In spite of her upbringing, a young Japanese woman begins seeing an American soldier and finds that he is not like the foreigners her parents have taught her to avoid.
Book Description
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly
Little (Blue Moon Soup Spoon) shares what is presumably her family history in this glowing romance. As it opens, an American serviceman in a crowded Japanese train tries to communicate with a proper young woman. Referring to a phrase book titled "Japanese in Thirty Days," he calls out, "I am a dancing girl" and "You see, I am a boiled pepper." This improbable beginning leads to a lengthy courtship. The serviceman gradually masters Japanese culture and language. His unprompted gestures of respect, like the good deeds spontaneously performed by the heroes of fairy tales, are handsomely rewarded; in the end they convince the woman's traditional father of the American's worth as a husband. While the focus here is entirely on adults, Little offers illuminating, well-pitched insight into Japanese beliefs and rituals. Stylized, golden-toned art sets the mood with its careful blend of traditional and modern subjects. Colorful patterns bloom throughout, an effective buildup to the concluding black-and-white photo of the couple's 1960 wedding. Ages 5-up.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1996 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal
Grade 1-3?Little recounts the story of how her parents met, courted, and married. As a proper young Japanese woman, Yoshiko would never talk to strangers and certainly not to foreigners. But when an American Air Force officer needs directions and in his rudimentary Japanese can only get out such phrases as "You see, I am a boiled pepper," Yoshiko steps in to help with her perfect English. In the months of dating that follow, the young woman never tells her family about her friend, although the young man gives her several appropriate presents to take home. After his return to the U.S., he sends Yoshiko and her father letters, one to Mr. Sasagawa, written in proper Japanese, asking for permission to marry his daughter. The book concludes with an actual wedding photo. A warm, pleasantly told tale, this story nonetheless does not have the child appeal of Ina Friedman's How My Parents Learned to Eat (Houghton, 1984). Nor will readers be drawn to the impressionistic watercolor illustrations, predominately in browns, yellows, and oranges, that cover double-page spreads.?Diane S. Marton, Arlington County Library, VA
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Beautiful Story,
By T. Langenbach (Reston, Virginia) - See all my reviews
This review is from: Yoshiko and the Foreigner (Hardcover)
I purchased this book for my 7 year old daughter. We read it over and over again. Her favorite part is when I cry at the end. This is a beautiful story that young children will love, especially when they see the real photo on the last page and realize it must be true ! This is a treasured part of our collection and I can't recommend it highly enough.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
A touching true story,
This review is from: Yoshiko and the Foreigner (Hardcover)
This story is indeed both convincing and touching. By the end of the book, I truly came to respect the kindness and dignity of the characters. In addition, this is a nice introduction to Japanese culture and modern history, as well as Japanese-American history. The illustrations, though at first a bit harsh-looking and odd (the Japanese people seem to have stern, wrinkly faces when riding on the train in Tokyo), lovingly depict the warmth of family life in rural Japan, as well as the development of the unlikely relationship between Yoshiko and the American soldier.
4.0 out of 5 stars
touching story about clashing cultures,
Amazon Verified Purchase(What's this?)
This review is from: Yoshiko and the Foreigner (Hardcover)
While on my "mixed kids educational kick", I happened upon this beautiful book about forbidden love between a Black military man and a Japanese woman. Trying to give more understanding to my children on how lucky they are to be biracial, I found this story easy to follow (for my kids), beautiful watercolored images, and a lovely personal touch on the last page. This book highlights the deep Japanese traditions and shows my kids that sometimes, love & understanding can conquer all :)
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