Tasty Baby Belly Buttons [Hardcover]

Judy Sierra (Author), Meilo So (Illustrator)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 18, 1999 | Age Level: 5 and up

According to legend, Japanese villagers once lived in fear of great hulking ogres called Onis who considered babies' belly buttons the tastiest of all treats. When they raided a village it was the babies they stole. In a delightful retelling of the folktale, Judy Sierra has added a feminist twist in the person of a fearless young heroine, determined to stop them. Little Urikohme, or Melon Princess, was born inside a watermelon and has no bellybutton. She travels to the Onis' fortress island, and with the help of some animal friends, rescues the babies, leaving the Onis crying for mercy. A wonderful short tale to read aloud, children will gleefully join in the Onis' chant and cheer at the triumph of small over large. In cleverly inspired watercolors, Meilo So outfits the Melon Princess in a watermelon-designed kimono and her humorous depiction of the oversized bullies is sure to elicit giggles. An author's note discusses the origin of the tale and its place in Japanese folklore.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Those nasty oni are at it again, tromping through the village in search of their favorite delicacy--baby belly buttons. But the giant ogres, with their red and green faces, horns, and sharp teeth, have no idea what they're getting into when they cross Uriko-hime. This remarkable little girl is furious at the audacity of the oni, and she is determined to fight back. (Luckily for her, she was born from a melon, and therefore has no navel!) With the help of her trusty dog, a bag of delicious millet dumplings, and a pheasant and a monkey she picks up along the way, Uriko stomps off to find the monsters and the kidnapped babies. This retelling of one of Japan's most popular folktales is sure to enchant every belly-button-sporting reader in the family. Pitching small against big, brain against brawn, this is a uniquely satisfying endeavor, especially for the underdogs of the world. Meilo So's gorgeous Japanese-style illustrations (also seen in The Beauty of the Beast) provide unusual and pleasing perspectives, looking from below up the mean oni's nostrils, for example. Readers may spend hours lost in the exquisite patterns of the clothing or the rich colors of the pheasant. (Ages 6 to 10) --Emilie Coulter

From Publishers Weekly

Despite the implications of its title, Sierra's retelling of a Japanese fairy tale is full of sweetness, and stars an engaging, pint-size heroine. Uriko, born from the middle of a watermelon, has no belly button. Found by a couple who become her adoptive parents, Uriko learns how to cook millet dumplings from her mother, and her father teaches her how to wield a sword. Both skills come in handy when the town is raided by oni, the red- and green-faced giant ogres who kidnap babies in order to feast on their tasty navels. Brave Uriko comes to the infants' rescue with the help of her dog, a monkey and a pheasant she meets along the way. So's (The Beauty of the Beast) irresistible watercolors effectively combine traditional elements of Japanese paintings, such as apple blossoms and verdant landscapes, with modern girl-power. The drawings are delicate yet contain plenty of boisterous, even slapstick action. Sierra (Antarctic Antics) liberally sprinkles the narrative with Japanese wordsAthe oni tromp into town, zushin zushin, and the babies cry, boro boro. Both art and text contain just enough mirth to leaven the scariness of the monsters; when Uriko and her friends fight the oni, the scene seems more comic than violent (e.g., the oni attempt to hit the pheasant as it flies around them and knock each other out instead). In the end, it is the oni who sob, boro boro. Distinctive cultural details coupled with a universal story line make this a solid read-aloud choice. Ages 5-8. (May)
Copyright 1999 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 5 and up
  
• Hardcover: 40 pages
• Publisher: Knopf Books for Young Readers; 1st edition (May 18, 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0679893695
• ISBN-13: 978-0679893691
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 0.3 x 10.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,611,291 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #91 in Books > Children's Books > Fairy Tales, Folk Tales & Myths > Asian

More About the Author

I grew up in a very creative, book-loving family. My father was a photographer, and my mother was a librarian. They read to me constantly, especially poetry. When I was seven, they built me a puppet theater and I gave my first performance, "The Three Wishes." In college I studied literature, and afterwards I became a children's librarian. A few years later, I set out on my own as a puppeteer, quickly joining forces with another puppet artist, who became my husband. We studied traditional puppetry in Indonesia, and traveled all over the U.S. as teachers and artists-in-residence. About twenty years ago, I combined what I had learned as an avid reader and writer, as a librarian and children's entertainer, and began writing books for children. All of my books are meant to be read aloud and dramatized. To learn more about how each of my books came to be, please visit my web site: http://www.judysierra.net.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Momotaro reworked!, December 2, 1999

By 

Jacqueline Templeton - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tasty Baby Belly Buttons (Hardcover)

As a Japanese language teacher in a Primary school, I have always shared the story of Momotaro with my students who are really fascinated with the oni (demons) and Momotaro's bravery and kindness. I was thrilled to find this new reworking of the traditional story with a female "hero" who was born from a large melon rather than a peach, and sets off to Onigashima to rescue the babies from the oni, accompanied by the dog, pheasant and the monkey, all sustained of course by the famous kibidango. A really enjoyable and fun read-aloud and a good teaching tool for comparing traditional stories with reworkings.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bellybuttons is an exciting read-aloud!, July 22, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Tasty Baby Belly Buttons (Hardcover)

As a fourth grade teacher, I plan to use this book as an introduction to folklore. It is especially appealing to find a book with an Asian heroine.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Girl Power!, January 9, 2002

By 

storygirl (Manila, Philippines) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tasty Baby Belly Buttons (Paperback)

The story of the cute, spunky heroine Uriko-hime who was born from a melon will surely delight children of all ages. It is actually a retelling of the Japanese folktale Momotaro. Judy Sierra's narration is lovely. Tontoko-tontoko--I could hear Uriko-hime's wooden sandals. And Meilo So's illustrations are a real eye-candy.