Friday, May 3, 2013

My Favorite Picture Books: Yuki and the One Thousand Carriers

illustrated by Yan Nascimbene

We read this book along with our brief study of Japan in world history. It would also be a good addition to a study of haiku with young children. I enjoy reading it merely for its own sake.

Yuki and her family are required to make the 300 mile journey between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo). Her teacher requires a haiku for each day of the journey. It's full of information about ancient Japan seen through the eyes of a young child. The illustrations are beautiful, large, colorful, evocative. They make me want to visit Japan (which doesn't take much).

It's a book of poetry in words and art, a delight.