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Kamishibai Man
The Kamishibai man used to ride his bicycle into town where he would tell stories to the children and sell them candy, but gradually, fewer and fewer children came running at the sound of his clappers. They were all watching their new televisions instead. Finally, only one boy remained, and he had no money for candy. Years later, the Kamishibai man and his wife made another batch of candy, and he pedaled into town to tell one more story—his own. When he comes out of the reverie of his memories, he looks around to see he is surrounded by familiar faces—the children he used to entertain have returned, all grown up and more eager than ever to listen to his delightful tales.
Using two very different yet remarkable styles of art, Allen Say tells a tale within a tale, transporting readers seamlessly to the Japan of his memories.
Using two very different yet remarkable styles of art, Allen Say tells a tale within a tale, transporting readers seamlessly to the Japan of his memories.
32 pages, Hardcover
First published September 24, 2005
16 people are currently reading
491 people want to read
About the author
Allen Say
35 books236 followersAllen Say is one of the most beloved artists working today. He is the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for GRANDFATHER'S JOURNEY, and also won a Caldecott Honor and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for THE BOY OF THE THREE-YEAR NAP (written by Dianne Snyder). Many of Allen’s stories are derived from his own experiences as a child. His other books include THE BICYCLE MAN, TEA WITH MILK, and TREE OF CRANES, hailed by The Horn Book in a starred review as “the achievement of a master in his prime.” Allen’s recent book, ERIKA-SAN, received a starred review in Publishers Weekly. He lives in Portland, Oregon.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 135 reviews
January 12, 2011
I LOVED this book! One of my favorites of 2010. I was absolutely fascinated to learn about the kamishibai tradition. This story is not only interesting it is so deeply human, so poignant and wise with its gentle, subtle telling. The author's note is fabulous as it explains a lot more of the history of this tradition of Japanese theater and that, although the kamishibai men have all but disappeared from the streets of Japan, the tradition has left an indelible mark on Japanese entertainment. And, it is heartening to see the tradition kept alive, i.e., here: http://www.kamishibai.com/
And, for those of you who just can't wait to read Say's fabulous author's note, here's a little bit from Wiki:
"Kamishibai (紙芝居), literally "paper drama", is a form of storytelling that originated in Japanese Buddhist temples in the 12th century, where monks used e-maki (picture scrolls) to convey stories with moral lessons to a mostly illiterate audience. It endured as a storytelling method for centuries, but is perhaps best known for its revival in the 1920s through the 1950s. The gaito kamishibaiya, or kamishibai storyteller, rode from village to village on a bicycle equipped with a small stage. On arrival, the storyteller used two wooden clappers, called hyoshigi, to announce his arrival. Children who bought candy from the storyteller got the best seats in front of the stage. Once an audience assembled, the storyteller told several stories using a set of illustrated boards, inserted into the stage and withdrawn one by one as the story was told. The stories were often serials and new episodes were told on each visit to the village."
And, for those of you who just can't wait to read Say's fabulous author's note, here's a little bit from Wiki:
"Kamishibai (紙芝居), literally "paper drama", is a form of storytelling that originated in Japanese Buddhist temples in the 12th century, where monks used e-maki (picture scrolls) to convey stories with moral lessons to a mostly illiterate audience. It endured as a storytelling method for centuries, but is perhaps best known for its revival in the 1920s through the 1950s. The gaito kamishibaiya, or kamishibai storyteller, rode from village to village on a bicycle equipped with a small stage. On arrival, the storyteller used two wooden clappers, called hyoshigi, to announce his arrival. Children who bought candy from the storyteller got the best seats in front of the stage. Once an audience assembled, the storyteller told several stories using a set of illustrated boards, inserted into the stage and withdrawn one by one as the story was told. The stories were often serials and new episodes were told on each visit to the village."
January 18, 2011
This is a wonderful story of a Kamishibai Man (a storyteller who uses storytelling paper cards & sells candy) who goes back to work because he misses it. I was fascinated to learn about this Japanese tradition; I’d never heard of it. The afterword, which is written by a Japanese folklore scholar, greatly added to my enjoyment of this story.
The whole story and its afterword have a melancholy feel, but there are some very uplifting aspects included. There is a fascinating author’s note at the beginning of the book, where he describes the importance this art form has had for him.
I was so touched by this storyteller and his wife, and the children, and particularly one young boy, and then the adults they grow to be.
Kamisibai flourished in the 1930s depression, when people struggled financially. With the advent of television and greater prosperity, it fell into disfavor, though it survives today (apparently not in scintillating form though) and it has inspired some other art forms.
I would have been way too sad about this story except for the attitudes of the man & his wife and the man’s biggest fan. The reader/listener is also given a lovely reminder about how what was old can be new again and what has been forgotten can again be appreciated.
I really enjoyed some of the illustrations, particularly the landscapes, and while I’m not a huge fan of the style, particularly the way people are depicted, the pictures fit the story perfectly so they all did work fine for me.
Thank you, Kathryn, for alerting me to this book!
4-1/2 stars
The whole story and its afterword have a melancholy feel, but there are some very uplifting aspects included. There is a fascinating author’s note at the beginning of the book, where he describes the importance this art form has had for him.
I was so touched by this storyteller and his wife, and the children, and particularly one young boy, and then the adults they grow to be.
Kamisibai flourished in the 1930s depression, when people struggled financially. With the advent of television and greater prosperity, it fell into disfavor, though it survives today (apparently not in scintillating form though) and it has inspired some other art forms.
I would have been way too sad about this story except for the attitudes of the man & his wife and the man’s biggest fan. The reader/listener is also given a lovely reminder about how what was old can be new again and what has been forgotten can again be appreciated.
I really enjoyed some of the illustrations, particularly the landscapes, and while I’m not a huge fan of the style, particularly the way people are depicted, the pictures fit the story perfectly so they all did work fine for me.
Thank you, Kathryn, for alerting me to this book!
4-1/2 stars
January 21, 2022
Kamishibai Man is my favorite of Allen Say's works so far... though I'm still working my way through them. It's so lovely, the way the author/artist portrays the old, forgotten wonder of Kamishibai, the sorrow, the loss... the rekindling. It's like watching something precious die and come back to life.
"With this book... let me be your "paper theater man" for a day."
Allen Say, you certainly were just that.
"With this book... let me be your "paper theater man" for a day."
Allen Say, you certainly were just that.
January 31, 2013
This is a wonderful story about a dying art and the practitioners of this art. The story shows an old man returning to his old stomping grounds to peform his shows. His popular form of entertainment lost favor to television and other electronic media, but his return brought back feelings of nostalgia and fond remembrances of an older time.
The narrative is poignantly entertaining and the historical aspects of the story were enlightening. We all learned a little something about Japanese life in the early twentieth century and the way that people entertained themselves back then. We really enjoyed reading this story-within-a-story, and I loved that the storytelling tradition was revived, even if only for a short time.
We've read several books by Allen Say, and our girls love learning more about Japan, especially since they were born there. We will certainly look for more of his stories at our local library.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2013 - Books about Artists discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
The narrative is poignantly entertaining and the historical aspects of the story were enlightening. We all learned a little something about Japanese life in the early twentieth century and the way that people entertained themselves back then. We really enjoyed reading this story-within-a-story, and I loved that the storytelling tradition was revived, even if only for a short time.
We've read several books by Allen Say, and our girls love learning more about Japan, especially since they were born there. We will certainly look for more of his stories at our local library.
This story was selected as one of the books for the January 2013 - Books about Artists discussion at the Picture-Book Club in the Children's Books Group here at Goodreads.
January 12, 2013
I feel disadvantaged after reading this book. I must call my mom and ask her why she never exposed me to kamishibai (paper theater)…lol, but seriously growing up after the invention of TV has probably limited my potential in immense ways. Okay, back to the book…Say’s illustrations are beautiful and I enjoyed how his format seems to parallel or symbolize a kamishibai. This is definitely a great choice for a read aloud as Say unravels a remarkable story about a storyteller. Perhaps the most remarkable aspect of the story is how Jiichan and Baachan were able to impact the lives of so many children when they did not have children of their own.
