Kuma-Kuma Chan is the perfect storybook and bedtime companion. The narrator explains that his friend, the little bear, lives in a home in the mountains that is "far away and difficult to get to." The narrator imagines how Kuma-Kuma Chan fills his time. He might spend his days quietly eating salad made from vegetables fresh from his garden or cleaning his small house. He might visit the bookstore or dance to music on the radio. He might even write "a long, long letter to a friend."
The charm of the Kuma-Kuma Chan books lies in their softly colored, uncluttered illustrations. If he is singing songs in the autumn, then readers see him sitting with his guitar and a couple of falling leaves are the sign of the season. Nap time shows him draped in his blue blanket. There are no extraneous details to make the scenes visually busy and hectic; everything is calm and spare. By the end of the book, the slow rhythm of basic tasks and simple joys like listening "to the sound of rain falling on the roof," will lull readers into their own peaceful state.
"Takahashi's illustrations embody kawaii—the quality of being cute and adorable, which is prominent in Japanese popular culture." (quote from publisher) Kuma-Kuma Chan is shown as a rather fluffy watercolor bear that all ages can appreciate. He seems to always be content and the only frown is one of concentration as he "pours milk to make beautiful drawings in his cup of coffee." Who wouldn't want to share a book about such a cute and cuddly bear?
No comments:
Post a Comment