#WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: “The Girl with the White Flag” Opens a Hidden Door

Today's post comes to you from Malavika Nataraj: A few years ago, I attended a concert where I heard an Okinawan all-women’s group sing melodious ballads about the rich, natural beauty of the Ryukyu Islands. The shaman-like lead singer, with her waist-length grey hair, played an ancient snakeskin sanshin. As the beautiful voices rose in … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: “The Girl with the White Flag” Opens a Hidden Door

#WorldKidLit Month: History at a Child’s Scale—Three Japanese Middle-Grade Books on War and Memory

Today’s post comes to you from Ecre Karadag: The scope and impact of the Second World War can seem overwhelmingly large when encountered through dates and casualty figures, but children’s literature can bring that history closer through the ordinary details a child can understand: a school day, a paper lantern or even a glass of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month: History at a Child’s Scale—Three Japanese Middle-Grade Books on War and Memory