With your nephew as a classmate

Author: (Japanese) Yamaoka Tsune/Ye Songding
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-11-01
Features: Yamaoka Tsune, a representative writer of modern Japanese children's literature, is hailed as "Japan's Andersen." His children's literary works depict vivid and entertaining stories, creating many lovable child characters that linger in readers' minds. The stories make readers laugh out loud or shed tears, touching their hearts, imparting wisdom, and inspiring them to consciously build a harmonious world filled with love among "students and teachers, children and parents, and classmates." Yamaoka Tsune, a writer awarded multiple prizes such as the Kanaya Kibō Literary Award, is a kind grandfather who understands children's psychology and is beloved by them. This book portrays the study life of a teenage aunt and her nephew in their third year of junior high school. Kusaaki Yuki is straightforward in character. When she accidentally collides with a teacher on the school corridor and falls, she is unjustly blamed by the teacher without any consideration for the circumstances. She immediately argues that she was walking on the left side and had no fault in the collision, placing the responsibility on the teacher. The teacher threatens to take revenge in her graduation recommendation, causing Kusaaki Yuki to bear a heavy mental burden. However, the boys who like her fabricate a tape recorder incident to help her turn the situation around. Kenta Kitada, her nephew, greatly admires his aunt because he spent his childhood with her and is in the same class. He always tries to prevent other boys from showing interest in his aunt. Kusaaki Yuki, meanwhile, acts as an elder sister, ignoring his existence, which leads him to frequently create opportunities to get close to her. Before taking the high school entrance exams, Kenta goes to the household registration office to obtain a certificate and discovers the secret between him and his aunt. Thus, Kusaaki Yuki begins to change her perspective, and combined with the tape recorder incident, she realizes the importance of mutual learning and friendly interaction between male and female students.