Debbi Michiko FlorenceRezensionen

fair

Cute book, with really endearing characters. Some aspects of Japanese culture are challenging, especially the roles of women -- this book flips that neatly on its head. Age appropriate lessons on not lying, first crushes, following your creative passions and being true to your family and friends.

So much more than a tween romance, this book explores the complications of family dynamics and the misinterpretations and miscommunications that can result. Sana longs to spend more time with her restauranteur father and learn to cook as he does. But believing he does not want to teach her to cook because of a mistake she once made, she ends up secretly creating cooking videos with a cute boy she's met and taking cooking lessons from the boy's mother. It all comes to a satisfactory resolution with her father with no more hiding or lies. Sana's skill and imagination with making sushi creations adds a point of fascination for young foodies.½

Reading Level: 8+

Keiko likes things to stay the same and she tends to be a fixer wanted to ease other people when they are upset. As 7th grade starts it overwhelms Keiko because it seems there is too much to hold together. Her two best friends, Jenna and Audrey, are at odds. Audrey's project to get the girls dates to the fall ball feels manipulative as do her demands for her friendship.
And Keiko's family, who she usually leans into fo support, is not the same as it used to be either.
At the beginning it seemed a little fluff girl drama, but as I continued to read there was a depth for Keiko to find her way, become more assertive about how she wants to be treated, and choose a path that works for her even it makes waves.

"Eight-year-old Japanese-American Jasmine Toguchi is tired of having to follow in the footsteps of her older sister, Sophie, who gets to do everything first.

The extended Toguchi family gathers each year to celebrate New Year’s Day. Some, like mean cousin Eddie and his family, just have to drive down from San Francisco. But beloved Obaachan flies all the way from Hiroshima, Japan. Sophie and Eddie, being the older cousins, are excited about the roles they will play this year, namely to help out with the preparations for mochi, a sweet and sticky rice dessert that traditionally is pounded by the men of the family and shaped by the women. This strikes Jasmine as unfair, so she sets out to prove to her family that she is strong enough to join in the task herself. She takes it upon herself to strengthen her muscles with weight lifting (with the baby cousins!) and hanging by her arms, but nothing seems to work. It’s a thin plotline with little tension, but to populate it, Florence paints a lovely picture of a warm, extended family whose members truly care about one another and take each other seriously. Black-and-white sketches, liberally sprinkled through 13 short, easy-to-read chapters, help make the story understandable for the newest readers. Children looking for a window into a Japanese-American family and its New Year’s customs will surely find one here. Book 2, Jasmine Toguchi, Super Sleuth, publishes simultaneously and perhaps will more fully develop its plot now that this effort has introduced the characters. A recipe for mochi is included.

New readers thirsty for series fiction will look forward to more stories about Jasmine and her family. (Fiction. 5-9)" www.kirkusreviews.com

Nice early chapter book about being frustrated at the limits of what age you are at, and about important Japanese American family traditions.

Inside look at an eight year old girl on Japanese New year

As a family prepares to celebrate Japanese New Year, Jasmine so wants to join the women and make mochi with them. Short of that, she devises a plan (that requires some muscles) and does get involved with the over ten relatives for a short time, but not with the women and girls. Ten is the magic age! Before that, Jasmine must babysit the little kids. Told from
Jasmine’s viewpoint, children will relate to wanting to be older and do special work. Delightful story.

7th grade is starting soon and their best friend, who spent the summer with her dad in Texas is coming home. Friend group back together! Keiko, Jenna, and Audrey set goals for their 7th grade year. They want to find boyfriends, join clubs together, and make it the best year yet! BUT friend drama enters, crushes ensue, and friends divide. Keiko wants to keep everyone together, go to the dance with her crush, but nothing is going the way she wanted. Highly recommend for anyone venturing into middle school years. Themes of courage and friendship. Adding to my classroom library!

I first heard about this planned new beginning chapter series at the kidlit conference in Rhode Island, earlier this year. I was very excited because it combines so many things I'm looking for - the popularity of animal rescue series, chapter books that are short and simple, under 100 pages, and a diverse cast of characters.

Eight-year old Kaita Takano and her family have a beloved dog, Ollie, that they rescued and have carefully trained. But now they're planning to start taking in foster animals and their first foster is a lab mix named Truman. He's a sweet dog and quickly makes friends with Ollie and the kids, but Truman keeps getting in trouble! He rips things up, gets in the trash, and hates to take baths. With lots of patience and love, the Takano family helps him adjust to living with a family, but when it's time for him to meet his forever friend, Kaita isn't sure she can let him go. In the end, although she's sad she realizes he's a perfect fit for the Garcia's and their son Ben, and waits happily for their next foster animal.

There is a brief glossary, picture gallery comparing fictional Kaita with the "real-life" Kaita, and some discussion questions and writing prompts. The pictures are cheerful and colorful and show Kiata and her Japanese-American family, the dark-skinned Garcia's, and Joss, the head of the animal rescue, who has dark hair and curly skin.

Verdict: These are just the right length, not too hard, not too easy, with a popular subject and a nice variety of characters. My only complaint is that I added these to the series section hoping/expecting a long run and there's only four! More please!

ISBN: 9781515844754; Published September 2019 by Picture Window/Capstone; Review copy provided by publisher; Series purchased in paperback for the library

Recommended Ages: Gr. 2-5

Plot Summary: Jasmine wants more than anything to help her family make mochi for the New Year. It's a two day process and her grandma comes in from Japan to help make the special treat and celebrate the new year. Her older sister is finally able to help now that she's 10. At 8, Jasmine knows she is ready and waiting two more years with the younger cousins is NOT an option. After much planning, she figures out how she wants to do it. Not working with the girls on rolling the mochi, but working with the boys on pounding the rice. She just needs to build up her arm muscles and convince her family to let her. Will she succeed?

Setting: US

Characters:
has a bully cousin

Recurring Themes: family, New Year, traditions, gender roles, strength, bully

Controversial Issues:

Personal Thoughts:

Genre: realistic fiction

Pacing: quick, medium-low amount of action
Characters:
Frame:
Storyline:

Activity:

What an admirable (and adorable) effort from eight-year-old Jasmine to prove to her family that she is strong enough to pound mochi with the boys. Points for incorporating Japanese American identity and cultural traditions, well-developed characters, and some sibling rivalry/love.

Jasmine love Flamingos so much that she wants one for a pet. She receives a Daruma Doll from her grandmother, which is a wishing doll. She wishes for a pet Flamingo. While she is waiting, she does all the research to learn as much as she can about taking care of Flamingos. What will happen when she is told that Flamingos cannot be pets?

The easy text and simple black and white illustrations make this title a good early chapter book recommended for grades 2-4. It is the fourth book in the Jasmine Toguchi series. The author creates characters that touch on the Asian culture while still letting the reader see that they are children with hopes and dreams like everyone else. Readers will love reading about the two sisters and their family and friends.

Great book for young readers about bending traditional norms.

I chose this as a read-aloud for my incoming first grader and it was a great book. The chapters are the right length for a read-aloud and the story was a good one to share. I loved how the author writes about being Japanese American without making it over-the-top. In the story, Jasmine wants to enter the school's talent show but is worried she doesn't have a talent. Her mom and mom's friend teach her a short taiko song and Jasmine learns the value of practice, humility, and sticking with an activity to have success.

Young girls will enjoy reading about Jasmine. Her observation ability helps her throughout this story. Girls will also learn of Japanese culture. The book will also help girls learn about true friendship and how important a good friend is and how to be a good friend. I read the first 3 chapters to my 2nd grade girls and they cannot wait to finish reading on their own.