Exploring East Asia through Stories

The East Asian Studies Center at Indiana University Bloomington would like to bring a storytelling program to your preschool - 6th grade library or classroom.

Katie Venit from the East Asian Studies Center (EASC) or a trained volunteer will tell stories from Japan, China or Korea, depending on the type of program requested by the librarian/teacher. Katie taught in Japan through the JET program for one year and studied Japanese Buddhism as a master's student at IU. Our trained volunteers are from the Cultural Immersion program in the IU School of Education and are preparing to teach overseas next year.

When scheduling permits, an IU student from China, Japan or Korea will accompany the primary presenter. Through demonstrations or crafts, the IU student will bring a modern perspective about his/her country to the storytelling program.

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Program Highlights

Listen to popular folktales from China, Japan or Korea told by an East Asian specialist. Give your students a glimpse of another way of thinking and living.

Learn about modern China, Japan and Korea with the help of IU students who will give presentations about topics related to the folktales.

Choose from our extensive list of Children's Books or Kamishibai.

Link up with the East Asian Studies Center, which has many resources for bringing East Asia into the classroom, including curricular materials, teacher workshops, a Web site (http://www.indiana.edu/~easc/), and a quarterly newsletter about East Asian resources for teachers.

(For the PDF of our 2005-2006 flier we sent out to schools in Bloomington, click here.)

Program Requests & Questions:

Katie Venit, Assistant Outreach Coordinator

East Asian Studies Center
Memorial Hall West 207
1021 E. Third St.
Indiana University
Bloomington, IN 47405-7005
Tel. (812) 855-3765
(800) 441-EASC
Fax: (812) 855-7762
easc@indiana.edu

Children's Book List

Title	Author	Country	Age/Grade	Other
Cat and Rat	Young, Ed	China	Ages 4-8	Legend of the Chinese Zodiac
The Greatest Treasure	Demi	China
Monkey King	Young, Ed	China
I Once was a Monkey	Lee, Jeanne M.	China		Stories Buddha Told
The Making of Monkey King	Kraus, Robert & Chen, Debbie	China		English/Chinese
The Lost Horse	Young, Ed	China		With shadow puppets
Lon Po Po	Young, Ed	China	Ages 6-10	A Red-Riding Hood Story
The Ballad of Mulan	Zhang, Song Nan	China	Ages 6-10	English/Chinese
China's Bravest Girl	Chin, Charlie	China		Legend of Hua Mu Lan
Beautiful Warrior	McCully, Emily Arnold	China	Ages 5-9	Legend of the Nun's Kung Fu
Bitter Dumplings	Lee, Jeanne M.	China
The Emperor and the Kite	Yolen, Jane	China	Ages 4-8	illustrated by Ed Young
The Dragon Prince	Yep, Laurence	China	Ages 8-12	Beauty and the Beast Tale
Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes	Wyndham, Robert	China	Ages 4 & up
At the Beach	Lee, Huy Voun	China	Ages 4-9	writing/language
Long is a Dragon	Goldstein, Peggy	China	All ages	Chinese Writing for Children
Count Your Way through China	Haskins, Jim	China	Ages 4-8	numbers/language
Happy New Year!	Demi	China	Ages 6 & up
Celebrating Chinese New Year	Hoyt-Goldsmith, Diane	China	Ages 4-8
The Laziest Boy in the World	Xuan Yong-sheng	China	Ages 4-8
D is for Doufu	Krach, Maywan Shen	China		An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture
Long is a Dragon	Goldstein, Peggy	China		Chinese Writing for Children
The Mouse Bride	Chang, Monica	China/Taiwan		English/Chinese
Tenzin's Deer	Soros, Barbara	China/Tibet		A Tibetan Tale
Shibumi and the Kitemaker	Mayer, Mercer	Japan
A Carp for Kimiko	Kroll, Virginia	Japan	Ages 4-12	About Children's Day (May 5)
Yoshi's Feast	Kajikawa, Kimiko	Japan	Ages 6-10
The Magic Fan	Baker, Keith	Japan	Ages 4-5
The Silver Charm	San Souci, Robert D.	Japan	Ages 4-8	Folktale
Oni Wa Soto	Spagnoli, Cathy	Japan		A tale from Japan
The Hungriest Boy in the World	Namioka, Lensey	Japan	Ages 4-8
Grandpa's Town	Nomura, Takaaki	Japan	Ages 4-8
Little Oh	Krauss Melmed, Laura & LaMarche, Jim	Japan	Ages 6-10
Kogi's Mysterious Journey	Partridge, Elizabeth	Japan
Colors of Japan	Littlefield, Holly	Japan		language/culture
A to Zen	Wells, Ruth	Japan	Ages 8-12	language/culture
Little Daruma and Little Daikoku	Kako, Satoshi	Japan
Little Daruma and Little Kaminari	Kako, Satoshi	Japan
Little Daruma and Little Tengu	Kako, Satoshi	Japan
Little Daruma and Little Tiger	Kako, Satoshi	Japan
Little Daruma and the Three Little Tenjins	Kako, Satoshi	Japan
The Korean Cinderella	Climo, Shirley	Korea	Ages 6-10
The King's Secret	Farley, Carol	Korea	Ages 5-9	Legend of King Sejong
In the Moonlight Mist	San Souci, Daniel	Korea	Ages 5+
The Two Love Stars	Lee Mi-ae	Korea		Folktale, about a festival on July 7
The Green Frogs	Heo, Yumi	Korea	Ages 4-9	Folktale
Woodcutter and Tiger Brother	Rhee, Nami	Korea	Ages 4-9
Tigers, Frogs, and Rice Cakes	Holt, Daniel (translator)	Korea	All ages	A book of Korean Proverbs
Count your way through Korea	Haskins, Jim	Korea	Ages 4-8	numbers/language
The Firekeeper's Son	Park, Linda Sue	Korea	Ages 5-8
It's Back to School We Go!	Jackson, Ellen	Asia		First Day Stories from Around the World

