Posted By: Kimberly Adams
Posted On: December 17, 2019
Name: Kimberly Adams
School: Hillel Academy of Pittsburgh
Grade Taught: second grade
Subjects Taught: language arts and social studies
Appropriate Grade Level for this Book: 1-4
Review:
Kamishibai Man is an endearing story that is about an older gentleman who reminisces about when he used to go around on his bicycle telling Kamishibai tales to children. The tales became less popular over time as children became attracted to a new invention, the television. Later in years, the man decides to go back to the part of town where he used to live to tell one more story. He is surprised to see that the area has changed, but that doesn’t stop him from using wood blocks to make noise and call people to gather around to hear the story of his life. At the end of the story, the adults who gather around him turn out to be the grownup children who used to come and listen to him long ago.
This is a wonderful story that can be used to teach a part of Japanese culture and history in a way that is relatable and appropriate for elementary students. The illustrations are detailed, colorful, and would easily help students follow along with the events occurring in the story. In my opinion, this story would best be suited for a read-aloud activity, as some of the wording and the actual events may be difficult for younger students to understand without some discussion. At the end of third grade or fourth grade, this book could be read independently by most students. Regardless as to whether or not this book is used independently or as a read-aloud, the illustrations alone make it a worthwhile book to have in a classroom library.
Classroom Use:
This book could be used to teach many different literacy skills. Some of the skills that could be taught with this book are, making inferences about a text, making predictions, sequencing, comparing and contrasting, and identifying the author’s purpose for writing. It could also be used as a gateway book to teach students about Kamishibai writing. After reading and discussing this text, students could look at Kamishibai stories. They could also work together to create their own Kamishibai stories.