Illustrator: Susan Kathleen Hartung
Comments:
"The Japanese garden is a restful place removed from the cares and worries of everyday life."This is a counting book that takes the form of haikus. A note of Japanese gardens and Haiku poetry is included at the end, and Hartung says that in English the Japanese form was not strictly followed, which seems to be the current trend in American's Haiku. Hartung also notes that Haiku should be recited in a single breath, which add to the restful vibe of the Japanese garden.
Aside from teaching counting and Haiku, the poems also include footnotes about cultural aspects such as the Shinto and Buddhist religions, shih tzu guard dogs, padoga and teahouses. The illustrations, oil paint glases on sealed paper, enhance this sense of culture. Each Haiku and accompanying illustration guides your through the garden, and the collection ends with a bird's eye view of where you have been.
Copyright: Puffin, 2005
Age level: 4-8
Format: Picture Book
Genre: Poetry and Verse (Haiku, Counting)
Multicultural/International: Japanese
Awards: IRA Children's Book Awards
Location: Peabody Library
Rating: * * * * *
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