CHINESE STORIES

Cat and Rat--The emperor has a race for all the animals and the first 12 animals at the finish line will have a year named after them (Chinese Zodiac).

The Greatest Treasure--About an unhappy rich man in China who had a poor neighbor who was always happily playing his flute with his children. A story about sharing your treasures and how money can't buy happiness, but happiness comes from within.

Monkey King--A clever, courageous and ambitious monkey travels to Square Inch Mountain to perfect the art of turning cloud somersaults, riding the wind, changing shape, and disappearing in the blink of an eye. Then Monkey eagerly shows off his magic skills by tricking Dragon King and battling Jade Emperor. Monkey is so arrogant, he even gets into trouble with Buddha himself.

I once was a Monkey King--In an abandoned temple, a monkey finds shelter during a monsoon. But he is not alone. Other animals have hidden themselves in there too. To pass the time, a statue of Buddha which has come to life, tells the animals a story. This introduces stories Buddha once told.

The Making of a Monkey King--There was a monkey born from a stone who become the monkey's king. He was sad when he realized he would die someday and leave this happy place. Then an old gibbon told him that Buddhas, Immortals and Sages were not subject to death, he rushed off in the pursuit of the secret to eternal life. When he returns to his mountain after receiving immortality he discovers his fellow monkeys have been captured.

The Lost Horse--This story is about a four character Chinese proverb about the ever changing fortunes of life. There was a wise man named Sai who owned a fast, strong horse. The horse runs away and the people said it "might not be such a bad thing." The horse returns with a mare, but Sai replies, "Perhaps it is not such a good thing."

Lon Po Po--The Chinese version of Little Red Riding Hood. The wolf sneaks into the house and pretends to be grandma. But the oldest child tricks the wolf and they are safe.

The Ballad of Mulan--The famous story about a Chinese girl, Hua Mu Lan, who fought in the place of her father against the invading enemies. She returns home a hero. This is in rhyming poem form (a ballad).

China's Bravest Girl--The famous story about a Chinese girl, Hua Mu Lan, who fought in the place of her father against the invading enemies. She returns home a hero. This is in prose, with the original Chinese included.

Beautiful Warrior--Mingyi is trapped. If she doesn't marry the bandit Soong Ling, he will ruin her family's business-and her life! She turns to the legendary Wu Mei, the "beautiful warrior." Will Wu Mei defend her again, having previously used her now kung fu against a pair of thieves to save Mingyi?

Bitter Dumplings--A story about an orphaned girl abandoned by her siblings, a slave escaping from a mighty emperor's ship, and a hunchbacked old woman known for the bitter-melon and shrimp dumplings she brings to market each day. Their stories of hardship and disappointment become intertwined and their lives change for the better.

