MUSEYON BOOKS Smart City Guides for Travel, History, Art and Film Lovers
By Kazue Takahashi
With sparse text and a deceptively simple, beautiful design, Japanese author/illustrator Kazue Takahashi brings to life the world of Kuma-Kuma Chan, which loosely translates from the Japanese as “cute little bear.” Making its first appearance in English, this charming book for preschoolers and readers of all ages poses the question, “How might my friend, a solitary bear, choose to spend his days?” The soft, almost dream-like illustrations are accompanied by single sentences making it easy for emerging readers to follow along.
Daily chores and seasonal activities become infused with special meaning when they are performed by this adorable creature. Kuma-Kuma Chan goes about his days in contented solitude, engaged in activities such as eating breakfast, gazing at clouds, listening to the rain, writing letters, and wondering where to go with his new bag. At night he watches the sky darken and brushes his teeth before bed. He gardens in the spring, trims his hair in summer, composes a love song in the fall, and seeks a warm, sunny spot on the floor in the winter.
Children and adults alike will take delight in repeating aloud the name of their new, steadfast storybook friend and look forward to spending more time in his imagined world. This lovingly-rendered, meditative book on friendship is sure to find a permanent place on the bedside table, just as it is sure to find a place among such classic series as Paddington Bear and Winnie the Pooh.
About the Author:
Kazue Takahashi is a Japanese illustrator and children’s book author whose debut book Kuma-Kuma Chan was published in Japan in 2001. She has since authored several other books for children, including Kuma Chan on a Rainy Day (about a bear cub exploring a playground in the rain) and Nyaako Chan (about a stray kitten who strolls into a woman’s house). Takahashi has also contributed her illustrations to books by other authors. Her adorable characters and illustrations have been embraced by people of all ages in Japan. Kuma-Kuma Chan, The Little Bear is the first English translation release of her work.
978-1-940842-57-8
Picture Book
Second Edition
52 pages, 5 1/4 x 6 3/4
26 Illustrations
Age:3-5
Lexile: 540L
US$13.99 CAN$18.99
May 2022
BOOK 1: Kuma-Kuma Chan, the Little Bear
BOOK 2: Kuma-Kuma Chan’s Home
BOOK 3: Kuma-Kuma Chan’s Travels
