The summer before they must take the school entrance exams that will determine the course of their lives, Kiyama and his friends Kawabe and Yamashi...
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Dec 12, 2011
Caroline
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This is one of the most beautiful stories I ever read about friendship.
Kiyama, Kawabe and Yamashita are three young friends who spend their time between school, cram school and sports. Neither has the best of situations at home or is the most popular at school, but they rely on each other. When Yamashita's grandmother passes away, the boys voice their concerns, beliefs and questions about death. It turns out that they are all fascinated by it, not in a morbid way, but they are just afr More...
Kiyama, Kawabe and Yamashita are three young friends who spend their time between school, cram school and sports. Neither has the best of situations at home or is the most popular at school, but they rely on each other. When Yamashita's grandmother passes away, the boys voice their concerns, beliefs and questions about death. It turns out that they are all fascinated by it, not in a morbid way, but they are just afr More...
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Mar 12, 2011
Nicolewinter2011
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More to be added to this entry....
I found this book to move very slowly at the beginning. Once my books on tape arrived, that helped me to stay focus reading it. Otherwise, I found my mind wandering. Junko mentioned that that could be part of the cultural style. As I was reading it, I thought maybe it was just more of what boy friendship is like. In the beginning it more shared activities and the sharing emotions-bonding comes later? I'm not a boy, so maybe I'm off on this one. More...
I found this book to move very slowly at the beginning. Once my books on tape arrived, that helped me to stay focus reading it. Otherwise, I found my mind wandering. Junko mentioned that that could be part of the cultural style. As I was reading it, I thought maybe it was just more of what boy friendship is like. In the beginning it more shared activities and the sharing emotions-bonding comes later? I'm not a boy, so maybe I'm off on this one. More...
Mar 08, 2011
Esther
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Published in 1992 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
Interest Level: 4th-7th Grade
This is definitely a great book that is an exemplary work of translated fiction. I think the translator did an excellent job of relating the Japanese culture, pacing, and vocabulary. This book truly reminded me of the many Japanese films I have watched that could be seen as "slow", "pedantic", or overly pensive. I think that in my experiences with Japanese culture it is as much about the More...
Interest Level: 4th-7th Grade
This is definitely a great book that is an exemplary work of translated fiction. I think the translator did an excellent job of relating the Japanese culture, pacing, and vocabulary. This book truly reminded me of the many Japanese films I have watched that could be seen as "slow", "pedantic", or overly pensive. I think that in my experiences with Japanese culture it is as much about the More...
Mar 15, 2010
Evelyn
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I was initially turned off by how slow-moving the plot was, and I couldn't relate to a trio of boys spying on an old man. But, as soon as the boys grew enthused about planting flowers, my interest peaked. The old man's behavior changed and the boys were willing to help him around the house.
There were many side-stories that I feel could have been more developed, such as the mom's drinking problem, the relationship between Yayoi Koko, and the relationship between the narrator and his More...
There were many side-stories that I feel could have been more developed, such as the mom's drinking problem, the relationship between Yayoi Koko, and the relationship between the narrator and his More...
Mar 10, 2010
Kathleen
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Although it was obvious from the beginning of the story of Friends, that it was an account of three boys’ coming of age, it was not until page 78 that the writer presented a metaphor explaining the key to understanding the story. “By changing the angle of the hose, we can see a little rainbow from the porch. The seven colors of sunlight. Usually they are invisible, but now they reveal themselves within a single stream of water. Even though the light was always there, the colors had remained hidd
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Mar 13, 2010
Teri
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After a slow start, I came to appreciate the many themes within this book about a trio of boys who befriend an old man. Because the boys want “escape from the grueling repetitive days” of summer, they embark on an adventure to daily spy on a old man. Eventually becoming a nuisance to him, the old man questions them angrily about their persistence. Answering honestly, they tell him that they want to see him die. What follows this interchange is an intergenerational friendship between the four
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Mar 21, 2009
At the beginning three boys have no idea what death is about. They have never known anyone who has died. In the end you get to see how they have changed and it is amazing. One aspect of this book that is particularly powerful is the point of view it is told from. The book is told through the point of view of a twelve year old boy which ends up being the perfect age for a child to be exposed to death. As the children are fascinated about the expected death of a man in town, the boys themselves ar
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Mar 03, 2009
T. Denise
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This book reminded me of a Japenese rites of passage story. Although I did not think the book was a "page turner", I think Yumoto did a nice job of telling the stories through the eyes of a rapidly maturing Kiyama.
