Tokyo Friends: Tokyo No Tomadachi

• About the Book

Tokyo Friends: Tokyo No Tomadachi

Written and illustrated by Betty Reynolds

Tuttle Publishing

Copyright 1999

In author and illustrator Betty Reynold's Tokyo Friends, the Japanese language and culture come alive for children.  Reynold's spent seven years in Japan and her background gives Tokyo No Tomadachi (translation: Tokyo Friends) its stilts.  Katie, an American girl, befriends Keiko and her brother, Kenji in Tokyo.  Together, the three friends discover the differences between American and Japanese cultures.  They explore greetings, eating customs, transportation, school, sleeping arrangements, celebrations, festivals, and more.  It is a fascinating book for young children who are interested in learning about life in other parts of the world, for parents/teachers/caregivers who would like to teach them about unique cultures, and for families who are fortunate to travel to Japan.

Each page introduces a new Japanese custom, frequently using short, rhyming couplets that read fluidly and entice children to listen while increasing the opportunity for memory retention.  The illustrations are truly one of the highlights of this informative picture book.  Reynold's art is colorful and detailed without being overwhelming.  English words and their Japanese translations and pronunciations caption the people, places, events, and objects depicted. 

• I Spy from a Counseling/Educational Perspective: Cultural Awareness & Foreign Language Skills

The format of the book calls for discussion and interaction between reader and child.  Even for advanced child readers, help will be needed to pronounce many of the Japanese words.  A hallmark of Reynold's book is the communication it inspires between parent/teacher/caregiver and child.  Not to mention that it's a benefit for the adult learner, too!

Empathy grows and an appreciation and understanding for how others live is instilled when a child learns about the differences in the traditions, customs, and cultures of other people.  It is a great gift to children's literature when a child's knowledge of the world is expanded through a wonderfully illustrated and rhythmically written book like Tokyo Friends.

• I Spy, More!

• Look inside Tokyo Friends on Amazon!
• More titles by Betty Reynolds
• Yokoso! Japan (Welcome!)
• Japan National Tourism Association
• Japan's Official Travel Website
• Kids Web Japan