Momotaro and the Island of Ogres - Hardcover

Stephanie Wada; Kano Naganobu

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0807615528 ISBN 13: 9780807615522

Publisher: George Braziller Inc., 2005

Synopsis

One of Japan's best-loved children's stories brought to life by the extraordinary imagery of an early nineteenth-century handscroll.

The amazing adventures of Momotaro, a boy found inside a peach and raised by an elderly couple, is one of Japan's most popular folktales. An exquisite handscroll painted by Kano Naganobu (1775-1828) contains one of the finest illustrated versions of the tale known today. The illustrations are reproduced in their entirety as the story follows Momotaro's journey to the terrifying Island of Ogres. After befriending a dog, a monkey, and a pheasant, Momotaro crosses the sea with his new companions and lays siege to the demons' fearsome mountain fortress. The battle is a fierce one, but Momotaro and his friends prevail; they recover the demon's ill-gotten treasure and restore it to its rightful owners.

One of the first Japanese folktales to have been translated into English, the story of Momotaro is a delightful and lively voyage of the imagination that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. A lengthy postscript to the tale looks at the tradition of illustrated folk stories in Japan, with examples of Momotaro pictures and related imagery in various forms of art, including painting and woodblock printing. The career of the artist, Kano Naganobu, and the artistic climate in which he worked are also reviewed.

About this title

About the Author:

Stephanie Wada is Associate Curator at the Mary and Jackson Burke Foundation, one of the most extensive private collections of Japanese art outside of Japan. She has taught courses in Asian art at Temple University, Parsons School of Design, Columbia University, and the City College of New York. She lives in New York City.

From School Library Journal:

Grade 3-8–For centuries, Japanese storytellers have recounted how Momotaro, the baby found inside a peach and raised by a childless couple, grew up to defeat a tribe of thieving ogres. Kano Naganobu (1775-1828), an official painter for the Shogun, depicted Momotaro's exploits on a pair of silk handscrolls. Wada has retold Peach Boy's adventures to accompany reproductions of scenes from those scrolls. The result is a handsome book that will invite older children to see this beloved story through Japanese eyes. The delicate watercolors depict the hero and his animal helpers against mist-shrouded backdrops of mountain and sea. All of the characters are small, moving through vast open spaces. Even the ogres are dwarfed by the landscape; they are presented as not-so-fearsome beings who repent their ways and voluntarily return their ill-gotten treasure. An afterword provides information about the artist and explains why the tale remains so popular. This title is not a substitute for versions aimed at younger readers, but it is an excellent supplement where authentic Japanese material is needed.–Margaret A. Chang, Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts, North Adams
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About this edition

• Publisher: George Braziller Inc.
• Publication date: 2005
• ISBN 10: 0807615528
• ISBN 13: 9780807615522
• Binding: Hardcover
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 47