The end result of the "old man" dying gracefully softened the sadness I felt as I followed the boys into the home only to realize that he had passed on. I loved how the young trio grew as the story progressed! Even Kawabe ends up being likable...
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The end result of the "old man" dying gracefully softened the sadness I felt as I followed the boys into the home only to realize that he had passed on. I loved how the young trio grew as the story progressed! Even Kawabe ends up being likable...
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Jun 22, 2010
Kimberly
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The Friends is a Japanese book that was translated into English. It is about 3 friends who are in "cram school" together. They go to this school in the summer so they pass the exam to get into a good junior high. They decide that they need to see a dead person and begin to spy on an old man thinking that he will drop dead at any second. The boys get to know the old man and he becomes a father figure to them all.
This would be a good book to read before the elementary to middle sc More...
This would be a good book to read before the elementary to middle sc More...
Feb 01, 2011
Marija
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I was pleasantly surprised at how wonderful this book turned out to be. I was hesitant at first becuase it is a translated book and I've had prior experiences where much meaning is lost in translation. I didn't think that after reading this book. I love the characters and how they set off on a quest determined to find out what death looks like. I think this fascination with death will definitely resonate with many younger readers who have probably had the same thoughts. I also like the way the J
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May 05, 2009
Lindsay
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A fantastic young adult novel! This is a story about three friends in the sixth grade who are curious about death. They decide to spy on an old man in a dilapidated house that they heard is going to die soon in order to see what a dead person looks like. The old man discovers them and while his relationship with the boys starts out strained a beautiful friendship develops. Through their relationship with the old man (he's never called anything else) the boys learn about loving life and the value
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Mar 10, 2010
Sandy
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I found I liked this book, but from the middle to the end and not really the beginning. The beginning seemed to be just three young boys who complained about things...one is too skinny, one is too fat, one is very nosy and pushy. It seemed that the story dragged until the point when the old man confronts the three boys. From then on the story had my attention. In fact it was almost morbid the way the one boy seemed absolutely obsessed about seeing a dead person.
Jul 19, 2011
Jeanne
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Một câu chuyện khá buồn, nhưng lại được kể dưới mắt nhìn của trẻ con. Khi đọc cuốn này, mình có liên tưởng tới Totoro, hay những anime Nhật loại kodomo ngày trước mình hay được xem. Giá như tìm được bản film của truyện này nhỉ. :)
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Jul 17, 2011
Sơn Phước
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Cuốn sách thứ hai của Kazumi Yumoto được đọc, sau "Mùa thu của cây dương". Vì cuốn trước để lại dư vị khá buồn bã nên đã rất trông đợi vào cuốn này. Giọng văn vẫn trong trẻo nhưng câu chuyện lại trẻ con. Có lẽ sẽ hợp hơn nếu được đọc ở độ tuổi cấp 1 hay cấp 2.
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Nov 30, 2009
Kristy
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I read this one in my Children's Lit grad program - slow, but sweet. Tells the story of three friends and their relationship to an older man. Translated from Japanese.
Feb 27, 2010
Farzana
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I liked this book. It was ok. i learned that you should tell some you care about as much as you can and everything before its too late..
Sep 05, 2007
Kathleen
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You know, every now and then it's fun to read a kids' book. This is about three Japanese sixth graders who become pre-occupied with watching an old man who lives in their neighborhood in a rundown house. You can guess the general sequence of events.
But it has a charm and normalcy and periodic lyrical moments, and I came to care about them and their quirks just enough to want to see exactly what would happen, plus it's cool and different that it's in Japan. It reminded me of "th More...
But it has a charm and normalcy and periodic lyrical moments, and I came to care about them and their quirks just enough to want to see exactly what would happen, plus it's cool and different that it's in Japan. It reminded me of "th More...
Dec 20, 2008
Lisa
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Deals with big ideas of death, eternity, difficult family life in a way that doesn't overwhelm the reader. A good peak into Asian life, too.
Aug 13, 2008
Elizabeth
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About the adventures of some middle school schoolmates one summer. Includes death, but not in a morbid way.
Feb 07, 2012
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