Danielle Wright first began collecting nursery rhymes from around the world for her young son in 2005. In 2008 she created the award-winning multilingual book My Village: Rhymes from Around the World. Danielle has taught English to children in Japan and currently runs an at-home writing, public relations and editing business. She lives in New Zealand with her husband, two children, and two cats. Helen Acraman is a New Zealand artist living in Toronto, Canada. Her whimsical graphic works reflect a passion for environmental issues, natural living, and the childlike quality that lives in everyone.
...In this colorful collection of fifteen verses, [Wright] includes an audio CD with children and parents singing along in both Japanese and English. Acraman's delightful illustrations perfectly complement the songs and bring them to life. - The Children's Book Review The illustrations are adorable! A very useful and stylish addition to my growing collection of children's books. - Tokyoholic blog The spacious format gives the art a chance to perform its magic. Pure saturated colors-honey yellows, tomato reds, and heavenly blues-are the backdrops for pictures that have the effect of woodcuts. The poems themselves showoff the charm and delicacy Wright discusses in her introduction. - Booklist ...It comes with an audio CD which is an easy way to expose kids to the Japanese language and culture - PragmaticMom.com blog The illustrations are bright, bold and clear and will certainly appeal to young children...Through music and language, children will learn about Japanese culture and the country. - Castle View Academy blog ...an enchanting window into a culture that cherishes its close relationship with nature...This collection holds appeal for anyone interested in the country and would be a wonderful addition to an international-themed storytime. - School Library Journal They include authentically childlike celebrations of rabbits dancing, carp streamers swimming happily in the air and falling rain... - Kirkus Reviews Acraman's graphics combine a polished digital aesthetic with playfully anthropomorphic characters, including three stylized birds perched on a tree and endearing rabbits wearing hachimaki bandannas. Accessible verses and bright, welcoming pictures should have cross-cultural appeal while aiding in language learning. - Publishers Weekly