What do you think?
Rate this book
Issun Boshi, The Inchling: An Old Tale of Japan
In the story a complete re-painting and beautiful, familiar story of the dwarf, but revived in the hearts of children. It is a picture book that parents and children enjoy repetition in company.
- GenresChildrensPicture Books
42 pages
First published January 1, 1967
25 people want to read
About the author
Momoko Ishii
40 books2 followersMomoko Ishii (石井 桃子 Ishii Momoko?, March 10, 1907 – April 2, 2008) was a distinguished Japanese author and translator of children's books.
Ishii was born in Urawa, Saitama, and graduated from the Japan Women's University with an English literature degree. While working as an editor at Iwanami Shoten Publishers, she decided to become a children's writer after reading Winnie-the-Pooh by English author A. A. Milne, which she translated in 1940. Her first book as an author, Non-chan kumo ni noru (Non-chan rides on a cloud) was published in 1947; a best-seller, it was made into a movie in 1955. All told, she published nineteen books of her own and 120 translations for children.
Ishii received many honors in her life, including the Minister of Education Award for Promotion of Art for Non-chan kumo ni noru (1951), the Kikuchi Kan Award for achievement and contribution to the postwar world of children's literature (1953), the Itochu Memorial Foundation Award for Distinguished Service to Children's Bunko (1984), the Japanese Art Academy Award for achievement in the world of children's books (1993), and the 1994 Yomiuri Prize for her two-volume autobiographical novel Maboroshi No Akai Mi (Memoirs of a childhood) in 1995. In 1997 she became a member of the Japanese Art Academy, the first member from the field of children's literature.
(from Wikipedia)
Ishii was born in Urawa, Saitama, and graduated from the Japan Women's University with an English literature degree. While working as an editor at Iwanami Shoten Publishers, she decided to become a children's writer after reading Winnie-the-Pooh by English author A. A. Milne, which she translated in 1940. Her first book as an author, Non-chan kumo ni noru (Non-chan rides on a cloud) was published in 1947; a best-seller, it was made into a movie in 1955. All told, she published nineteen books of her own and 120 translations for children.
Ishii received many honors in her life, including the Minister of Education Award for Promotion of Art for Non-chan kumo ni noru (1951), the Kikuchi Kan Award for achievement and contribution to the postwar world of children's literature (1953), the Itochu Memorial Foundation Award for Distinguished Service to Children's Bunko (1984), the Japanese Art Academy Award for achievement in the world of children's books (1993), and the 1994 Yomiuri Prize for her two-volume autobiographical novel Maboroshi No Akai Mi (Memoirs of a childhood) in 1995. In 1997 she became a member of the Japanese Art Academy, the first member from the field of children's literature.
(from Wikipedia)
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
November 17, 2015
قصة للأطفال من التراث الشعبي الياباني
قرأتها في مكتبة السفارة اليابانية
مغامرة ممتعة ومسلية جدا
March 13, 2018
target audience : 6-10 years
Japanese Fable summary – The story is set in Japan and an old couple want a child. Born to them is a tiny son, he never grows above the ankle of his father. They are grateful parents, pleased to have a child despite his limitations. He goes off to make his fortune in the big city, and works in a palace as a calligraphy paperweight for the princess. One day he saves her life from some evil demons, and earns a magical hammer. They both wish on it, and of course he becomes her size and lives happily ever after. The moral, small is no roadblock to success.
strengths/weaknesses - Interesting insight into Japanese fables. Size is not as important as character, and your desire to succeed. Do not let physical limitations impede you, your bravery and cleverness will help you to live a successful life. Women bring a full sized life to deserving men.
personal critique - Generally, I like the message. I guess I object to the perfect happy endings, but still the parable is good. It is less important how you look than what you do. In the end the beautiful girl breaths a full life into the tiny man after he earns her respect by rescuing her from demons.
illustrations - There are many beautiful watercolor pictures of japanese stylized dress and activities. The panels look like traditional japanese picture scrolls. The princess has skin like tofu and the inchling turned handsome young man has a strong nose and noble forehead. Raised houses and cherry blossoms are all reminiscent of traditional picture themes.
Japanese Fable summary – The story is set in Japan and an old couple want a child. Born to them is a tiny son, he never grows above the ankle of his father. They are grateful parents, pleased to have a child despite his limitations. He goes off to make his fortune in the big city, and works in a palace as a calligraphy paperweight for the princess. One day he saves her life from some evil demons, and earns a magical hammer. They both wish on it, and of course he becomes her size and lives happily ever after. The moral, small is no roadblock to success.
strengths/weaknesses - Interesting insight into Japanese fables. Size is not as important as character, and your desire to succeed. Do not let physical limitations impede you, your bravery and cleverness will help you to live a successful life. Women bring a full sized life to deserving men.
personal critique - Generally, I like the message. I guess I object to the perfect happy endings, but still the parable is good. It is less important how you look than what you do. In the end the beautiful girl breaths a full life into the tiny man after he earns her respect by rescuing her from demons.
illustrations - There are many beautiful watercolor pictures of japanese stylized dress and activities. The panels look like traditional japanese picture scrolls. The princess has skin like tofu and the inchling turned handsome young man has a strong nose and noble forehead. Raised houses and cherry blossoms are all reminiscent of traditional picture themes.
May 10, 2017
المميز في هذا مثل تلك الأعمال أن كل صفحة تعتبر لوحة مستقلة بذاتها
لوحة فنية بشكل حقيقي قصة حتي وان عرفت القصة من قبل ولكن شكل الرسوم وطريقة الشرح
هو ما يجعل تلك القصة شئ غاية ف التمييز
لوحة فنية بشكل حقيقي قصة حتي وان عرفت القصة من قبل ولكن شكل الرسوم وطريقة الشرح
هو ما يجعل تلك القصة شئ غاية ف التمييز
May 29, 2021
Love the art in this one, and a decent story.
June 20, 2025
هي القصة حلوة بس مش فاهمة الاهل واللي بيعملوه في عيالهم عادي، ولا العملاق اللي انتهي الجزء الخاص بيه بسهولة كده بس مازلنا بنتحدث علي قصة اطفال فتمام
January 17, 2011
أتذكرون قصة عقلة الأصبع؟
هذه هي الأصل
النهاية تختلف عن ذاكرتي
هذه هي الأصل
النهاية تختلف عن ذاكرتي
November 17, 2016
تختلف كثيرٱ عن قصة " عقلة الأصبع" التي درسناها في صغرنا .
"عقلة الأصبع " خاصتنا أفضل بكثير
"عقلة الأصبع " خاصتنا أفضل بكثير
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews