* News *
2nd Edition of Momotaro the Peach Boy is Coming!
We've always been fond of our first kamishibai story, Momotaro the Peach Boy, published back in 2004. With talking animals, bright red ogres, magic, and adventure, this tale of the boy who hatches from a peach and grows up to save his village is a huge crowd-pleaser. In six years of performing it live, though, we've learned a lot about children's literature, storytelling, and kamishibai technique. So rather than simply reprint the book when it sold out this year, we decided to reinvent it.
The text is now crisper and more vivid, so it's easier to read aloud. There's less exposition and more dialog, increasing the drama. Each page is now presented in English and Japanese, making it helpful for language-learners. We've incorporated more of the symbolism and pacing from the traditional version of the story, expanding the scenes where Momotaro meets the three animals with more repetition for young audiences. We've even included the lyrics to the Momotaro Song.
Illustrator Mario Uribe redrew or enhanced eight of the 12 cards, replacing two of the slower background scenes with vibrant new art. As you can see in the sample below, he even reworked details such as the pheasant's feathers to match the type of bird Momotaro would have seen in Japan.
When we told current owners about updating Momotaro, they all asked, "Why? It's already our favorite!" But when they saw the new text and art, each one agreed it was better. We would like to thank all the teachers, librarians, and students who helped us in completing this new edition — in particular Judy Guitton (editor, Seattle, WA), Kate Kester (former preschool director, Mountain View, CA), Michell Jump (librarian, Fishkill, NY), Kellie Bliss (instructor, Sierra College, Rocklin, CA), Kelly Anderson (teacher, Roseville Community Preschool, CA), and Kathryn Rowland and her 2nd grade class (Oak Chan Elementary School, Folsom, CA). They all provided wonderful suggestions and encouragement.
We'll send out a notice when Momotaro 2 is back from the printer. (Current estimate: May 21)
One of the new scenes Mario Uribe drew for Momotaro the Peach Boy. The flag says "No. 1 in Japan," Momotaro's slogan.
Afterward, they had more questions. Most were about exotic items in the pictures, such as Momotaro's Japanese-style hat and the rice fields in one scene. They also asked about the significance of bowing, which is used in two ways during the story — for respect and apology. Hazuki discovered that reading twice is a useful technique, especially if you ask the audience to pay attention to certain aspects. Fortunately, kids love to hear kamishibai stories over and over again.