ビロードのうさぎ

by Komako Sakai (Adapter), Margery Williams Bianco, 酒井 駒子 (イラスト)

The tender relationship between the boy and his stuffed rabbit shines through gorgeous, luminous illustrations, transporting adult readers into the world of childhood while giving children a picture of themselves.

In her retelling of The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams, Komako Sakai's text flows beautifully with her evocative, color-saturated illustrations. Written in gentle tones, the text resonates with the tender relationship between the boy and his toy rabbit. And, as always, Sakai's sensitive illustrations succeed in an absolute sense in evoking the interior world of the child, with all of its playful energy and poignant solitude. Her depictions of child and rabbit are memorable and may well become part of our collective, cultural memory of Williams' original book. Sakai's text is simpler than Williams', allowing her illustrations to convey much that is left unsaid, making for a fine integrity between word and image.

Komako Sakai was born in Hyogo, Japan. After graduating from Tokyo's National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sakai worked at a kimono textile design company. She is currently one of the most popular authors and illustrators in Japan. She is well known in the United States for In the Meadow, Emily's Balloon, and The Snow Day.

Genres: Picture Books, Childrens, Fiction, Fantasy, Classics, Animals

32 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2012

About the author

Komako Sakai was born in Hyogo, Japan, in 1966. After graduating from Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music, Sakai worked at a kimono textile design company.

Komako Sakai is one of the most popular children’s author/illustrators in Japan. She has won awards around the world, including Japan Picture Book Prize, a Golden Plaque at the Biennial of Illustration in Slovakia, and a Silver Griffin in the Netherlands.

Reviews

[Melki · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a child really cares for you, not just to play with, but loves you from the heart, then you become Real.

This tale is SO familiar, I really didn't feel the need to read it again, yet the illustrations in this version are too lush, and positively VELVETY to miss!



I'm guessing . . . oil pastels? Anyway, Komako Sakai's beautiful art brings the classic story to life, but making everything so darned real.



This one should be treasured, and read again, and again.

(And, just try NOT getting tears on it!)

[Chadi Raheb · Rating 3 out of 5]

«+What is REAL?

- "Real" isn’t how you are made. It’s a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you. Then you become Real.

+ Does it hurt?

- Sometimes. When you are Real, you don’t mind being hurt.

+ Does it happen all at once, like being wound up, or bit by bit?

- It doesn’t happen all at once. It takes a long time. That’s why it doesn’t happen often to people who break easily... Once you are Real you can’t be ugly. Except to people who don’t understand... Once you are Real you can’t become unreal again. It lasts for always.»


پ.ن.یک.
ای کاش پای فیری رو به داستان باز نمیکرد. یهو انگار از عمق بیای به سطح و مزه همه چی از بین بره. البته که اگه اینکار رو نمیکرد، داستان خیلی غمگین اما "واقعی" میشد، اما مگه تمام نکته همین نبود؟! به نظرم نویسنده یا خودش د هول پوینت داستانش رو‌ گم کرد، یا از ترس غمگین شدن داستان، فیری رو چپوند توش. یادم بمونه اگه زمانی دخترخونده‌ای داشتم بهش از اول بگم فیری پیری ای وجود نداره اما این دلیل نمیشه که باور نکنیم خرگوش مخملی ها و تدی بر ها مون واقعی نباشن. تازه پاپانوعل هم واقعیه. و همینطور نارنیا. و هیچم اشکالی نداره آدم سالها در انتظار نامه‌ی هاگوارتزش باشه. بعله.

پ.ن.دو.
از اثرگذاری داستان همین بس که وی از زیر پتو خزید بیرون و پاتریک(تدیِ پانزده‌ساله‌اش) را که ماه ها پیش با بیرحمی به گوشه‌ای انداخته شده بود محکم بغل کرده و دوباره با وی به زیر پتویش خزید و توی دلش به پاتریک قول داد که دیگر رهایش نکند تا زمانی که مرگ ما را بلابلابلا...

[Eleni · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m not crying😭😭

[Clara Biesel]

The original wil be a classic forever, so it takes a lot for an abridged edition to be worth considering, but this one does it. Beautifully illustrated and shortened for read alouds with the very young, it holds the heart of the toy becoming real.

[Kayla · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet story but the vocabulary and density of the text mean it’s really only suitable for adults, even as a read-aloud.

[Jane · Rating 4 out of 5]

The illustrations are gorgeous. This is a simpler retelling of the story. I prefer the gorgeous language of the original and find that a much more loving version. I'd love to see these illustrations with the original language.

[Neats]

Review to follow.

[Cynthia Moore · Rating 5 out of 5]

well! I expected this to be a long sweet story and I just finished it.
Very sweet, wish I had read it as a child.