April 4, 2019
Thinking back on his days as a Kamishibai Man - literally "paper theater," Kamishibai was a form of storytelling that flourished in Japan in the mid-twentieth century, from the 1930s through the 1950s, and involved the use of a small transportable stage and illustrated boards - the elderly hero of this poignant tale decides to return to his rounds after an absence of many, many years. Cycling into the nearby city, he is shocked and saddened by many of the changes he sees, from the unfriendly congestion of motor vehicles, to the destruction of parkland and the construction of countless new buildings. Making his way to his traditional storytelling spot, and clapping his wooden blocks together in order to summon an audience, the Kamishibai Man, unaware that he is speaking aloud, reflects back on the slow process whereby his art was abandoned, replaced by newer forms of entertainment such as television and film. It is only when one of his audience, recognizing himself in the story being told, speaks out, that the old man realizes how many people have gathered around him. Recognizing in him the storyteller and friend of their childhood, the adult audience begs for his stories once more, and buys his special candies.
Like so many of Allen Say's marvelous picture-books, Kamishibai Man features both a moving tale - one in which culture, the passage of time, and the nature of change are all explored - and breathtakingly beautiful watercolor artwork. Say's use of light and shadow is always amazing, and his color choice inspired. Here we see that the overall color scheme of the paintings changes, when the Kamishibai Man is recalling scenes from the past. There is softer light used, and the hues are also softer, more pastel - the past is seen with nostalgic fondness, its rough corners elided - while the contemporary scenes are more harshly lit, and more sharply colored. The result is a visual shift, as the reader moves from present to past, and then forward to the present again, with artwork perfectly complementing text. The story itself is intensely moving, with a melancholy feeling throughout, as the Kamishibai Man reflects on the destruction of his calling, but with a more hopeful ending, when it becomes apparent that his life's work has had a powerful impact on those around him. There is also the added bonus of an informative afterword from folklorist Tara McGowan, who gives a brief history of the Kamishibai art-form.
All in all, this was an outstanding picture-book from Japanese-American author and artist Allen Say, one I would recommend to his fans (of course), as well as to young readers who enjoy puppet theater, and similar styles of storytelling, or who are interested in Japanese culture.
Like so many of Allen Say's marvelous picture-books, Kamishibai Man features both a moving tale - one in which culture, the passage of time, and the nature of change are all explored - and breathtakingly beautiful watercolor artwork. Say's use of light and shadow is always amazing, and his color choice inspired. Here we see that the overall color scheme of the paintings changes, when the Kamishibai Man is recalling scenes from the past. There is softer light used, and the hues are also softer, more pastel - the past is seen with nostalgic fondness, its rough corners elided - while the contemporary scenes are more harshly lit, and more sharply colored. The result is a visual shift, as the reader moves from present to past, and then forward to the present again, with artwork perfectly complementing text. The story itself is intensely moving, with a melancholy feeling throughout, as the Kamishibai Man reflects on the destruction of his calling, but with a more hopeful ending, when it becomes apparent that his life's work has had a powerful impact on those around him. There is also the added bonus of an informative afterword from folklorist Tara McGowan, who gives a brief history of the Kamishibai art-form.
All in all, this was an outstanding picture-book from Japanese-American author and artist Allen Say, one I would recommend to his fans (of course), as well as to young readers who enjoy puppet theater, and similar styles of storytelling, or who are interested in Japanese culture.
September 30, 2009
This book was written about a man who lives in Japan who is now elderly. He and his wife never had any children. The man would ride his bike to town, tell stories to the children, show colorful picture cards, and give away candies that his wife would bake for the children in the oven. The book is unique in that it doesn't begin at the beginning. It begins at a point where the old man had given up story telling, but years later had begun to miss it. Deciding one day to take a ride into town on his bike, he discovers that the town had changed and was nothing like the place he used to know. Feeling like a stranger and discouraged, he noticed how nature had been destroyed to create restaurants and tall buildings. In the old days, in order to call the children to him for story time, he would clack two big wooden sticks. Upon his later visit, he sits in the center of town and begins to clack his sticks and tell the story of how times had changed. He told of how the children became disinterested in his stories when television was invented. His heart was broken now that the world had changed so swiftly and his stories thought meaningless. He always remembered a young boy who stayed in the back of the crowd because he would never accept any candy. The boy would run away instead when the story ended. In the crowd, the man hears the voice of the boy, and then another, and then others who remembered his stories and treats.