The Emperor and the Kite--Princess Djeow Seow, youngest and smallest daughter of the Emperor, is not thought of very much by her family. So she spends her days playing with a kite made from paper and sticks. When the Emperor is captured and imprisoned in a high tower, Djeow Seow, who saw it all but was unnoticed, attempts to rescue her father.

The Dragon Prince--A Chinese Beauty and the Beast tale. There is a poor farmer who has seven daughters. One day, the farmer was seized by a dragon. The dragon demanded one of the farmer's daughters for a wife. The first six daughters refuse, while the seventh accepts. She discovers that her bridegroom is not at all what he seems.

Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes--Short Chinese poems for children.

At the Beach--A boy and his mom are at the beach and he draws characters in the sand and as he does, his mom explains what they are and what they mean.

Long is a Dragon--This book explains about Chinese characters and how they came from pictures a long time ago. It teaches children how to write Chinese; including some pages to refer to for practicing.

Count Your Way through China--Through the use of numbers, the book tells facts about China and its culture. It teaches the numbers one through ten in Chinese.

Happy New Year! (Kung-His Fa-Ts'ai!)--Explains what goes on at a Chinese New Year Celebration. It also stresses meanings of flowers/trees, foods, and the many different aspects of religion, relating to the New Year Celebration.

Celebrating Chinese New Year--Chinese traditions, festivals, and meanings are explained through photographs and words. The book follows the experience of a boy named Ryan and includes getting ready for the New Year, honoring ancestors, Chinese Zodiac, Lion Dance and more.

The Laziest Boy in the World--Xiaolong is known as the laziest boy in his village. Everything, even playing, seems like too much effort. Until one fearful night, when a thief comes creeping into Xiaolong's house to steal his family's things. Xiaolong knows he is the only one who can stop the sneaky thief. But will the anger he suddenly feels be powerful enough to overcome his laziness and help him protect his family before it is too late?

D is for Doufu: An Alphabet Book of Chinese Culture -This vital book introduces readers to Chinese culture, beliefs, and legends in today's context. It will help to narrow the cultural and philosophical gap between Chinese and Westerners. D is for Doufu explores the meanings of 23 Chinese words and phrases while providing an interesting historical and cultural background. Readers from all cultures are invited to experience the wealth of Chinese tradition as the alphabet is used to journey through five thousand years of Chinese history and relate ancient concepts to the modern western world.

Long is a Dragon -This book explains about Chinese characters and how they came from pictures a long time ago. It teaches children how to write Chinese; including some pages to refer to for practicing.

The Mouse Bride -A Chinese folktale. Father Mouse wishes to arrange a marriage for his daughter with the mightiest creature in the world. He first approaches the Sun, then the Cloud, then the Wind and then the Wall. In the end, he learns that the mouse is the mightiest of all. English/Chinese (traditional characters) .

TIBETAN

Tenzin's Deer: A Tibetan Tale -Born beneath a brilliant comet, Tenzin is wiser than his years and holds the knowledge many generations in his memory. He is kind and tender to both people and animals, wild and tame. When he discovers a wounded musk deer high up in the hills, he feels the creature's pain as if it were his own and tenderly takes it home to try and heal it. He names it Jampa, "loving kindness." That night, as sleep overcomes him, he has a dream that shows him how he can cure his new friend. Day by day the deer recovers, but Tenzin has yet to understand on of the most important lessons of all: How to love enough to let go.

JAPANESE STORIES

Shibumi and the Kitemaker--Brought up within the walls of the beautiful palace, the princess has always believed that the city beyond her walled garden is even more lovely. When she discovers that it is, in fact, a horrible place, she wonders how her world and the one outside can be so different. And she devises a plan to end the suffering. With the royal kitemaker's assistance, Shibumi flies a magnificent kite from the castle tower, vowing not to come down until the emperor agrees to her demands. She is lost in the wind and the saddened Emperor in grief, resolves to fulfill her wishes.

A Carp for Kimiko--Kimiko is sad because another Children's Day is approaching and her parent's are hanging up a carp kite for her younger brother. This used to be a day only for boys and her parents were sticking to the tradition. Her mom reminds her about Girl's Day and how they bring out special dolls to play with only on that day. Kimiko admires the carp kites and still longs for one. The morning of Children's Day she wakes up to a surprise in her room.

