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Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window | Tetsuko Kuroyanagi
This engaging series of childhood recollections tells about an ideal school in Tokyo during World War II that combined learning with fun, freedom, and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars for classrooms, and it was run by an extraordinary man-its founder and headmaster, Sosaku Kobayashi-who was a firm believer in freedom of expression and activity. In real life, the Totto-chan of the book has become one of Japan's most popular television personalities-Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. She attributes her success in life to this wonderful school and its headmaster. The charm of this account has won the hearts of millions of people of all ages and made this book a runaway bestseller in Japan, with sales hitting the 4.5 million mark in its first year.
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SusanLee
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A favourite but I didn‘t managed to snap a pic and I‘m in the office now 😅 Just found an old one stacked up during my book haul in Bangkok 😅 #1990s #artfulaugust @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks @Eggs

Eggs Brilliant 📚🤩 2y
8 likes1 comment
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SusanLee
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#falltreasures #schooldays @Eggs @Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks
The prompt reminded me of this book which I‘ve enjoyed a lot and wished my schooling days were like that too 🤞🏻

marleed I love this sweet little book. Years ago I was gifted a copy from my Japanese exchange student - my copy is in traditional Japanese paperback format I was taught! I became equally interested in the beloved cover artist. …. @wanderinglynn Is this a book you see often in Japan? I believe it to be one of their long-loved classics. 3y
Alwaysbeenaloverofbooks 🙌🏻📚❤️ 3y
wanderinglynn @marleed I can‘t read Japanese so I don‘t go to bookstores. 🤷🏼‍♀️ So I really couldn‘t say. (edited) 3y
Eggs Beautiful 🙌🏻 3y
SusanLee @marleed That must be a very lovely copy! Definitely a treasure 😘 3y
4 likes5 comments
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stickytreats

Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music; having minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and therefore never set on fire. These are the things to fear.

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13North
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I read this book as a child - that's 15 years ago. And it has stayed with me ever since.

It's a book that I would recommend to every person, whether you're a child or not. It will sensitise you in the right places if not change your perspective entirely. ❤️

Picture courtesy : https://pin.it/uaqotzjerqomcr

marleed I love this book. I have the tiny paperback transcribed to English. It‘s pretty paperback cover has a second brown paperbag-like cover which is how Japanese paperbacks are sold. It was a gift from my Japanese exchange student years ago. 5y
13North Wow. You're one lucky person to receive an original piece. 5y
1 like2 comments
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marleed
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Totto-Chan is a well-loved and classic children‘s story in Japan, as is the illustrator, Chihiro Iwasaki. The paper jacket of the same book is a typical for a Japanese paperback and was a gift received years ago from an exchange student we sponsored. #BigInJapan

Day 1 of #WanderingJune @cinfhen @BarbaraBB

BarbaraBB Looking real Japanese indeed 😍 5y
erzascarletbookgasm Yes, a classic in Japan! It‘s on my tbr. 5y
Cinfhen That painting is wonderful 🤩beautiful post 5y
See All 7 Comments
marleed @erzascarletbookgasm it‘s such a cute story! 5y
marleed @BarbaraBB @Cinfhen Thankyou. The painting is an illustrated book of poems by the artist. It‘s about the children who died after the bombs in WWII - a Japanese perspective. I haven‘t read much it‘s in Japanese and Tomoko didn‘t want to translate after she realized what she had gifted me. 5y
Cinfhen Oh wow!! 5y
BarbaraBB @marleed That must be interesting though. I‘ve visited Hiroshima and a museum there. It was devastating. 5y
37 likes7 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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This is a collection of charming vignettes about the daily life of a lively little girl, Toto Chan - a homage to the author‘s childhood in the 1940s Japan. Still on my tbr.

#springintoreading #window

Cathythoughts I‘m loving this cover 😍💕 5y
batsy I have this too! Haven't read it. 5y
Zelma I loved this book so flipping much! So so good. ❤️ 5y
79 likes2 stack adds4 comments
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M.V
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My physical TBR stack for todays Dewey's 24hour readathon 🤩

Soubhiville Yay! Have a great ‘thon! 5y
britt_brooke Cute reading buddy! 💚🐾 5y
Zelma I love Totto-Chan so much! Such a great book. 5y
43 likes3 comments
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erzascarletbookgasm
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“Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music; having minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and therefore never set on fire. These are the things to fear.”
This is a little gem. A must read for parents & primary school teachers, shows us what education is all about. ‘It makes you smile, believe in good and gives you one solid perspective on how we as a society should raise kids.‘

68 likes3 stack adds2 comments
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BooksAndChopsticks
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Pickpick

This was a charming book about a little girl's experience in a (rare for that time) progressive school in Tokyo during the war. A must read for early learning teachers and parents!
I give it five bowls of Ramen🤓

🍜🍜🍜🍜🍜

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BooksAndChopsticks
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A wonderful friend gave me this book with a solemn "...everyone should read Totto-Chan". It's a charming story about a little Japanese girl growing up during the war. So far I'm loving every word ?

Gina Love the illustration on the front cover 6y
11 likes1 stack add1 comment
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GoneFishing

Having eyes, but not seeing beauty; having ears, but not hearing music; having minds, but not perceiving truth; having hearts that are never moved and therefore never set on fire. These are the things to fear, said the headmaster.

Librarianaut I read this as a required read getting my masters in education. I love this book!! 8y
23 likes1 stack add1 comment
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RealLifeReading
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Pickpick

Fun Friday photo: a book I reread is Totto-Chan, recollections of a childhood in WWII Tokyo. Her school is an unusual one (esp for Asia) which believes in creativity, self-expression & independence. Charming and endearing, I reread it as a reminder of how wonderful childhood can be

Smarkies I love this book too. An interesting read on education in Japan. 8y
acg Omg, this a flash from the past for me; I had to read sections of this for a class I took on education in Japan, and I totally forgot about it until now! 8y
59 likes10 stack adds2 comments
review
SusanLee
Pickpick

An education system worth exploring into. Enjoyed the adventures totto Chan had but I didn't like the translation. Wished it's originally in English. Make love not war.

review
sosotopia
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Pickpick

ผิดคาดเพราะทีแรกเข้าใจว่าเป็นเรื่องเศร้า
แต่ที่จริงแล้ว เป็นเรื่องเล่าของเด็กหญิงที่เรียนอยู่ในโรงเรียนที่น่ารักที่สุดในโลก
ในยุคสงครามโลกครั้งที่ 2
น่ารัก อ่านแล้วยิ้มน้อยๆ ได้เรื่อยๆ ค่ะ

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