The illustrations are the only indication that the story is told in reverse order. As I read the story to my youngest son, he pointed out that the old man was growing younger and younger. The purpose of the reverse illustrations is to show the times when his story telling was at its peak, and also when it declined, only for him to find those same children again years later as a very old man who had a renewed appreciation for him all over again.
The illustrations are the only indication that the story is told in reverse order. As I read the story to my youngest son, he pointed out that the old man was growing younger and younger. The purpose of the reverse illustrations is to show the times when his story telling was at its peak, and also when it declined, only for him to find those same children again years later as a very old man who had a renewed appreciation for him all over again.
October 5, 2009
I was introduced to Allen Say's work by the 2nd grade teachers at my school. I'm trying to read more historical fiction because it is something that I normally shy away from. After I saw my colleagues do a lesson on one of his other books (My Grandfather's Journey), I decided to read more of his work. I like how he uses elements from his family's history to teach us about the history of Japanese-Americans as a whole.
This particular Allen Say book is centered around a tradition from his childhood: The Kamishibai Man. According to Say, Kamishibai means "paper theater." The Kamishibai Man had a big box mounted on the back of his bicycle that he used as a kind of theater. He used a series of changeable paper backgrounds to help tell the story.
The Kamishibai man in the story is retired and lives in Japan. One day, he decides to take his theater out for a spin. He initially feels out of place because of all the changes that have happened since the last time he took his theater out (traffic congestion, businesses that have closed, the pervasive influence of television). But the book ends on a hopeful note, as he finds lots of fans who have fond memories of his stories and a few new little fans.
This book seems like it would work for Grades 2 & up. It could be used in a Reading class or in a Social Studies class. It could even be the basis of an art unit in which students construct their own Kamishibai stories and present them to other people in and around the school.
This particular Allen Say book is centered around a tradition from his childhood: The Kamishibai Man. According to Say, Kamishibai means "paper theater." The Kamishibai Man had a big box mounted on the back of his bicycle that he used as a kind of theater. He used a series of changeable paper backgrounds to help tell the story.
The Kamishibai man in the story is retired and lives in Japan. One day, he decides to take his theater out for a spin. He initially feels out of place because of all the changes that have happened since the last time he took his theater out (traffic congestion, businesses that have closed, the pervasive influence of television). But the book ends on a hopeful note, as he finds lots of fans who have fond memories of his stories and a few new little fans.
This book seems like it would work for Grades 2 & up. It could be used in a Reading class or in a Social Studies class. It could even be the basis of an art unit in which students construct their own Kamishibai stories and present them to other people in and around the school.
January 17, 2019
Why do all of Allen Say’s books make me get all misty-eyed? I’m such a wuss!
August 21, 2019
LAAAAAV this!
January 21, 2015
Another wonderful story by Allen Say. Kamishibai, Japanese picture stories, is an art form with its roots in Kabuki theater. It was a way for poor people to make a meager living when times were hard, especially following WWII. A Kamishibai stage was easily transportable by bicycle and the performer told stories and sold candy to make a meager living. Eventually, television, and more prosperous times, all but put the Kamishibai performers out of business. Manga and anime comic books trace their roots to Kamishibai.
December 31, 2013
Remembering his days selling candy and telling stories as a kamishibai man, the old man goes out once again on his familiar route and is surprised by how things have changed.
holiday #bookaday
holiday #bookaday
May 28, 2022
It takes a lot for a book to make me cry these days, but this one did. I love Allen Say's artwork and stories, but Kamishibai Man got me at that tender intersection between nostalgia and being able to see, in my senior years, the value of tradition and real-life storytelling in the age of electronic media. Jiichan and Baachan, the elder couple at the heart of the story, also remind me a lot of the older Japanese American people I knew as a child in rural California, quietly anchored in the past but making their own paths in the changing present. [I'm reaching for the tissues now.] Jiichan, the Kamishibai Man (literally, "Paper Theater," where a storyteller would narrate traditional stories while scrolling an illustrated paper roll mounted in a wooden box, usually set on the back of a bicycle) befriends the many children in the town where he practices his craft. With the appearance of television in Japanese households however, Jiichan sees his audience decline until he is forced to retire his business. One day he feels the urge to try one more trip, in spite of the many changes to his town: and like many storytellers, is surprised to see how long and far his tales have traveled. (If you are a teacher and have been approached by a long forgotten student who is now an adult, you know a bit about this feeling.) I haven't yet shared this book with my grandchildren, who are ruthless critics, but this Baachan was left with a mixed sense of warmth and sadness. [Reaches for more tissues.]
