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rin_84's review
4.0
First of all, i loved the vibrant colours of the hand-painted illustrations in the book. The cover itself is visually stunning!. I first heard about Matsuo Basho when i was reading a book on Shinrin-Yoku (Forest Bathing) written by Dr. Qing Li. In that book, there is a sub-topic on natural silence where Basho is said to have gotten the inspirations for his haiku from the observations of nature.
Hence, this book provides a glimpse of Basho's life and his source of inspirations from his travel journeys in Japan's natural landscapes. What is unique and interesting about this book is it is written in haiku form (the five syllable 5-7-5 pattern) So, the story itself is a haiku about Basho's haiku (or a haiku within another haiku). Next, it is also written in a mini travelogue journal style (stating the beginning of the first year of his journey in 1684 until the end of his journey and his life in 1689,making a total of five years of traveling. Each of traveling years, he had some kind of missions that he wants to accomplish and places he wishes to go.
His story begin with him leaving his life in the city and choosing the life of a wayfarer instead. Throughout the five years of his travel, he explored every breadth and depth of the beautiful natural landscapes of Japan and met with various life encounters and discoveries. Thus, this book also uncovers many themes following the ebbs and flows of life such as life and death, birth, impermanence, etc. Each of his natural events made him ruminates about life and death. Consequently, he found the ideas and inspirations for his haiku writing from his travelling.
In short, this book provides a rather interesting approach in introducing about Basho's life story and his travelling experiences. From this story, readers are given a glance of his source of inspirations in his haiku writings. To me, this book is more suitable for older children and adults than younger children as its haiku style of writing might be quite difficult for a child to understand and decipher its subtle meanings and messages unless with adults or parents guidance and supervision.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
Hence, this book provides a glimpse of Basho's life and his source of inspirations from his travel journeys in Japan's natural landscapes. What is unique and interesting about this book is it is written in haiku form (the five syllable 5-7-5 pattern) So, the story itself is a haiku about Basho's haiku (or a haiku within another haiku). Next, it is also written in a mini travelogue journal style (stating the beginning of the first year of his journey in 1684 until the end of his journey and his life in 1689,making a total of five years of traveling. Each of traveling years, he had some kind of missions that he wants to accomplish and places he wishes to go.
His story begin with him leaving his life in the city and choosing the life of a wayfarer instead. Throughout the five years of his travel, he explored every breadth and depth of the beautiful natural landscapes of Japan and met with various life encounters and discoveries. Thus, this book also uncovers many themes following the ebbs and flows of life such as life and death, birth, impermanence, etc. Each of his natural events made him ruminates about life and death. Consequently, he found the ideas and inspirations for his haiku writing from his travelling.
In short, this book provides a rather interesting approach in introducing about Basho's life story and his travelling experiences. From this story, readers are given a glance of his source of inspirations in his haiku writings. To me, this book is more suitable for older children and adults than younger children as its haiku style of writing might be quite difficult for a child to understand and decipher its subtle meanings and messages unless with adults or parents guidance and supervision.
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read the e-ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
graypeape's review
4.0
This is an interesting concept for a children's book, and I think it would be especially good for National Poetry Month each April, or for any poetry based projects kids might have going on. It tells of 17th century Japanese poet Matsuo Basho's life, specifically about the five great journeys he took across Japan from 1684-1689. I knew of Basho as a master of haiku, but I wasn't as aware of his travel journals, which are what he's most famous for. The text of the book is written entirely in haiku, and includes a brief explanation of the poetry form at the end, encouraging young poets to try some haiku of their own. While a few of Basho's haiku are included, I do wish more of his work had been incorporated into the book. Still, this is a good introduction to the form for young readers, without being overwhelming. The illustrations are soft and inviting, and go well with the story.
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