Brownies: We live in Japan

by Tara Kamiya, Drew Sinclair (Illustrator)

Mom is African American and dad is Japanese. " We live in Japan" is about a bi-cultural family living in the Japanese countryside.? In this story the boys take you through an average day in their household.?

49 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 21, 2018

Reviews

[Traci Huahn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Itadakimasu! That’s what brothers Alex and Max say before they eat, to give thanks for their food. Their multicultural family lives in Japan and in BROWNIES “WE LIVE IN JAPAN” author Tara Kamiya and illustrator Drew Sinclair show us a typical day in Alex’s and Max’s life, introducing young readers to Japanese customs centered around mealtime. We learn that they eat fish and rice for breakfast and red bean cake and tea for snack. And when daddy returns from work, they welcome him home with hugs and shouts of, “Okairinasai!” With bright and colorful artwork, this picture book provides a welcoming mirror and sense of belonging for children who might not often see themselves depicted in books, and a window for others to experience what the author self-describes as her family’s combined Blasian (African American and Japanese) heritage.

I was gifted this book in exchange for my honest review as part of Multicultural Children’s Book Day, a non-profit whose mission is to raise awareness about children’s books that celebrate diversity.

[Desriel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting and Educational!

I enjoyed reading this book! The illustrations were colorful and fun! I love that the book taught both regular Japanese terms as well as provided examples of typical meals that Japanese eat throughout the day! Truly a lovely book!