Genres
Collection
Description
Told in two voices, fifteen-year-old Copper struggles to confront inevitable and enormous change after his father's death and his uncle writes to him in a journal, sharing knowledge and advice in 1937 Japan.
Publication
Algonquin Young Readers (2021), 288 pages
User reviews
LibraryThing member bibliovermis
This lovely novel was both complicated and very simple. It combines a lot of things that may not seem related at all—philosophical musings on morality, intelligence, poverty, and bravery; a story of a boy's school days in the 1930s; the effects of globalization on humans and production; really
Show More
detailed descriptions of the process of making tofu; a kind of in-depth overview of the life and works of Napoleon... there's a lot going on but it all works! It kept my interest, and reading this now with a historical perspective certain things jumped out as really fascinating, for example: the words highlighting fairness, justice, the need to end poverty worldwide, and respect for laborers—all issues we are still, still struggling with today—from an author who would shortly be ostracized by his increasingly militarized government; and the parallels between the ideas and actions of the bullying older boys at Copper's school and the hallmarks of the way that fascism would shortly rise, and continues to rise, in many societies. This all makes it sound really intense, but really the feeling of the book is primarily coziness. It has a sweet, profound quality that would appeal to those who enjoy works like The Little Prince. Show Less
Awards
Freeman Award (Of Note — 2021)
Language
Original language
Japanese
Original publication date
1937
Physical description
8.25 inches
ISBN
1616209771 / 9781616209773