ears as they paint a picture of what Yu-Chan is experiencing. Sakai's almost impressionistic acrylic paint and oil-pencil illustrations complement the story. Even the endpapers extend the lushness of the greenery in the text." -Blair Christolon, Prince William Public Library System
"Delicate illustrations done with acrylic paints and oil pencils bring the grassy meadow Yu-Chan experiences to full life. "In the Meadow" is a beautiful book that will lead young children to the heart of the natural world." -The Midwest Book Review
A memorable day at the river with the whole family.
A little girl named Yu-Chan, barely older than a toddler, narrates the adventure with beautifully childlike ingenuousness. Spotting a bright orange butterfly perched on a stone, she tries to touch it, but of course it flies away. While Mommy unpacks the family's supplies on the beach and Daddy and Yu-Chan's brother wade in the shallow water, she follows the butterfly through a meadow of tall green grass and plants, the leaves on the ground tickling her ankles. The greenery is so tall that only Yu-Chan's white hat is visible above it. The wind blows, rustling the leaves, and the meadow sways like the waves of the sea. A grasshopper jumps onto her arm but doesn't stay long; he boings away. Yu-Chan has been away for what feels like a long time; she hears a cacophony of sounds, but they all seem very far away. Suddenly she's afraid and starts to cry; it's the perfect time for Mommy to appear. They walk back to the river, hand in hand. Sakai uses acrylic paints and oil pencils to create softly lyrical illustrations that surpass the appropriately minimal text in beauty and elegance.
This immersive experience is the first in a proposed series of nature books; a welcome addition. (Picture book. 3-6)
Overview
In the Meadow is our first book in our Being in the World series, a collection of nature books from Japan. Each book will focus on what it feels like to be in a particular place. In this book, a little girl experiences what it’s like to be alone in a field where the grass is as tall as she is and there are many insects and sounds. The book ends on a peaceful note, with mommy and daughter together.
Yukiko Kato is a famous Japanese novelist....