[Krystal Shoop-Hardin · Rating 5 out of 5]

The classic children's story is retold in this beautiful version by Komako Sakai. The Velveteen Rabbit is one of children's and adult's favorite Nursery tales. The illustrations are Impressionistic like in the way that they are drawn. The little stuffed rabbit goes through many adventures with his master, the little boy. After the boy is sick, and the doctor says to get rid of all the toys in the nursery, this is when the magic happens. The little rabbit becomes "Real"! He hops off into the forest to be with his forever rabbit friends. One day, the little boy sees the rabbit in the forest looking at him, and he remembers his gentle and faithful friend. This book could be used to teach, kindness, faithfulness, gentleness, friendship, and love to animals.

[Kelly Wickham · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was not the version that I read with the kids, but Goodreads does not seem to have the version we read that was illustrated by Elizabeth Miles. The illustrations were soft, detailed and beautiful. Because of the movie, many people know this story. It is not one that I relate to much but the kids find it sad when the boy loses his favorite toy to the burn pile due to it being covered in scarlet fever germs. I never was attached to a stuffed animal. What the boy doesn't know is that he turns into a real rabbit and comes back to watch over him. It's an endearing idea.

[M · Rating 5 out of 5]

"That's why it doesn't happen often to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept. Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby. But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."
A lovely and light evening read!

[Sean Harding · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of a handful of Children's books which has maintained it's magic over the years. I had the opportunity to read this (with a few other picture books, those I rated but didn't add to the years reading list, this one I did!)
Anyway still a beautiful story and well worth reading all over again.

[Mimo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I never read the original but I actually really like that the story was shortened because I think the lovely illustrations do an excellent job of conveying emotions and themes that can't or don't always need be expressed in words, especially when it comes to the ending. Wonderful work!

[Adrien Julious · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have always loved this story. I included the section on becoming Real in my wedding vows and reread this story pretty frequently.

[Cat · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's a wonderful story and the illustrations are really nice, but I prefer the original. Still, even this one will bring tears to my eyes when I read it.

[Robin Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful story and life lessons. Beautifully written . Read the Vleveteen Daughter and you will have a much clearer - and sadder - understanding of this book.

[Chrysa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unexpectedly emotional and deep for such a short story. I loved it!!! Shame I read it as an adult and not as a kid.

[Friendofcash · Rating 5 out of 5]

Changed me.

[Trisha Kirkbride · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beloved children's book recommended reading for all generations - timeless gift!

[Kourtney · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this story

[Yari · Rating 5 out of 5]

A deceptively innocent story that delivers a deep and beautiful message of unconditional love and its reward.

[Simon · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was very nice. I think childrens' books have such nice language.

[Madison · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read to Kindergarteners. They love the story and can relate it to their own stuffed animals they have!

[LeighAnne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Timeless classic for all the good feels.

[Nourhan · Rating 5 out of 5]

tears were shed😔

[Geeta · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautiful!

-"Real is a thing that happens when a toy has spent a long time becoming a child's true friend. When a child really cares for you, not just to play with, but loves you from the heart, then you become Real. Even if you're old and tattered by then, it doesn't matter. ... In the nursery, magic happens from time to time."

-The toys were afraid of her (nana) because every so often she did what was called "tidying up".

-At first he (rabbit) found it rather uncomfortable and stifling, and he missed the cupboard where he could talk with the Skin Horse.
But soon he grew to like being with the boy.

-Then a strange thing happened.
From the ground where the tear had fallen, a sprout of a flower opened, and from inside, a beautiful fairy appeared.

-"I (fairy) take care of the toys that the children have truly loved. When their time comes and they have to say goodbye, I come for them and make them Real."

-"You were Real to the boy because he loved you very much. Tonight I will make you Real to everyone."

[Angela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Initially, I remembered that this story was very sad--but perhaps it's just this version of the Velveteen Rabbit, but I rather appreciated this telling of the classic tale. The illustrations are muted and soft--kind of like velvet drawings maybe? The lesson isn't heavy handed and is quite sweet.

My own children were appalled by the idea that the boy's stuffed toys and books needed to be burned after he was ill with the mysterious fever (Scarlet Fever). This does seem a bit drastic, but it made for good discussion about germs and how little people knew about this horrible illness when the book was first written.

In the classroom, this could be used as part of a bigger lesson about toys and their magic --it's quite a popular theme and perhaps it might be fun to find all of the stories about toys coming to life (becoming REAL as it is mentioned in this book) and compare and contrast the various magical elements and stories.

[Josie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love this version of the Velveteen Rabbit, published in America in 2012 by Enchanted Lion Books. The story of the original vaugely came back to me as I read and I can't remember if I have ever read the original version, but this one was wonderful. Komako Sakai is one of my favorite illustrators. Everything from the end pages to the last page is beautiful. She does such a wonderful job of evoking feeling and atmosphere with her illustrations. A great edition of this classic.

[Mikanchin · Rating 5 out of 5]

こんなビロードうさぎ、ほしいね。

絵もすてき。

[Emeraldia Ayakashi · Rating 5 out of 5]

A tender tale of how the soft bonds of love confer realness upon our existence.