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În iarbă
Pentru orice copil, dorința de a descoperi lumea e de nestăvilit. Ce e asta? Ce e aceea? Ce e aici?
Cartea „În iarbă”, lansată în anul 2008, s-a dovedit a fi un bestseller internaţional. „În iarbă” este experienţa unei fetiţe care pleacă în explorarea naturii, într-o zi încântătoare de vară. Pentru orice copil, dorința de a descoperi lumea e de nestăvilit, iar o aventură poate începe oricând și în orice loc. Fetiţa descoperă vietăţi felurite, sunete noi şi senzaţii pe care nu le-a mai simţit niciodată, cum ar fi atingerea ierburilor care se leagănă şi foşnesc în bătaia vântului. Yukiko Katō (n. 1936, Sapporo, Japonia) este o romancieră celebră, mare iubitoare a naturii şi membră a ligii japoneze pentru protecţia păsărilor.
Komako Sakai (n. 1966, Hyogo, Japonia) este o cunoscută autoare şi ilustratoare de literatură pentru copii. A absolvit Universitatea de Arte din Tokyo și a lucrat la început ca designer de chimonouri și alte obiecte vestimentare tradiționale, după care s-a dedicat în întregime realizării de cărți ilustrate. Textele sale sunt poetice, pline de sensibilitate, iar ilustrațiile delicate au mereu o notă de nostalgie, astfel încât cele peste 20 de cărți pe care le-a creat ajung cu ușurință la sufletul cititorului. În 2003, Sakai a fost răsplătită cu Japan Picture Book Award.
Cartea „În iarbă”, lansată în anul 2008, s-a dovedit a fi un bestseller internaţional. „În iarbă” este experienţa unei fetiţe care pleacă în explorarea naturii, într-o zi încântătoare de vară. Pentru orice copil, dorința de a descoperi lumea e de nestăvilit, iar o aventură poate începe oricând și în orice loc. Fetiţa descoperă vietăţi felurite, sunete noi şi senzaţii pe care nu le-a mai simţit niciodată, cum ar fi atingerea ierburilor care se leagănă şi foşnesc în bătaia vântului. Yukiko Katō (n. 1936, Sapporo, Japonia) este o romancieră celebră, mare iubitoare a naturii şi membră a ligii japoneze pentru protecţia păsărilor.
Komako Sakai (n. 1966, Hyogo, Japonia) este o cunoscută autoare şi ilustratoare de literatură pentru copii. A absolvit Universitatea de Arte din Tokyo și a lucrat la început ca designer de chimonouri și alte obiecte vestimentare tradiționale, după care s-a dedicat în întregime realizării de cărți ilustrate. Textele sale sunt poetice, pline de sensibilitate, iar ilustrațiile delicate au mereu o notă de nostalgie, astfel încât cele peste 20 de cărți pe care le-a creat ajung cu ușurință la sufletul cititorului. În 2003, Sakai a fost răsplătită cu Japan Picture Book Award.
36 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
2 people are currently reading
67 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
August 21, 2025
What a beautiful book. I would recommend at any age. The art is so pleasing, more so paired with the story of a little girl's simple experience of being at the riverbank.
September 27, 2023
Je poursuis avec grand plaisir ma découverte des autrices japonaises qui officient dans le domaine de la littérature pour les tout petits avec Dans l’herbe signé d’un duo rendant le quotidien magique.
Cet album, je l’ai remarqué grâce au style très particulier de sa couverture, qui donne l’impression d’avoir un instantané de nos souvenirs d’enfance, vous savez avec ce trait qui manque de netteté parce que nos souvenirs remontent. C’est original et cela interpelle.
L’histoire est à l’aune de cela. On se retrouve au bord d’une rivière avec la petite Yu-chan, venue passer la journée là avec sa famille. Mais celle-ci s’éloigne et se perd dans la nature environnante. Ayant vécu cela moi aussi, enfant, même si dans un cadre différent, j’ai trouvé que les autrices rendaient à merveille ce moment particulier de la vie de Yu-chan, entre peur et fantastique, où elle va se retrouver confrontée, peut-être pour la première fois, seule à la nature.
L’histoire est toute simple, presque banale, mais elle rend hommage à cette nature autour de nous qu’on a tendance à oublier et ignorer, alors qu’elle a sa propre magie. Yu-chan en s’y perdant fait cette pause salutaire, admire les animaux qui y vivent, prend le temps d’en sentir le vent sur sa peau, effleure les herbes qui l’entourent. C’est une vraie invitation à se laisser aller à ses sensations.
Mais il y a aussi un petit avertissement pour les jeunes enfants à ne pas s’éloigner de leurs parents, à être prudents et à ne pas avoir peur si ça arrive parce que les parents font tous pour les retrouver, comme la maman de Yu-chan. C’est donc un album qui cherche à avertir mais rassure en même temps heureusement et les albums où tout est bien qui finit bien, ça fait du bien aussi parfois ^^
Surfant sur notre fibre nostalgique, pour nous lecteurs adultes accompagnant les enfants le lisant, Dans l’herbe est une charmante histoire célébrant la nature et invitant aussi à s’en méfier. Il faut savoir y plonger et se laisser aller à ses sensations en son coeur, mais il faut le faire avec précaution quand on est petit 😉 Une belle et douce lecture aux dessins vraiment à part.
Avis complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....
Cet album, je l’ai remarqué grâce au style très particulier de sa couverture, qui donne l’impression d’avoir un instantané de nos souvenirs d’enfance, vous savez avec ce trait qui manque de netteté parce que nos souvenirs remontent. C’est original et cela interpelle.
L’histoire est à l’aune de cela. On se retrouve au bord d’une rivière avec la petite Yu-chan, venue passer la journée là avec sa famille. Mais celle-ci s’éloigne et se perd dans la nature environnante. Ayant vécu cela moi aussi, enfant, même si dans un cadre différent, j’ai trouvé que les autrices rendaient à merveille ce moment particulier de la vie de Yu-chan, entre peur et fantastique, où elle va se retrouver confrontée, peut-être pour la première fois, seule à la nature.
L’histoire est toute simple, presque banale, mais elle rend hommage à cette nature autour de nous qu’on a tendance à oublier et ignorer, alors qu’elle a sa propre magie. Yu-chan en s’y perdant fait cette pause salutaire, admire les animaux qui y vivent, prend le temps d’en sentir le vent sur sa peau, effleure les herbes qui l’entourent. C’est une vraie invitation à se laisser aller à ses sensations.
Mais il y a aussi un petit avertissement pour les jeunes enfants à ne pas s’éloigner de leurs parents, à être prudents et à ne pas avoir peur si ça arrive parce que les parents font tous pour les retrouver, comme la maman de Yu-chan. C’est donc un album qui cherche à avertir mais rassure en même temps heureusement et les albums où tout est bien qui finit bien, ça fait du bien aussi parfois ^^
Surfant sur notre fibre nostalgique, pour nous lecteurs adultes accompagnant les enfants le lisant, Dans l’herbe est une charmante histoire célébrant la nature et invitant aussi à s’en méfier. Il faut savoir y plonger et se laisser aller à ses sensations en son coeur, mais il faut le faire avec précaution quand on est petit 😉 Une belle et douce lecture aux dessins vraiment à part.
Avis complet : https://lesblablasdetachan.wordpress....
July 2, 2019
According to the jacket flap, this is the first book in a "Being In The Wild" series. At the beach with her parents, a young girl wanders into a nearby meadow following a butterfly. The implication is while she describes some beautiful encounters--listening to leaves rustling, a grasshopper jumps onto her arm, she seems a bit scared and lost. No worries, her mother finds her and they walk back to the beach. Sakai's illustrations feel like a dream, haze-filled with only the girl, the meadow, and the wind! It's lovely.
July 20, 2017
Pending.
August 15, 2021
3,5. Open Library.
April 6, 2025
Libro de cuentos ilustrado con ISBN propio.
August 26, 2025
Lovely and such descriptive imagery.. approved
September 6, 2020
Ages 5 and up. A young girl enjoys the wonders of nature as she walks through a meadow. This book serves as an appropriate introduction to natural world for preschoolers, featuring a Japanese girl as the protagonist.