Yoshi's Feast--Long ago in the Japanese city of Yedo, there lived a fan maker named Yoshi who loved to eat broiled eels. His neighbor, Sabu, served eels to his customers. But Yoshi loved the sound of the coins jingling in his money box too much to buy Sabu's eels. Sitting alone, eating boiled rice and enjoying the smells of Sabu's cooking, he is content-until Sabu presents him with a bill for all the ells he has smelled! In life, as in business, you often get what you pay for is the moral of this story.

The Magic Fan--One night as the moon rose over the sea, a magic fan floated in the waves. This is a story of the carpenter boy who found it-and how it changed his life forever.

The Silver Charm--Long ago, in the days when there were still ogres in the world, lived a little boy named Satsu. His best friends were a puppy and a fox cub that went everywhere Satsu went. Satsu was not allowed to go near the woods and not to lose his silver charm. One day, the red berries near the woods smelled so sweet that Satsu forgot his parent's warnings and instantly he was snatched up by the hideous ogre. He traded his silver charm for his life. Back at home he became ill without his silver charm to protect him. His brave friends seek a way to get the charm back from the ogre. But will they get it back in time?

Oni Wa Soto -Once upon a time there was a man who loved to eat beans. Every day, he ate beans: bean cake, bean paste, and bean soup, too. One day, he woke up with a stomach ache. He thought he was going to die so his wife ran to ask the wise man in the mountains what he should do. He suggested her husband should eat a bug to eat the beans in his stomach. After he eats the bug, he starts crawling around like a bug. The wise man then suggested he eat a frog to eat the bug. But after he ate it he started jumping like a frog. This goes on until finally he eats an Oni and after they toss some beans the Oni runs out of his mouth pulling out the hunter, the bird, the snake, the frog, the bug, and finally the beans with him.

The Hungriest Boy in the World--Jiro will put anything in his mouth. But one day he makes a big mistake. After putting a purple blob into his mouth he has discovered he has swallowed the Hungry Monster. Now nothing is safe from Jiro's appetite. What is Jiro's family to do? They try the town doctor; they try the village priest; but nothing seems to work. Can they come up with a solution before they are eaten out of house and home?

Grandpa's Town--Yuuta is visiting his widowed grandfather. Yuuta and his mom want him to come and stay at their house rather than live alone. When Yuuta goes with his grandfather to the public bath he learns that his grandfather is not alone, but rather has lots of friends in his town.

Little Oh--One evening, a lonely woman folds a little doll from origami paper. The next morning the origami figure springs from the box, exclaiming, "Good morning, Mother!" The love between the woman and Little Oh, the origami child grows and grows. Little Oh longs to be in the great world outside her window and one day she gets her wish.

Kogi's Mysterious Journey -On the shores of Lake Biwa , the artist Kogi paints mountains, trees, waterfalls, and fish, hoping to create on paper the vigor and beauty that inspire him. But instead, his pictures disappoint him. One morning, Kogi wades into the water to give a fish back its freedom, since he cannot capture it with his ink and brushes. One step, then another...A remarkable transformation begins, leading Kogi into a world of unimagined peace and wonder-but also danger.

Colors of Japan--Through the use of colors, the book tells facts about Japan and its culture. It teaches the basic colors in Japanese as well.

A to Zen--When people think of Japan, they think of an ancient land with temples and rock gardens, with eternal Mount Fuji brooding above the islands. But they also think of VCR's, bullet trains, and the high-tech neon clutter of Tokyo. Which is the real Japan? They are both real, both very much a part of modern Japan. As the title suggests, letters play a part in the structure of this book, but this is not merely an alphabet book about Japan. The letters point the way to new frontiers and unexplored territory.

Little Daruma and Little Daikoku -Little Daikoku has a magic mallet that brings all kinds of wonderful things when he shakes it. Little Daruma also makes his own magic mallet, but it doesn't quite bring the same results! Little Daruma, a playful doll who lives with his family in a magical, faraway land, is one of Japan 's best-loved children's book characters. This fifth volume of the Little Daruma books lives up to the magic of the series.

