Synopses & Reviews
Legendary author/illustrator Eric Carle pairs with Kazuo Iwamura to create a picture book full of rhyme and repetition, in a question and response format that will delight young readers.
Acclaimed author-illustrator Eric Carle and Japanese artist Kazuo Iwamura have created a unique bilingual book, half in English, half in Japanese, with each half illustrated respectively by Carle and Iwamura. Carle, using his distinctive collage technique, and Iwamura introduce a colorful cast of characters who join one another, one-by-one, on the way to see their friends. The two parts meet in the middle, in a beautiful eight-page gatefold. Here, Carle and Iwamura's stories and art come together, as the friends finally meet, joining English and Japanese.
Review
(Preschool) Carle and Japanese illustrator Iwamura tell a story together in this handsome collaboration. An English text, featuring Carle's illustrations, runs to the midpoint of the book; a Japanese text, illustrated by Iwamura, runs the opposite direction, with the two tales meeting in the middle. Both texts tell the same simple, child-appealing, animal-sound-filled story--a dog on its way to visit a child is joined by various animals--and small icons beside the text handily identify which animal or animals are speaking. Well-designed pages feature lots of white space that attractively showcases both Carle's bold collage art and Iwamura's delicate watercolors. Despite their contrasting styles, the illustrations mesh seamlessly in a stunning gatefold page in the middle of the book that shows all the animals, and each child (Carle's is a boy, Iwamura's is a girl), dancing and singing (music provided) with their counterpart. Library patrons will miss out on the author-illustrators' notes on the inner side of the jacket, and Carle's note contains the book's only mention that the Japanese text reads from the "back," something that non-Japanese speakers may not figure out right away. While the pronunciation guides provide some interest, they don't insure that non-Japanese speakers can read Iwamura's text aloud with any skill, especially since there's no note explaining that the vertically written text reads right to left; similarly, while bilingual kids can fully appreciate the entire book, they will find the transliteration unnecessary and perhaps even distracting. But all readers can appreciate both sets of illustrations in this innovative book. Copyright 2002 of The Horn Book, Inc. All rights reserved. --The Horn Book, May/June 2003
This lively and rhythmic, bilingual picture book is told in dialogue, with rebuslike symbols used to identify speakers. It details an energetic romp with a dog, cat, rooster, goat, rabbit, and a child, all of whom become friends. Carle's familiar collage technique is employed in the book's first half, while Iwamura's gentle watercolor illustrations, combined with the Japanese text, make up the second half. The two texts are divided by a gatefold that includes the music and lyrics to the song "Where Are You Going? To See My Friend!" in English and Japanese. An irresistible, spirited ode to friendship.--School Library Journal, March 2003
This collaboration between two artists, Carle explains in an introductory note, "required an artistic balancing act that still kept the project spontaneous." The result of their efforts is a resounding success. Each author/artist relates the same cumulative story about a dog on its way to a human friend, gathering other animals along the way. With minimal text featuring an exuberant refrain (" May I come with you?' Yes, come along./ Our friend is your friend' "), each artist renders the scenario in spare artwork, rendered in his own distinctive style. Carle's English version begins at the front of the book and Iwamura's (the Fourteen Mice series) version, as is the custom in his native Japan, begins at the back. The two tales meet in the middle with a gatefold spread that unites the two human friends (Carle depicts a boy with a guitar, Iwamura a girl shaking a tambourine); youngsters open the gatefold to find the respective menageries in tow, and a song-with melody line provided-that incorporates all of the animals' sounds (in their order of appearance: "Bow Wow Wow/ Meow Meow Meow/ Cock a dood-le doo/ Baa Baa Baa/ Hop Hop Hop") in both English and Japanese. Inventively, as the story progresses, a small icon (a bunny with long ears; a boy with a baseball cap; etc.) designates each speaker's voice. The remarkable achievement here is how well the two artists' styles-so different in media and execution-mesh. Carle uses his signature bold paint strokes and collage, Iwamura emp
Synopsis
Acclaimed author-illustrator Eric Carle and Japanese artist Kazuo Iwamura have created a unique bilingual book, half in English, half in Japanese, with each half illustrated respectively by Carle and Iwamura. Carle, using his distinctive collage technique
About the Author
Eric Carle is known around the world for his many highly original and beautiful picture books, including THE VERY HUNGRY CATERPILLAR and ERIC CARLE'S TREASURY OF CLASSIC STORIES FOR CHILDREN. For more information, please go to www.eric-carle.com.