Best-Loved Children’s Songs from Japan

My name is Danielle Coleman. I teach elementary music grades pre-k through fifth grade at Nitro Elementary School. Best Loved Children’s Songs from Japan by Yoko Imoto is a charming collection of songs that contains simple eighth note rhythms to dotted eighth note rhythms, various dynamics, and full treble staff vocal range. Teachers will find age appropriate material for lower and upper elementary level students. Students will love the beautiful illustrations, and English translations that is provided for each song. Along with each translation, the author also provides information about the meaning of the song and the story in which the song is trying to portray. If interested in creating a performance piece, I feel it would be easy for the students to add Orrf instrumentation to the stories and songs provided. I would suggest teaching the songs in Japanese, as the English translation and original rhythms do not correspond correctly. This book would be a wonderful investment for any multicultural musical library.

After careful review of the Japanese songs I believe it is very similar to American Children songs. I am especially fascinated at the beautifully colored large pictures and music notation. Some songs would be very appropriate for Kindergarten and first grade students and other songs would be appropriate for older grades. What I like is that each songs has a little story and a few facts that describe what is the song about and why it has been written. However, I found out that it is a bit challenging to match the lyrics and the notation of some of the songs. But I would recommend to teach some of these Japanese songs to students because that would introduce them to other cultures and traditions other than just the ones they know at home. Being a world traveler myself I find it interesting at how many people have never experienced cultures other than the ones they have grown up with.