Little Daruma and Little Kaminari -Even rainy days can turn out for the best! A chance meeting with Little Kaminari leads Little Daruma on a wonderful trip to a city in the clouds. Little Daruma, a playful doll who lives with his family in a magical, faraway land, is one of Japan 's best-loved children's book characters. This second volume of the Little Daruma books will thrill readers with its amazing turns.

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Little Daruma and Little Tengu -From his fan to his hat to his clogs, Little Daruma wants everything that Little Tengu has. Things come to a head when Little Daruma asks his father for a nose (or hana ) just like Little Tengu's ( hana meaning both "nose" and "flower" in Japanese). Little Daruma, a playful doll who lives with his family in a magical, faraway land, is one of Japan 's best-loved children's book characters. This first volume of the Little Daruma books will delight readers with its many surprises.

Little Daruma and Little Tiger -Little Daruma spends a day with his friend, Little Tiger, and together they bring a wonderful new rainbow of colors to Tiger Town . Little Daruma, a playful doll who lives with his family in a magical, faraway land, is one of Japan 's best-loved children's book characters. This third volume of the Little Daruma books finds Little Daruma enjoying the most colorful of adventures.

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Little Daruma and the Three Little Tenjins -Little Daruma's fishing excapade does not net him any fish, but 3 new spirit-friends who introduce him to the thrills of their way of life! Little Daruma, a playful doll who lives with his family in a magical, faraway land, is one of Japan 's best-loved children's book characters. This sixth volume of the Little Daruma books lives up to the magic of the series.

KOREAN STORIES

The Korean Cinderella--Pear Blossom is born to a poor couple. Her mother dies and his father remarries. She is mistreated by Omoni, her jealous stepmother. Omoni gives her three impossible tasks that no human could possibly do alone. But Pear Blossom is not alone-magical animals assist her. With the help of these creatures, Pear Blossom becomes a nobleman's wife.

The King's Secret--When a humble servant boy tells of his longing to read and write, King Sejong sets out to create a simple yet beautiful way to write the Korean language. But people reject the new way of writing-until the servant boy gives the king another grand idea. King Sejong ruled Korea from 1418-1450 and up to this point Chinese characters is all they had for written language, too difficult for those too poor to study.

In the Moonlight Mist--One day in the forest, a woodcutter rescues an enchanted deer stalked by a hunter. In return for saving its life, the deer offers to make the woodcutter's secret wish come true: to have a wife to love. Beyond a wall of thorny vines lies a bewitching lake where maidens descend from heave to bathe. He follows the instructions of the deer and one of the maiden becomes his wife. They are happy until the maiden grows homesick for heaven.

The Two Love Stars--Two heavenly beings, Kyonu and Chingnyo get married. But after they wed, they neglect their duties and the king of the stars banishes the two lovers to different sides of the Milky Way. Here they work hard, because only one day out of the year (July 7) do they get to meet again, crossing the Milky Way on the backs of a bridge of magpies. In Korea, the seventh day of the seventh lunar month it almost always rains.

The Green Frogs--Two green frogs love disobeying their mother. They always do the opposite of whatever she tells them to do. They're so contrary they even croak backwards! This is a story of some misbehaving frogs and their long-suffering mother who tries to teach them to behave.

Woodcutter and Tiger Brother--This book shows us the spirit of the Korean people filled with courage and wit. It also tells us that "filial piety", or faithfulness to parents, is the prime virtue of Korean people in which human being and even a tiger believed in their spirits.

Tigers, Frogs, and Rice Cakes--A book of Korean proverbs with explanations in the back, including some expressions we use in English for the same proverb. Each proverb depicts a belief system or symbol representative of the Korean people, where character and cooperation are highly revered.

Count Your Way through Korea--Through the use of numbers, the book tells facts about Korea and its culture. It teaches the numbers one through ten in Korean.

The Firekeeper's Son--Sang-hee's father is in charge of lighting a fire to signal the firekeeper on the next mountain to light his fire, and so on--all the way to the king's palace. When the king sees a fire on the nearest peak, he knows all is well in the land. If there is no fire, that means there is trouble, and the king will send soldiers to fight in the invaders. Sang-hee is a boy who, for the first time, must choose between his own desires and the expectations of his family, his community, and his country.

