A strong female protagonist battling to save her mother. A Red Ribbon winner and highly recommended.
When her mother falls ill, brave Kameko sets off on a journey to bring back the jewel from the Monkey-King’s crown, known for its healing properties. Along the way she is helped by both people and kindly divinities, but will the Monkey-King give up his jewel so easily? Exquisitely illustrated by Claire Loescher with lino prints that bring a fairytale Japan to life, Kameko and the Monkey-King is a magical story, showing that courage and kindness bring unexpected gifts. Watch the book trailer below.
The story has a lyrical quality as though it is being told by an oral Storyteller of old. The illustrations seem simple at first glance but are actually quite complex for linocuts (and) suit the storyline perfectly... black and white with touches of red giving it a historic Japanese flavor.
We study a lot of myths and legends in schools, but mostly Greek. It was fun to look at a Japanese story. We used it as a spring board to look at Japan, its geography and a little history.
This adventure-filled fairy tale is accompanied by beautiful lino prints from illustrator Claire Loescher.