July 25, 2019
Belle album par ce grand auteur ! J y travailler dessus avec les enfants sur un Projet .
October 22, 2023
Sweet if not a little bit kitschy.
September 21, 2024
wow, it is a new information for me. what a best culture from japan.
April 26, 2021
A sweet little story about a Japanese storytelling tradition. It made me smile.
September 29, 2024
Beautifully illustrated. A story about a lost art form in Japan. Truly lovely.
January 21, 2013
Allen Say's Kamishibai Man is a true literary and artistic marvel. From the simple yet detailed illustrations to the flowing and nostalgia rendering text, this book, quite frankly, comes to life in the reader's hands... Set in post-World War II Japan, Kamishibai Man tells the tale of the long-held tradition of oral storytelling using picture boards, a mobile cart as a rolling 'theater', along with drawers of homemade candies for enticement. Like many parents and teachers in the twenty-first century, the Kamishibai Man soon laments the technological competition he's facing in the 20th century as he roams the city streets looking for someone to pause and listen to his stories: the television.
Say, a prolific writer about his experiences living in both Japan and San Francisco, infuses his text and his illustrations with details that paint a vivid picture of the Japanese culture and experience. In most all of his books (e.g. Tree of Cranes; Home of the Brave; and Grandfather's Journey), Say comes to us, the reader, with a solid sense of who he is: a Japanese-American man who carries with him long-held traditions (Kamishibai Man); thoughts on more recent historical context (Home of the Brave); and, always, a contagious sense of nostalgia for what was and should continue to be today.
Say has a way of bringing his readers right along into the action and the emotion of his stories. You can't help but be swept up and away by this story of proud tradition, dogged perseverence, and trust in the human spirit. Kamishibai Man is a roller coaster ride of emotions worth taking and sharing with those you love. As he does so eloquently in all of his works, Say so gently reminds us that we are- and always will be- a delicate blend of where we came from and who are ultimately striving to be...
Say, a prolific writer about his experiences living in both Japan and San Francisco, infuses his text and his illustrations with details that paint a vivid picture of the Japanese culture and experience. In most all of his books (e.g. Tree of Cranes; Home of the Brave; and Grandfather's Journey), Say comes to us, the reader, with a solid sense of who he is: a Japanese-American man who carries with him long-held traditions (Kamishibai Man); thoughts on more recent historical context (Home of the Brave); and, always, a contagious sense of nostalgia for what was and should continue to be today.
Say has a way of bringing his readers right along into the action and the emotion of his stories. You can't help but be swept up and away by this story of proud tradition, dogged perseverence, and trust in the human spirit. Kamishibai Man is a roller coaster ride of emotions worth taking and sharing with those you love. As he does so eloquently in all of his works, Say so gently reminds us that we are- and always will be- a delicate blend of where we came from and who are ultimately striving to be...
December 10, 2010
This is one of our favorite picture books. I get a little teary-eyed reading it aloud.
The author is of Japanese and Korean parentage, and spent some of his childhood in Yokohama, so his pictures and story reflect his cultural awareness.
This picture book shows how the arrival of television to post-war Japan spelled the end of the traveling storyteller called Kamishibai Man. The afterword (written by a St. Paul's graduate) explains how in the period of rapid economic growth, the Kamishibai was seen as an unpleasant reminder of poverty, and the candies were seen as unhygienic. It also explains how the kamishibai storytelling method was taken over by schools, which cleared up for me why so many of the kamishibai stories Mitch used to borrow from the library seemed to have such a strong "moral." The original kamishibai stories had lots of violence and action, and let children figure out right and wrong on their own.
The author is of Japanese and Korean parentage, and spent some of his childhood in Yokohama, so his pictures and story reflect his cultural awareness.