ASIA

It's Back to School We Go! -Eleven first day stories from around the world. Each child's first-person account is enhanced by a fact box that tells us something about the culture from which the child speaks, so that the reader is able to compare and contrast the experiences of children from different parts of the world. In words and pictures the author and artist have captured the diversity of children's school experiences, while at the same time capturing how much the world's children have in common.

Kamishibai

Today's kamishibai have evolved from a form of street-storytelling which was popular throughout Japan from the 1920's into the 1950's. The kamishibai storyteller was also a candy seller. Riding a bicycle equipped with a small stage for showing the story cards, he would enter a village or neighborhood, dismount and loudly strike together two wooden clappers or allow a lucky child to do so. The sound was a signal for children to run from their homes and gather around him for story time. Those who bought candy got to stand nearest to the stage. Then, in a dramatic manner, he would start to tell 2-3 kamishibai episodes. He would not tell the whole story! The stories were told as continuing serials, that is, he would always stop at an exciting moment, leaving the children impatient for his next visit. With the advent of television in 1953, the itinerant storyteller gradually disappeared from Japan's streets. In recent years, however, kamishibai have enjoyed a renaissance in Japanese schools, libraries and culture centers.

Each kamishibai consists of 12-16 stiff, oaktag cards (15" x 11"), beautifully illustrated by Japanese artists. The stories range from traditional to modern. Printed on the back of the cards are the original Japanese text and its English translation. In Japanese, "kami" means paper and "shibai" drama. The text is written in dialogue form, and the audience is pulled immediately into the dramatic presentation. Because of their generous size, kamishibai can be used easily with both small and large groups.

Please visit the Kamishibai for Kids website for even more information. Here at the East Asian Studies Center we have a collection of Kamishibai from which to choose. The following is the list of kamishibai we have for storytelling.

Kamishibai List

Title	Author	Illustrator	Japanese Name	Ages
Bamboo Princess, The	Iwasaki, Kyoko	Endo, Teruyo	Kaguya-Hime	6 & up
Bride with an Unusual Talent, The	Kayama, Yoshiko	Kawabata, Makoto	Hekkoki Yome	all ages
Dragon's Tears, The	Hamada, Hirosuke	Kawamoto, Tetsuo	Ryuu no Me no Namida	3 & up
Goblin, the Water Imp and the Thunder God, The	Kako, Satoshi	Futamata,Eigoro	Tengu to Kappa to Kaminari-don	3 to 8
Grow, Grow, Grow--As Big As You Can	Matsui, Noriko	Matsui, Noriko	Ookiku, Ookiku, Ookiku na-a-re	2 to 4
Hats for the Jizos	Matsutami, Miyoko	Futamata,Eigoro	Kasa Jizo	4 & up
How the Witch was Eaten Up	Matsutami, Miyoko	Futamata,Eigoro	Taberareta Yamanba	4 to 8
How the Years Were Named	Kamichi, Chizuko	Kanazawa, Yuko	Rainen wa Nanidoshi	3 & up
Kon and Pon (Part One)	Matsuno, Masako	Futamata,Eigoro	Kogitsune Kon to Kodanuki Pon	5 & up
Kon and Pon (Part Two)	Matsuno, Masako	Futamata,Eigoro	Kogitsune Kon to Kodanuki Pon	5 & up
Little Chick	Chukovsky, Kornei	Futamata,Eigoro	Hyoko-Chan	2 to 4
Little Crab, The	Yasuda, Hiroshi	Tominaga, Hideo	Kogani no Hasami	2.5 to 6
Momotaro, The Peach Boy	Matsutami, Miyoko	Futamata,Eigoro	Momotaro	3 & up
Monkey and the Crab, The	Matsutami, Miyoko	Nishimaki, Kayako	Saru to Kani	5 & up
Mother Cat, The	Watanabe, Kyoko	Watanabe, Kyoko	Neko no Okasan	3 to 6
Mouse's Wedding, The	Horio, Seishi	Kubo, Masao	Nezumi no Yomeiri	3 & up
Ogre who Sank Down to the Bottom of the Sea, The	Matsutami, Miyoko	Futamata,Eigoro	Umeni Shizundaani	5 & up
Old Man and the Fox, The	Masuda, Naoko	Futamata,Eigoro	Jiisama to Kitsune	6 to 9
Old Man and the Mice, The	Kawasaki, Daiji	Kubo, Masao	Nequmi Choja	3 to 8
Old Man who Made the Trees Bloom, The	Yoda, Jun'ichi	Okanao, Kazu	Hanasakajii-san	5 & up
One-Inch Boy, The	Tsubota, Joji	Suzuki, Hisao	Issun-Boshi	3 to 8
Story of Tanabata, The	Kitada, Shin	Mitani, Yukihiko	Tanabata Monogatari	6 & up
Story of Tanabata, The	Kitada, Shin	Mitani, Yukihiko	Tanabata Monogatari	6 & up
Tongue-Cut Sparrow, The	Matsutami, Miyoko	Horiuchi, Seiichi	Shitakiri Suzume	4 & up
Tubmaker Who Flew to the Sky, The	Kawasaki, Daiji	Futamata,Eigoro	Okeya no ten Nobori	3 & up
Urashima Taro	Wakabayashi, Ichiro	Nishiyama, Saburo	Urashima Taro	8 & up

