Publisher Description

In this reimagining of a Japanese folk tale, Momoko is born from a peach to make the world a better place. Despite rumours of a terrible ogre that lives nearby and eats children, Momoko bravely sets out with a pocketful of dumplings and the timid Monkey, Dog, and Pheasant to find out the truth for herself.When the farmer and her husband find a giant peach at their door, they can't imagine how it got there. But they are even more surprised when the skin bursts open and out leaps . . . a girl. Momoko is here to make the world a better place, and what better way to start than by investigating the rumours about a fearsome local ogre? Everyone says the ogre has teeth like knives, shoots flames from his eyes, and eats small children.But Momoko wants to find out for herself, and her new friends Monkey, Dog, and Pheasant might just be able to help her - as long as she's willing to share those tasty peach dumplings.In Peach Girl, Raymond Nakamura creates a quirky modern telling of an old Japanese folktale. Award-winning illustrator Rebecca Bender's spirited acrylics bring to life a spunky heroine, a trio of expressive animals, and a vivid Japanese landscape.

Author Biography

Raymond Nakamura is an educational consultant and an avid science blogger who has worked with the Vancouver Aquarium, Nikkei National Museum, and Science World British Columbia. Now living on Canada's west coast, he explored his Japanese heritage while spending time at a marine station and teaching ESL in Southern Japan. Raymond's own spunky daughter inspired the character of Momoko in Peach Girl, his first book. Author/Illustrator Rebecca Bender is best known for her award-winning Giraffe And Bird books. Her other publications include How Do You Feel? and Peach Girl (illustrations). Rebecca graduated from the Ontario College of Art and Design with the medal for illustration and is now an art director and designer. She lives in Burlington, Ontario, with her husband and two children.

Review

...this story has a satisfying ring and a tasty ending. A winningly good-natured version of a familiar favorite. Kirkus Reviews Nakamura's playful twists on gender tropes combined with Bender's outstanding visuals make this a fun and important book for boys and girls alike. Quill & Quire Nakamura has created an iconic figure in the dauntless Momoko...Bender's illustrations are bigger than life and saturated with exuberant colour. The National Reading Campaign feisty Momoko is a truth-seeking explorer who doesn't let gossip...deter her from having fabulous experiences...Momoko is surely a 21st-century original hero with epic potential. Smithsonian Book Dragon Inspired by the Japanese story, Peach Boy, this tale (illustrated with acrylics) stars a courageous girl who makes the world a friendlier place through her actions and beliefs. She brings strangers together (Next time, I'll bring my folks too) and shares what she can; even if it's all she owns. Set in old Japan, the beautiful picture book with full page paintings, will be cherished by many generations to come. Resource Links ...told with humour and charm, and the repetition lends a lyrical quality to the story...[W]onderfully appealing pictures, many featuring softly coloured peachy tones, while others are brightly hued, lively in detail and highlight glorious landscapes. CM Magazine Vivid pictures and fun characters remind the reader that looks can be deceiving. The Calgary Herald Based on a traditional Japanese folktale about a peach boy named Momotaro who fights demons, Raymond Nakamura updates the story with a strong female protagonist as an activist, rather than a warrior. Her no-nonsense attitude and tact are the armaments of her endeavour, ones she embodies rather than carries. CanLit for LittleCanadians Based on an old Japanese tale, this picture book has the feel of a magical fairy tale. Momoko, the girl who magically appears out of a peach, bravely sets off to save the world from an ogre. Together with her animal friends, Momoko eventually finds the ogre who, it turns out, does not eat children but enjoys tea with peach dumplings. The International Educator

Review Text

"Nakamura's playful twists on gender tropes combined with Bender's outstanding visuals make this a fun and important book for boys and girls alike."

Review Quote

...this story has a satisfying ring and a tasty ending. A winningly good-natured version of a familiar favorite., Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2014 Nakamura's playful twists on gender tropes combined with Bender's outstanding visuals make this a fun and important book for boys and girls alike., Quill & Quire, June 1, 2014 Nakamura has created an iconic figure in the dauntless Momoko...Bender's illustrations are bigger than life and saturated with exuberant colour., The National Reading Campaign, May 23, 2014 feisty Momoko is a truth-seeking explorer who doesn't let gossip...deter her from having fabulous experiences...Momoko is surely a 21st-century original hero with epic potential., Smithsonian Book Dragon, October 1, 2014 Inspired by the Japanese story, Peach Boy, this tale (illustrated with acrylics) stars a courageous girl who makes the world a friendlier place through her actions and beliefs. She brings strangers together (Next time, I'll bring my folks too) and shares what she can; even if it's all she owns. Set in old Japan, the beautiful picture book with full page paintings, will be cherished by many generations to come., Resource Links, October 1, 2014 ...told with humour and charm, and the repetition lends a lyrical quality to the story...[W]onderfully appealing pictures, many featuring softly coloured peachy tones, while others are brightly hued, lively in detail and highlight glorious landscapes., CM Magazine, June 20, 2014 Vivid pictures and fun characters remind the reader that looks can be deceiving., The Calgary Herald, May 24, 2014 Based on a traditional Japanese folktale about a peach boy named Momotaro who fights demons, Raymond Nakamura updates the story with a strong female protagonist as an activist, rather than a warrior. Her no-nonsense attitude and tact are the armaments of her endeavour, ones she embodies rather than carries., CanLit for LittleCanadians, June 16, 2014 Based on an old Japanese tale, this picture book has the feel of a magical fairy tale. Momoko, the girl who magically appears out of a peach, bravely sets off to save the world from an ogre. Together with her animal friends, Momoko eventually finds the ogre who, it turns out, does not eat children but enjoys tea with peach dumplings., The International Educator, October 1, 2014

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