Momotaro: peach boy

by Island Heritage, Island Heritage

An extraordinary Japanese boy sets out to destroy the ogres who have terrorized his village for years.

64 pages, Paperback

First published August 1, 1981

Reviews

[Friend of Pixie]

This is a book my grandparents bought me when I was a kid and they were living in Hawaii. I loved it. It's the story of a boy born out of a peach to aprents who have longed for children and have given up on the idea of having them. Momotaro (which means peach boy) becomes an honorable samurai who, with the help of his friends (a dog, a pheasant, and a monkey), saves his village from the oni (ogres) who have been raiding the village for years. My 5-year-old son is a little scared of the oni, but he's asked me to re-read it several times. We both love the gorgeous illustrations and there is a handy illustrated glossary at the back to explain Japanese things like millet cakes, tatami mats, and samurai.