The Bamboo Princess--An old, childless bamboo-cutter discovers a tiny infant in a bamboo stalk. He and his wife rear her tenderly. The child grows very quickly and soon becomes a beautiful young woman with many suitors. The Bamboo Princess, however, wishes to return to the moon, her true home. Her parents don't want her to and try to make her stay. She gives them a magic potion to live forever, but they don't want to without her so they burn the magic potion on top of the highest mountain, Mt. Fuji.

The Bride with an Unusual Talent--In this fantastic folktale, a hard working bride is welcomed b her mother-in-law to her new home. But the bride's embarrassing "talent" (extraordinarily powerful flatulence) causes the mother-in-law to order her son to return his bride to her parents. The tale ends happily when the husband sees how his bride uses her unusual talent to help others and she is welcomed back to his family.

The Dragon's Tears--A small boy befriends a lonely dragon whom everybody else in the village speaks of with fear and hatred. When the boy invites the dragon to his party, the dragon is moved to tears, and the tears become a river which carry them both back to the village.

The Goblin, the Water Imp and the Thunder God--A charcoal maker, walking along a mountain path, is stopped at three different times by three different traditional, impish creatures. They, in turn, demand his young son's ears, cheeks and belly-button. When the son hears this from his father, he immediately devises a plan to outwit the three creatures, then successfully carries it out.

Grow, Grow, Grow-As Big As You Can--This contemporary, interactive story is a best seller in Japan! Very young children love predicting and anticipating what will happen to the very little pig, egg, and strawberry cake.

Hats for the Jizos--On New Year's Eve, a poor, old man goes to the village hoping to sell some cloth that his wife has woven so he can buy some special food to celebrate the New Year. No one is interested in buying the cloth, however, and just to have something different to take home he exchanges his cloth for the straw hats another man has been trying to sell. On the way home, the old man sees six statues of the deity Jizo, looking cold because they are covered with snow. The old man decides to cover their bare heads using the five straw hats and his own scarf. When he arrives home, he tells his wife what happened. The old woman approves of what her husband had done. The couple celebrate the New Year with the simple food they usually eat and go to bed early. During the night they are rewarded by the statues of Jizo.

How the Witch was Eaten Up--A young apprentice in a mountain temple goes off to visit an old woman, despite the priest's warnings that she might be a witch. The woman does, indeed, turn out to be a wicked witch, but the boy, with the help of three paper charms and the old priest, manages to outwit her.

How the Years Were Named--The Emperor of China decides to give each year the name of an animal. The wise wizard chooses twelve and holds a race to decide the order of the names. This story is one of several versions that tell how the years of the twelve-year cycle used in East Asia were named after various animals.

Kon and Pon (Part 1)--Kon (koh-n), a little fox and Pon (poh-n), a little raccoon dog, live in the mountains, on different sides of a river. Their families have never gotten along, but Kon and Pon's friendship changes everything.

Kon and Pon (Part 2)--Kon (koh-n), a little fox and Pon (poh-n), a little raccoon dog, live in the mountains, on different sides of a river. Their families have never gotten along, but Kon and Pon's friendship changes everything.

Little Chick--Learning who you are and the importance of being cared for are the underlying themes in this delightful and beautifully illustrated tale for the very young.

The Little Crab--A little crab is allowed to go out alone in the ocean for the first time, but is warned by his mother not to use his claws mischievously. This story tells about the little crab's adventures, which begin when he disobeys his mother and end when he helps others. The themes of this story are personal responsibility and the importance of choosing to use one's abilities to be helpful, not harmful.

