BIBLOGRAPHY
Snyder, Dianne and Say, Allen. 1988. THE BOY OF THE THREE-YEAR NAP. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-395-44090-4.
PLOT SUMMARY
This story is set in a fishing village of Japan. The main character, Taro, a young boy who just eats and sleeps all day and is very lazy is the opposite of his mother who toils at making fine clothes for the wealthy to wear. Taro comes up with a plan after a wealthy merchant comes to the village. Taro gets his mother to sew him a priest’s outfit and ambushes the merchant into thinking he is a “ujigami” or spirit. Taro then demands that the merchant’s daughter marry Taro or she will become a clay pot. The merchant is very distressed over the situation and goes to Taro’s mother. She then begins to create a plan to have her home fixed up by the merchant since she is not able to provide for the daughter as she should properly. After the home is fixed the merchant asks Taro’s mother again for consent to the marriage and the mother arranges for Taro to work for the merchant to provide for the daughter. In the end Taro ends up doing a good job of working for his father-in-law and they all live happily.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in the book really make you think that you are in the little village seeing the story unfold before your eyes. The rice paper screen doors, kimonos, other clothing, cooking pots, gardens, shrines, houses, even the custom of taking off ones shoes before entering the home is illustrated. This story takes place in the past before technology or motorized vehicles. The characters are drawn with black hair and almond shaped eyes. The men wear pants with a tunic style top and sometimes a robe. The ladies are in kimonos or long skirts with work shirt style tunics. The women have their hair in a bun style on top of their heads.
The story itself could have happened in any culture but the addition of the customs and other dialogue make the story authentic to the place and time. The culture in the book is Japanese. The mannerisms and voice of the characters tends to make you think of that culture. The only religious practice is the mentioning of the shrines and when Taro plays the trick on the merchant. Shrines are still popular in Japan today and many people visit them and pay money to get a “fortune”.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Caldecott Honor Book
Boston Globe-Horn book award
ALA Notable Children’s book
Publisher’s Weekly – “Say's art, with stylized Oriental touches, comically animates the sprightly tale, perfectly matching the abundant wit of Snyder's adaptation.”
Children’s Literature – “This humorous Japanese folktale follows a young man "as lazy as a rich man's cat." While he's snoozing, though, the quick-witted mother hatches a plan that gains him wife, job-and very limited nap time.”
School Library Journal –“The accuracy of the visualized Japanese landscape and architecture help considerably in casting this retold folktale into an Oriental mold.”
CONNECTIONS
This resource is one that would be another good choice to include in a study about folktales from other cultures.
Ed Young – LON PO PO. ISBN-9780399216190
Byrd Baylor – THE TABLE WHERE RICH PEOPLE SAT. ISBN-9780689820083
One could also include this story in a study about obeying your parents, being lazy, how to provide for yourself and consequences of your actions.
Book cover image by Barnes and Noble.
Snyder, Dianne and Say, Allen. 1988. THE BOY OF THE THREE-YEAR NAP. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. ISBN: 0-395-44090-4.
PLOT SUMMARY
This story is set in a fishing village of Japan. The main character, Taro, a young boy who just eats and sleeps all day and is very lazy is the opposite of his mother who toils at making fine clothes for the wealthy to wear. Taro comes up with a plan after a wealthy merchant comes to the village. Taro gets his mother to sew him a priest’s outfit and ambushes the merchant into thinking he is a “ujigami” or spirit. Taro then demands that the merchant’s daughter marry Taro or she will become a clay pot. The merchant is very distressed over the situation and goes to Taro’s mother. She then begins to create a plan to have her home fixed up by the merchant since she is not able to provide for the daughter as she should properly. After the home is fixed the merchant asks Taro’s mother again for consent to the marriage and the mother arranges for Taro to work for the merchant to provide for the daughter. In the end Taro ends up doing a good job of working for his father-in-law and they all live happily.
CRITICAL ANALYSIS
The illustrations in the book really make you think that you are in the little village seeing the story unfold before your eyes. The rice paper screen doors, kimonos, other clothing, cooking pots, gardens, shrines, houses, even the custom of taking off ones shoes before entering the home is illustrated. This story takes place in the past before technology or motorized vehicles. The characters are drawn with black hair and almond shaped eyes. The men wear pants with a tunic style top and sometimes a robe. The ladies are in kimonos or long skirts with work shirt style tunics. The women have their hair in a bun style on top of their heads.
The story itself could have happened in any culture but the addition of the customs and other dialogue make the story authentic to the place and time. The culture in the book is Japanese. The mannerisms and voice of the characters tends to make you think of that culture. The only religious practice is the mentioning of the shrines and when Taro plays the trick on the merchant. Shrines are still popular in Japan today and many people visit them and pay money to get a “fortune”.
REVIEW EXCERPTS
Caldecott Honor Book
Boston Globe-Horn book award
ALA Notable Children’s book
Publisher’s Weekly – “Say's art, with stylized Oriental touches, comically animates the sprightly tale, perfectly matching the abundant wit of Snyder's adaptation.”
Children’s Literature – “This humorous Japanese folktale follows a young man "as lazy as a rich man's cat." While he's snoozing, though, the quick-witted mother hatches a plan that gains him wife, job-and very limited nap time.”
School Library Journal –“The accuracy of the visualized Japanese landscape and architecture help considerably in casting this retold folktale into an Oriental mold.”
CONNECTIONS
This resource is one that would be another good choice to include in a study about folktales from other cultures.
Ed Young – LON PO PO. ISBN-9780399216190
Byrd Baylor – THE TABLE WHERE RICH PEOPLE SAT. ISBN-9780689820083
One could also include this story in a study about obeying your parents, being lazy, how to provide for yourself and consequences of your actions.
Book cover image by Barnes and Noble.
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