Synopsis
When a young man only one inch high saves a princess from a demon, his one greatest wish is granted
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Reviews
One of three titles published this fall from Kodansha's series of classic Japanese folktales ( Grandfather Cherry-Blossom and The Moon Princess are the others), this story of a childless couple who gives birth to a tiny boy ("no bigger than your toe") will captivate readers. Inchy Bo may be small of stature, but he has courage to spare and, determined to become a samurai, sets off in a rice bowl (with a chopstick for an oar, of course) to seek his fortune. Hired to serve as bodyguard for the lovely Lady Haru ("So cute!" she said. "And yet, so brave!"), Inchy soon proves his worth, rescuing first a poem his charge has written that falls into the goldfish pond, and later vanquishing a monster many times his size. Transformed to the height of a man by a magic mallet, our hero wins the hand of his beloved and lives happily ever after. Retold by McCarthy in droll, boisterous verse, this tale features many of the common themes running through Western fairy tales, yet retains a uniquely Japanese flavor. The artwork (reproductions from Japan's golden age of illustration) is in the classic tradition--formal, stylized and as graceful as cherry blossoms in springtime. The series will be a worthy addition to the multicultural bookshelf. Ages 5-8.
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Ages 5-8. Inchy Bo is a Japanese cousin of Tom Thumb and Thumbelina, a tiny person who refuses to let his diminutive size keep him from performing mighty deeds. Inchy Bo leaves his loving parents and tiny village and uses a chopstick to propel his rice-bowl boat upstream to the capital, where he enters a great estate and boldly applies for work. As a bodyguard for the lord's daughter, Lady Haru, he wins her admiration and her heart. When he bravely battles and beats a mighty ogre, the monster drops a magic mallet. Lady Haru holds it and wishes, "May Inchy Bo no more be small! / Brave Inchy Bo, be tall! Be tall! / And, sure enough, he started / sprouting up before her eyes." Naturally, the two marry, he takes his bride home to meet his delighted parents, and they all live happily ever after. McCarthy's octaves, with their unusual rhyme scheme, retell the old folktale delightfully, while Kasamatsu's paintings, executed more than 50 years ago, completely fill the pages with exquisite color and movement. Sheilamae 0'Hara
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Search results for The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
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The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00076898491
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The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
Seller: World of Books (was SecondSale), Montgomery, IL, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Item in very good condition! Textbooks may not include supplemental items i.e. CDs, access codes etc. Seller Inventory # 00079849688
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The Inch-High Samurai
Published by
Kodansha America, Incorporated, 1993
ISBN 10: 4770017588
ISBN 13: 9784770017581
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Very Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Former library copy. Pages intact with possible writing/highlighting. Binding strong with minor wear. Dust jackets/supplements may not be included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 4024928-6
Stock Image
The Inch-High Samurai
Published by
Kodansha America, Incorporated, 1993
ISBN 10: 4770017588
ISBN 13: 9784770017581
Used
Hardcover
Seller: Better World Books, Mishawaka, IN, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Condition: Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Former library copy. Pages intact with minimal writing/highlighting. The binding may be loose and creased. Dust jackets/supplements are not included. Includes library markings. Stock photo provided. Product includes identifying sticker. Better World Books: Buy Books. Do Good. Seller Inventory # 4919894-6
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The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Atlanta, AUSTELL, GA, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G4770017588I4N00
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The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Former library book; May have limited writing in cover pages. Pages are unmarked. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less. Seller Inventory # G4770017588I4N10
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The Inch-High Samurai (Kodansha Children's Classics)
Seller: HPB-Ruby, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Seller Inventory # S_413629348
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The Inch-High Samurai
Published by
New York and Tokyo: Kodansha International (1993), 1993
ISBN 10: 4770017588
ISBN 13: 9784770017581
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Books to Die For, The Woodlands, TX, U.S.A.
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Included. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). 1st Edition. VG+/VG+. First ed. Beautifully narrated and illustrated Japanese folk tale. Children's picture book. DJ lightly rubbed. Boards and interior near mint. Lovely copy. Seller Inventory # 1511
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The Inch-High Samurai.
Seller: Shirley K. Mapes, Books, Omaha, NE, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator). lst edition stated. Retold by Ralph F. McCarthy. Illustrated by Shiro Kasamatsu. 4to glossy perma bound pictorial cover. Very good plus condition. Lacks a dust jacket. Seller Inventory # 020183
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The Inch-High Samurai (Children's Classics Ser., No. 4)
Published by
Kodansha America, Incorporated, New York, NY, U.S.A., 1993
ISBN 10: 4770017588
ISBN 13: 9784770017581
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Don's Book Store, Albuquerque, NM, U.S.A.
Seller rating 4 out of 5 stars
Hard Back. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. Kasamatsu, Shiro (illustrator) (illustrator). First Edition First Printing Stated. 47 pages. Colorful pictorial laminated covers. Previous child-owner's name in red on front endpaper. Library pocket on back endpaper. There is no other evidence that this book was ever read or opened otherwise. The brave little boy who sailed to the Capital in a teacup and fought a demon with a needle to win the love of a Lady is a Japanese cousin to Tom Thumb. Kasamatsu's decorative and dynamic illustrations, painted over half a century ago, brilliantly depict the tiny samurai's adventures and their surprising and romantic conclusion. Writer, translator, and lyricist Ralpy McCarthy's witty verse retelling of the rollicking tale begs to be read aloud. Seller Inventory # 6408