Momotaro, the Peach Boy--One of Japan's most popular and enduring folk-tales. A baby found inside a peach by an old couple grows into a boy of amazing strength. With the help of a dog, a monkey and a pheasant, he rescues his village from ogres.

The Monkey and the Crab--A Monkey and a crab trade a persimmon seed and a rice ball. After the crab plants the seed and the tree bears fruit, the monkey betrays the crab and steals the persimmons. The crab's children, with the help of a bee, chestnut, cow pat and mortar, take revenge on the monkey.

The Mother Cat--In the Spring of 1996, in New York City, a mother cat bravely rescued all five of her kittens from a burning, abandoned building where they lived, by returning to the building five separate times through an opening in the brick wall that was too small to permit a fireman to enter. This story was reported in the newspapers and on television around the world. Ms. Kyoko Watanabe, an illustrator and writer of children's stories, decided to create a kamishibai that would memorialize this act of bravery. She did so with the assistance of a kindergarten class in Tokyo.

The Mouse's Wedding--Father Mouse wishes to arrange a marriage for his daughter with the mightiest creature in the world. He first approaches the Sun, then the Cloud, then the Wind and then the Wall. IN the end, he learns that the mouse is the mightiest of all. An amusing folktale of self-discovery.

The Ogre Who Sank Down to the Bottom of the Sea--A father ogre lives happily with his young son deep in the mountains. One day they meet an old man who tells them how great waves have washed many people of his village into the sea. When another storm threatens the village, the ogre rushes down to the beach to help the old man and the people of his village.

The Old Man and the Fox--In traditional Japanese folklore, the fox is a magically empowered, trickster animal. It often assumes the shape of a woman. In this story, an old man happens upon a peacefully napping fox. The old man decides to play a trick on him but ends up learning a lesson himself! This comical, safely scary folktale delightfully illustrates the "Golden Rule."

The Old Man and the Mice--A kind, old man befriends and feeds some mice, who then take him to their home. There is is treated to a feast and entertained. As a parting gift, the mice give him a magic mallet which, when shaken, pours out gold coins and other treasures. A greedy neighbor observes this and devises a plan to trick the mice out of their riches. For older children, this story serves as an excellent introduction to a discussion of how the same behavior can result from very different motives.

The Old Man who Made the Trees Bloom--An old couple prospers because they are kind to their pet dog. When their greedy neighbor takes advantage of them, it only results in his misfortune.

The One-Inch Boy--An old, childless couple prays for a child. A one-inch son is born to them who never grows any larger. His parents care for him tenderly. Despite his size, when he reaches maturity, Issun-boshi goes out into the world to prove himself. He does not retreat from difficult situations but uses his knowledge and strength of character to prevail.

The Story of Tanabata--The Weaver Princess, who is responsible for weaving the fine cloth for the celestial deities, falls in love with the Herdsman who is responsible for looking after the celestial oxen. They marry, but being to neglect their duties. This angers the Heavenly Ruler that he separates them. Eventually, the Heavenly Ruler is moved by their heartbroken pleas, and gives them permission for the two lovers to meet once a year, on the seventh day of the seventh month. This ancient folk legend was originally from China. The lovers are the stars Altair and Vega.

The Tongue-Cut Sparrow--A kind old man raises a sparrow, but his ill-tempered wife cuts off the bird's tongue and sends it away. First the man and then the woman set off to look for the bird. He is rewarded for his kindness and humility and she, punished for her jealousy and greed.

The Tubmaker Who Flew to the Sky--While helping the Thunder God make rain, a Tubmaker falls through a hole in the clouds. The villagers work together to get him down from a very high tree with amusing results!

Urashima Taro--Urashima Taro, a fisherman, saves the life of a baby tortoise. The grateful mother tortoise rewards Taro with a visit to the Dragon King's palace at the bottom of the sea. There he is welcomed and lavishly entertained by the Dragon King's daughter, who wants Taro to stay with her forever. Taro grows homesick however, and decides he must leave. The Princess gives him a beautiful box to take with him, but warns Taro not to open it if he ever wants to see her again. Arriving at his home village, he finds everything changed and is unable to recognize anyone. Taro is completely bewildered and in his despair, he opens the box.