This picture book shows how the arrival of television to post-war Japan spelled the end of the traveling storyteller called Kamishibai Man. The afterword (written by a St. Paul's graduate) explains how in the period of rapid economic growth, the Kamishibai was seen as an unpleasant reminder of poverty, and the candies were seen as unhygienic. It also explains how the kamishibai storytelling method was taken over by schools, which cleared up for me why so many of the kamishibai stories Mitch used to borrow from the library seemed to have such a strong "moral." The original kamishibai stories had lots of violence and action, and let children figure out right and wrong on their own.
October 12, 2009
Long ago in Japan, before televisions, children were entertained by the stories of the kamishibai man. He would travel through town on his bike and show picture cards while all of the children gathered around. He sold them candy and they visited him every day to hear his stories. One day, the children stopped coming. They stayed indoors and watched television instead of going to hear the stories of the kamishibai man. He stops going on his rounds, until one day many years later when he decides to go tell his stories once again. Will anyone come to hear the kamishibai man?
This book is beautifully written and illustrated by Allen Say. In the forward, Say talks of his fond memories of Japan, and the kamishibai man that would visit his neighborhood. You can feel the emotion of the memories through the detailed illustrations and poetic text.
This book is beautifully written and illustrated by Allen Say. In the forward, Say talks of his fond memories of Japan, and the kamishibai man that would visit his neighborhood. You can feel the emotion of the memories through the detailed illustrations and poetic text.
February 11, 2012
While many of Say's books begin with a character as a child, here he starts from an aging man and his wife, returning to his own Kamishibai Man street-storytelling experiences in a Japan that has since been displaced by the traffic and buildings of modernity that startles him. Say's canvases against a dark grey concrete wall and foggy-grey sky are beautiful, as is the Kamishibai Man story his character tells to a street audience that is grateful for his investment in who they have grown up to become.
February 12, 2013
"Not so long ago in Japan, in a small house on a hillside, there lived an old man and his wife."
This is a nice quiet book with beautiful illustrations. The story is emotional in a quiet way. What a life, telling stories and selling candy. It was very interesting to read about Kamishibai in Japan. The illustrations are very well done.
This is a nice quiet book with beautiful illustrations. The story is emotional in a quiet way. What a life, telling stories and selling candy. It was very interesting to read about Kamishibai in Japan. The illustrations are very well done.
December 18, 2018
The messages/talking points are varied and appealing. A Kamishibai man is a good 'hook' for introducing a culture. And I like the gentle way the story unfolds, showing the unintended consequences of introducing a new technology. The art is so detailed, that it may not be necessary to read the words.
(I haven't read this with a child.)
(I haven't read this with a child.)
July 22, 2011
What a great book. It teaches both a history lesson and a cultural lesson, yet is still really kid friendly.
May 2, 2019
I was expecting this to be a somber story, but was happily surprised! "Heartfelt" seems cliche, but still appropriate. "Hopeful," too.
November 24, 2025
Kamishibai Man is a book that made me feel happy and excited. I hadn’t read a book like this before. It’s different and good. The pictures are like paintings and vintage, which made me feel like the book is something different. This is a book by Allen Say. The book tells a story about an old man who rides a bicycle around Japan telling stories to kids, and he uses a picture card called Kamishibai, which is really interesting. This story happens during the time TV was a big thing, and kids were into TV and not these books, but he still kept sharing his stories. One boy who doesn’t like candy listens to his stories, showing how stories can connect people. The major themes in the book are tradition versus change and storytelling. The tradition shows in the story when the old man continues telling his story to the kids, and change is when the TV is taking kids away from his story. The genre of this book is historical fiction because this story happens during World War II in Japan, and the old man is telling a tradition. From this book, I learned about a new type of storytelling, and the stories can inspire everyone. Kids can learn the connection between generations and learn about storytelling from this book. This book wowed me because the pictures and the stories made me feel good, and the way he used the old Kamishibai picture card storytelling, which I had never heard of before.
In this book, Allen Say used illustrations like paintings to show the old man’s journey and storytelling, which was new for me because it was a different type of illustration and looked like the place I’m from in Kerala, the landscape and all. He also used dialogue and repetition; for example, the old man calls kids to hear stories, and the boy’s short answers show how he is connected with the stories. This made the story easy to follow and simple. I would say this is an anti-bias book because it shows that stories are for everyone, and the pictures are really good. Even without words, you can understand the stories.
