Genre 2, Book Review 2: THE GREATEST OF ALL: A JAPANESE FOLKTALE by Eric A. Kimmel

 

Image: Amazon.com

Bibliographic Data 

Kimmel, Eric A. 1991. The Greatest of All: A Japanese Folktale. New York: Holiday House, 1991. Illustrated by Giora Carmi. ISBN: 0823412032.

Plot Summary  

In this darling tale, a daughter mouse tells her father she wants to marry a handsome field mouse. Her father says she should have the best husband possible, so he seeks who is the greatest of all. After speaking with many great beings, he finds that the greatest of all is, in fact, the field mouse his daughter wished to marry. He gives his consent and they wed. At the end of the story, the father says he knew all along that mice are the greatest of all.

Critical Analysis 

This story, written for children Kindergarten - 2^nd grade, follows a father mouse’s search to find the best husband for his daughter. The tale is well written with age-appropriate language, and it occasionally interjects Japanese words into the story. Father mouse first asks the emperor to marry his daughter Chuko, as he is the greatest of all. The emperor replies with the oft-repeated refrain “I cannot marry Chuko. There is one who is greater than I.” 

As the father mouse goes from the emperor to the sun, to the cloud, to the wind, to the wall, and finally to the field mouse Chuko originally wanted to marry, the reader learns along with him how each being has something greater than him in the world. Still, in the end, father mouse knows no humbleness and proclaims he knew all along that mice are the greatest of all. Children will delight in the father’s quest, and the fun refrains that carry the story forward.

The illustrations in the story are rich and reminiscent of an ornate tapestry. The words and pictures are in separate panes, surrounding by a soft rose color. The textures in the pictures give them depth and extra detail. The vivid colors are striking and visually pleasing. Giving the sun, wind, wall, and cloud faces for the mouse to talk to makes the story easier to follow and more amusing. While most of the pictures are graphic art, drawing the Haiku words onto the page so it looks like the brushstrokes normally done in Japanese calligraphy is a beautiful touch. The pictures will draw children in and delight them.  

Awards

Eric A. Kimmel has received many awards for his books during his writing career. "Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins" won the Caldecott Honor Medal, "The Chanukkah Guest" and "Gershon's Monster" won the Sydney Taylor Picture Book Award, and "Anansi and the Talking Melon" won the Utah Children's Choice Award.

Reviews  

Booklist: "Carmi's colorful illustrations, done in large, rectangular boxes, are set off by a rose-color border. The text is enclosed in long, vertical panels (somewhat like Japanese wall hangings) that add an elegance to the book's layout. Reminiscent of {G.} McDermott's Stonecutter {BRD 1975}, this version has a sunnier disposition. Carmi's earthly elements are ferocious yet friendly, and Kimmel's Father Mouse is comical rather than tragic. A good choice for story hours, folklore units, or the study of Japan."

Quill & Quire: "The story has the brevity and appeal of a folktale and has often been retold. The focus of most versions is on the meaning of strength but Kimmel concentrates on the self-important father and establishes the change in emphasis with elements not found in other versions—the decision to honour the emperor as first choice for his daughter and the emperor's apparently serious response. The recognition of an undercurrent of ridiculousness in the tale has a sympathetic collaborator in Carmi, who has created in Father Mouse a believable character of well-meaning pomposity with an unchanging view of his own importance."

Connections

Enrichment Activities

This book is about a mouse in Japan, opening the opportunity to learn about Japanese culture. One website that has activities for kids to learn about Japan is here: http://countries.mrdonn.org/japan.html

At the end of the story, the emperor writes a Haiku poem for the married couple. Learn about Haiku poetry, and suggest the children write one for fun. A good website for introducing Haiku poems is: http://www.kidzone.ws/poetry/haiku.htm 

Other Books by Kimmel

• Three Samurai Cats: A Story from Japan by Mordicai Gerstein (Illustrator) Eric A. Kimmel (Narrator) (Holiday House, 2004) 
• The Castle of the Cats by Eric A. Kimmel (Author) Katya Krenina (Illustrator) 
• Cactus Soup by Eric A. Kimmel (Author) Phil Huling (Illustrator) (Marshall Cavendish Corp, 2011)  
• The McElderry Book of Greek Myths by Eric A. Kimmel (Author), Pep Montserrat (Illustrator) (Margaret K. McElderry Book, 2008)

Related Readings

• The Beckoning Cat: Based on a Japanese Folktale by Koko Nishizuka (Author); Rosanne Litzinger (Illustrator) (Holiday House, 2009)
• Bokuden and the Bully: A Japanese Folktale (On My Own Folklore by Stephen Krensky (Author); Cheryl Kirk Noll (Illustrator) (First Avenue Editions, 2009)
• Chieko and the Pine - A Japanese Folktale by Steven Gregory; Takashi Ijichi (Illustrator) (Tales Alive!, 2009) 
• A Treasury of Japanese Folk Tales: Bilingual English and Japanese Edition  by Yuri Yasuda (Author), Yoshinobu Sakakura (Illustrator), Yumi Matsunari (Translator), Yumi Yamaguchi (Translator) (Tuttle Publishing, 2010)