rating: 5 of 5 stars
The First Peoples series is apparently a group of picture books discussing how we have dumped on a variety of native peoples. However, they address the problem in a sensitive way, preferring to educate young readers about the customs and lifeways of peoples rather than focusing on how we dumped on them (although they do bring that up at some points). The text is maybe not the easiest for a youngster to read, but should be easily understood if a parent reads it to them. The pictures are beautiful, full-color photos. It is fascinating how robes made of birchbark can have such rich color! Best of all, you get to see the Ainu women’s facial tattoos. A very good book to get kids started learning about cultural diversity.

Tags: Ainu, Barbara Aoki Poisson, children's, injustice, Japan, native peoples

rating: 5 of 5 stars
Can words express how much I love Haruki Murakami NO THEY CAN NOT thank you. ^_^ As in his other books, the language is evocative and the ending is always a sharp surprise. The story is that of a young man, who is in love with a young female novelist, who is in love with an older woman, who doesn’t love anybody. Through the course of the story we are taken from Japan to an obscure Aegean island and back. The people in it are fairly ordinary, but the story takes them to extraordinary extremes. Crud, I can’t explain it. It’s just lovely. ^_^

Tags: Haruki Murakami, Japan