May 12, 2011
A little girl and her family head to the river to play. On the shore, she spots a butterfly but when she tries to touch it, the butterfly flies away. The little girl follows into the meadow, filled with tall grasses. The grass tickles, trips, and sways. It is almost like a green sea around her, growing so tall that only her hat and face can be seen. The butterfly disappears, but a grasshopper lands on her arm and jumps away again. The little girl is alone in the tall grass, so she closes her eyes and listens to the noises of the meadow. And then she hears one more noise, her mother’s voice calling to her.
This picture book explores nature in a very personal way. All of the senses are involved in the description of the meadow, from the scent of the crushed grass under her feet, the way the grass feels on her skin, the way the grass looks as it sways, to the sounds of the meadow and its creatures. This immerses the reader in the experience of the meadow, both its beauty and the way you can lose yourself in it.
Kato’s words are simple, perfect for small children. They reveal the meadow slowly, building it into a full experience. His illustrations are done in acrylic paints and oil pencils. They are done in delicate lines, yet have a freedom, a naturalness. The vast green of the field, dances on the page, at times detailed and at other times simply an expanse.
This lovely book is ideal to use with toddlers and preschoolers who will see themselves in the meadow. It would be a great piece to use with an art project where children draw their own meadows, or even build collages from found grasses. But primarily, it is a fresh, wonderful look at nature from a small child’s point of view. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
This picture book explores nature in a very personal way. All of the senses are involved in the description of the meadow, from the scent of the crushed grass under her feet, the way the grass feels on her skin, the way the grass looks as it sways, to the sounds of the meadow and its creatures. This immerses the reader in the experience of the meadow, both its beauty and the way you can lose yourself in it.
Kato’s words are simple, perfect for small children. They reveal the meadow slowly, building it into a full experience. His illustrations are done in acrylic paints and oil pencils. They are done in delicate lines, yet have a freedom, a naturalness. The vast green of the field, dances on the page, at times detailed and at other times simply an expanse.
This lovely book is ideal to use with toddlers and preschoolers who will see themselves in the meadow. It would be a great piece to use with an art project where children draw their own meadows, or even build collages from found grasses. But primarily, it is a fresh, wonderful look at nature from a small child’s point of view. Appropriate for ages 3-5.
April 24, 2014
In the Meadow is a sweet story of girl going for a walk by the river with her mom and dad and getting lost. She is admiring all of the amazing nature around her from bugs, to butterflies to the dirt. Without even realizing it, she has wondered off away from her parents. She feels scared and decides to keep walking through the tall grass. She eventually runs into her mother at the end and they embrace. The simple story of the Japanese girl getting lost is similar to any American kid who has turned out for one second in the grocery store and turned back and their mom is gone feeling alone and hopeless! I thought this book was very sweet, simple and relatable. The illustrations were done is pastel colors with thin pencil lines to highlight the individual blades of grass in the meadow and the whisk of the wind through the grass. I would recommend this to any young child because anybody who has ever been separated from their parents for just a minute can relate to how scary that split second can be until you spot your mom again. I would have liked to see more of the Japanese culture worked into the story line a little bit more because I would love to learn more about their culture.
September 20, 2013
Translated by Yuki Kaneko.
Author and Illustrator are from Japan.
I'm glad to see this is the first in a series of nature books from Japan - hurrah!
A little girl visits a riverbank with her parents and follows a butterfly into the meadow. She experiences the tall grasses, listens to the swishing sounds, sees a grasshopper -- and is just starting to feel a bit alone when her mom finds her. A very sensory book with a poetic text: "the meadow sways like the waves of the sea." The acrylic illustrations are dominated by tones of greens and blues. When she closes her eyes, darker greys dominate and she hears chirps, tweets, and the faraway sound of the river. I'd encourage children to try this -- close their eyes and see what they hear around them.
A great book for a nature, science, or sensory storytime.
Author and Illustrator are from Japan.
I'm glad to see this is the first in a series of nature books from Japan - hurrah!
