Kokeshi Kimonos Book

Review By JESSICA ALMY

My daughter loves clothes, shoes, and accessories. She can’t understand why I don’t wear earrings, and often tells me that she can’t wait to grow up so that she can wear high heels. Not only does she love to play dress-up and make jewelry, but she also loves paper dolls and a puzzle that allows her to put together different ensembles.

So imagine our delight when she received the Kokeshi Kimonos Book as a gift. She loves the different kimonos and sashes in the book, and the cute little kokeshi (wooden dolls from Japan), and I’m content in knowing that the book provides a fun and interactive introduction to Japanese language and culture.

While there’s no plot, the Kokeshi Kimonos Book invites the reader to engage in several visual games — from finding the drawings that are different from each other, to imagining hairstyles inspired by a mouse, a mushroom, or socks. Add in loads of flaps and cutouts, and the book’s got huge visual appeal.

This book is a great find for ages 5 to 8.