In this book, Allen Say used illustrations like paintings to show the old man’s journey and storytelling, which was new for me because it was a different type of illustration and looked like the place I’m from in Kerala, the landscape and all. He also used dialogue and repetition; for example, the old man calls kids to hear stories, and the boy’s short answers show how he is connected with the stories. This made the story easy to follow and simple. I would say this is an anti-bias book because it shows that stories are for everyone, and the pictures are really good. Even without words, you can understand the stories.
January 29, 2025
Allen Say hits another home run with this historical fiction about storytellers in 1930s - 1950s Japan. There is a tradition of Kamishibai storytellers or ‘paper theatre’ where storytellers went around cities on bicycles with a little stage and some candy. They sold candy to children and told them stories. They had these painted cards the kids could look at and listen to the stories. They were episodic and ended on cliff hangers so kids would come back the next day.
This is about an old Kamishibai who one day decides to leave retirement and go tell some stories. The world changed while he rested. The city was now huge and loud and crowded. TV was now a thing.
Allen Say’s artwork is impeccable and beautiful. The artwork is everyday and yet uplifted. I love looking at his art. They are his memories from his childhood retold for the world to learn about.
I think kids interested in history and culture will enjoy this story. Anyone interested in Allen Say will love it.
Spoilers:
So, the Kamishibai man retired when all the kids started staying home to watch TV. The stories he told stuck with the children. When people began to see the old man back in the city, all the adults came out to hear the old stories they use to love. A beautiful story.
This is about an old Kamishibai who one day decides to leave retirement and go tell some stories. The world changed while he rested. The city was now huge and loud and crowded. TV was now a thing.
Allen Say’s artwork is impeccable and beautiful. The artwork is everyday and yet uplifted. I love looking at his art. They are his memories from his childhood retold for the world to learn about.
I think kids interested in history and culture will enjoy this story. Anyone interested in Allen Say will love it.
Spoilers:
So, the Kamishibai man retired when all the kids started staying home to watch TV. The stories he told stuck with the children. When people began to see the old man back in the city, all the adults came out to hear the old stories they use to love. A beautiful story.
March 26, 2018
I wondered how my 7-year-old would respond to this gentle book, illustrated with soft watercolors, about a bygone tradition in Japan. There are no anthropomorphized animals, no superheroes or magic . . . other than the magic of storytelling, both of acclaimed author Allen Say, and his elderly protagonist, the kamishibai man, who shares tall-tales and sweets with children in pre-war Japan. I needn't have worried because my son was sucked into the tale of the kind kamishibai who struggled to find his place in society as Japan began to prosper in the 1950s and television replaced oral traditions. The ending is heartfelt and, in some ways, reminiscent of Mr. Holland's Opus. What a great book for gently encouraging empathy and the value of storytelling, and of remembering and honoring our traditions.
January 6, 2021
Allen Say writes and illustrates children's books that adults need to read.
In this title, he brings us his childhood memories from Japan of eating candy and listening to stories told by the kamishibai man. What I noticed is how the man reenters the city on his bicycle after years of being away. The changes to the city are not portrayed as beautiful. Say uses grays and shadows as the old man bicycles around. In contrast, the younger years are full of greens and yellows and trees as the flashback scenes tell the story. Something my husband has repeated often to me from his media class in high school is that directors do not include any scenes 'just because'. Everything you see is intentional and meant to tell the story and carry meaning. Kamishibai Man is full of details and artwork that conveys thoughtfulness but without moralizing.
In this title, he brings us his childhood memories from Japan of eating candy and listening to stories told by the kamishibai man. What I noticed is how the man reenters the city on his bicycle after years of being away. The changes to the city are not portrayed as beautiful. Say uses grays and shadows as the old man bicycles around. In contrast, the younger years are full of greens and yellows and trees as the flashback scenes tell the story. Something my husband has repeated often to me from his media class in high school is that directors do not include any scenes 'just because'. Everything you see is intentional and meant to tell the story and carry meaning. Kamishibai Man is full of details and artwork that conveys thoughtfulness but without moralizing.
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