A little girl visits a riverbank with her parents and follows a butterfly into the meadow. She experiences the tall grasses, listens to the swishing sounds, sees a grasshopper -- and is just starting to feel a bit alone when her mom finds her. A very sensory book with a poetic text: "the meadow sways like the waves of the sea." The acrylic illustrations are dominated by tones of greens and blues. When she closes her eyes, darker greys dominate and she hears chirps, tweets, and the faraway sound of the river. I'd encourage children to try this -- close their eyes and see what they hear around them.
A great book for a nature, science, or sensory storytime.
February 14, 2016
This book was gorgeous, I really loved the story (although, to call it a story...), the art was really colourful and matches the situations.
I loved how the girl went after the butterfly, got lost, found silence. It was quite poetic at times and that made the book even more beautiful. The ending was expected, since we only had one page left and it would be strange to leave the girl alone in a big meadow, still I think the book could have been a bit longer, lingering on the sense of being lost, the sense of despair. Now it was only a short bit and then mom was there.
One thing I would like more if the book was told from the distant/story teller point of view, and not that of the girl. I think that would have conveyed a better message and might have had more impact.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes I would.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
I loved how the girl went after the butterfly, got lost, found silence. It was quite poetic at times and that made the book even more beautiful. The ending was expected, since we only had one page left and it would be strange to leave the girl alone in a big meadow, still I think the book could have been a bit longer, lingering on the sense of being lost, the sense of despair. Now it was only a short bit and then mom was there.
One thing I would like more if the book was told from the distant/story teller point of view, and not that of the girl. I think that would have conveyed a better message and might have had more impact.
Would I recommend this book? Yes, yes I would.
Review first posted at http://twirlingbookprincess.com/
May 31, 2011
On an outing with her parents, Yu-chan wanders through the field and experiences first-hand the joys of nature. As she follows a butterfly and feels the leaves against her body, she keeps going--until the plants are taller than she is. Suddenly, she realizes she is alone and closes her eyes until her mother finds her. The author has included many examples of onomatopoeia to emulate the sounds of nature, while the illustrator has used just about every shade of green imaginable to drench the pages with plant life.
August 9, 2011
Beautifully written and illustrated book about a little girl who plays at the river with her family. The author captures her perspective of nature perfectly...and when she becomes lost and scared, the feelings are palpable. While not one that I would necessarily choose for a storytime reading, this title worked well with my small home audience.
August 23, 2011
Gentle book - perfect for toddlers. Told from a child's point of view, we experience a meadow using all of our senses. The illustrations are lovely and depicts a peaceful, natural world. Great choice to read one-on-one when a little calm is required, especially before naptime.
September 5, 2011
Can't remember why I put this one on hold. Anyway. The author/translator did a great job of writing what a child would hear in a meadow. Good example text? Curious to see what the rest of the series will look like.
May 29, 2013
A quiet, gentle story told from a toddler's point of viewabout being alone with nature in a specific place - a grassy meadow. I really like the illustrations. Makes me wish I spoke Japanese and could read it in the original.
June 4, 2011
Lost and found.
October 14, 2011
I loved Sakai's illustrations and thought this would be better as a wordless book.
November 18, 2011
Cute "story" for young children -- mostly sensual, not a ton of plot. The pleasures are in the art and the text, which reflect the simple wonderment of the child "protagonist". Very dreamy.
January 7, 2012
A peaceful and quiet book about being out in nature. Not exciting in a WHIZ-BANG kind of way, but nice for quiet times, like before a nap or bedtime.
December 31, 2011
Sweet, quiet story about a young girl who is on an outing with her family who travels off into the weeds and gets lost.
July 10, 2012
Beautiful illustrations!!!!
April 16, 2013
I can't help thinking that this story is beautiful in Japanese. Or it ought to be rendered as a short film by Hayao Miyazaki.
September 2, 2015
Unsatisfying. The setup is nice, but there is no payoff.
September 5, 2016
Beautifully illustrated and realistically written.
October 2, 2023
Clásico infantil de Kato y Sakai.
October 2, 2023
Un amor de cuento.
September 27, 2011
So peaceful, graceful and contemplative. A gentle read.
August 5, 2016
The translation seems wanting. Text and illustration reminiscent of "Wait, Wait" (Nakawaki).
Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews