Tokyo Friends [Hardcover]

Betty Reynolds (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 9 and up

Katie is a young American girl living in present-day Tokyo. One day, as she walks her dog, she meets Keiko, a young Japanese girl, and her brother Kenji. Together they explore the city and its surroundings as they teach each other the customs of their respective countries. Whether dining on soba (spaghetti), studying kana (the alphabet), or dancing at the Obon festival, the Tokyo friends discover just how much their two culture differ - and how much they are alike.

Vibrantly illustrated by the author, Tokyo Friends introduces young readers to Japanese traditions, customs, and the Languageuage by means of helpful English-Japanese glosses, which augment the delightful and lively narrative. Valuable as a beginner's guide to Japanese Languageuage and culture, Tokyo Friends is also an enchanting adventure for young readers.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Older youngsters who want to learn about the Japanese culture and language should find this brightly illustrated picture/word book appealing." -- St. Paul Pioneer Press

About the Author

Betty Reynolds was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She worked as an art director for an advertising agency for twenty-two years before moving to Singapore and then Tokyo, where she currently resides. She is the author of Clueless in Tokyo, an illustrated book published in 1997.

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 9 and up
  
• Hardcover: 64 pages
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing (August 1999)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804821232
• ISBN-13: 978-0804821230
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 8.4 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 15.8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,854,457 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Cute, funny, & beautifully illustrated!!, September 21, 1999

By 

Jenifer "cthylla" (Bucks County, PA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tokyo Friends (Hardcover)

My name is Jenifer Reynolds, and first, I'll admit that I am the author's niece. Actually, the redheaded Katie character is based on me as a child! This book is an EXCELLENT children's guide to Japanese culture...I know because I was there myself! This is a definite must-have for any young child who is either visiting or learning about Japan. The book is gorgeously illustrated w/ watercolour by my aunt, and is humourously written.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great Book, April 16, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Tokyo Friends (Hardcover)

I am a Japanese Chinese American. (Yes, we speak all three languages at home.) I like this book because
(1) it introduces people to Japanese traditions, customs, and the simple Japanese language (by English-Japanese glosses.)
(2) the drawings are excellent. They catch young readers' attention.

My mother, who is 100% Japanese, finds that some of the traditions and customs described in this book are in greater details. She says she doesn't even know some of the information listed. She still finds the book interesting, although she wouldn't recommand it to beginner readers (whom she recommands to get "1st Thousand Words Japanese" and "Let's Learn Japanese Picture Dictionary")

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Children's book, October 28, 2001

By 

Anne Huston "anneintokyo" (Tokyo, Japan) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Tokyo Friends (Hardcover)

I am not related to the author and I love this book. I am an expat living in Tokyo and have bought several copies as gifts for my children's friends back home in the States. It gives a nice comparision of typical American living and Japanese living through the eyes of childhood friends. It is a great way to show that although there are cultural difference, we are all friends. The illustrations are wonderful giving both the Japanese and English words for the items in the pictures. Simplistic, but cute.