Offers rhymes and colorful illustrations for the letters of the English alphabet that help introduce Japanese vocabulary in Kanji and Hiragana, as well as Romanized form. - (Baker & Taylor)
My First Book of Japanese Words is a beautifully illustrated book that introduces young children to Japanese language and culture through everyday words.
The words profiled in this book are all commonly used in the Japanese language and are both informative and fun for English-speaking children to learn. The goals of My First Book of Japanese Words are multiple: to familiarize children with the sounds and structure of Japanese speech, to introduce core elements of Japanese culture, to illustrate the ways in which languages differ in their treatment of everyday sounds and to show how, through cultural importation, a single word can be shared between languages.
Both teachers and parents will welcome the book's cultural and linguistic notes and appreciate how the book is organized in a familiar ABC structure. Each word is presented in Kanji (when applicable), Kana, and Romanized form (Romaji).
With the help of this book, we hope more children (and adults) will soon be a part of the 125 million people worldwide that speak Japanese! - (Perseus Publishing)
Michelle Haney Brown is a longtime student and teacher of Japanese language and culture. Her blog, JapanThink.com, muses on everything from Japanese food to Japan's complex shoe etiquette.
Aya Padron is a freelance artist who works in many media, including painting and photography. She is the illustrator of My First Book of Korean Words and My First Book of Chinese Words.
Both Brown and Padron live with their families in Austin, Texas. - (Perseus Publishing)
Horn Book Guide Reviews
Twenty-four Japanese words are introduced, including those for several animals and other child-friendly items (train; chopsticks). The full-bleed illustrations are often unattractively placed two to a spread. Awkward rhymes contain seemingly random line breaks (e.g., "C is for chocho;, / a butterfly bright-- / red and purple, blue / and white"). Notes on pronunciation and Japanese writing systems are included.
