Join Amazon Prime and get unlimited Free One-Day Delivery. Already a member? Sign in.

 

or
Sign in to turn on 1-Click ordering.
 
   
More Buying Choices
19 used & new from £2.92
Have one to sell? Sell yours here
 
   
Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window
 
 
Share your own customer images
Search inside this book

Totto-Chan: The Little Girl at the Window (Paperback)

by Tetsuko Kuroyanagi (Author), Chihiro Iwasaki (Illustrator), Dorothy Britton (Translator) "They got off the Oimachi train at Jiyugaoka Station, and Mother took Totto-chan by the hand to lead her through the ticket gate ..." (more)
5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
RRP: £7.99
Price: £7.19 & this item Delivered FREE in the UK with Super Saver Delivery. See details and conditions
You Save: £0.80 (10%)
o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o
In stock.
Dispatched from and sold by Amazon.co.uk. Gift-wrap available.

Only 4 left in stock--order soon (more on the way).

Want guaranteed delivery by Friday, July 17? Choose Express delivery at checkout. See Details
12 new from £2.92 7 used from £4.17
Other Editions: RRP: Our Price: Other Offers:
Hardcover 2 used & new from £22.95

Customers Who Bought This Item Also Bought

The Book Thief

The Book Thief

by Markus Zusak
4.5 out of 5 stars (448)  £3.99
Kitchen

Kitchen

by Banana Yoshimoto
4.0 out of 5 stars (19)  £4.19
Faces (Baby's Very First Book)

Faces (Baby's Very First Book)

by John Fordham
4.5 out of 5 stars (46)  £3.49
› Explore similar items

Product details

  • Paperback: 232 pages
  • Publisher: Kodansha International Ltd; 1st Paperback Ed edition (31 Dec 1995)
  • Language English
  • ISBN-10: 4770020678
  • ISBN-13: 978-4770020673
  • Product Dimensions: 18.4 x 12.7 x 1.9 cm
  • Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 115,880 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

    Popular in these categories:

    #35 in  Books > Fiction > World > Japanese
    #76 in  Books > Biography > Social & Health Issues > Teaching & Learning

    •  Would you like to update product info or give feedback on images?

Customers Viewing This Page May Be Interested in These Sponsored Links

  (What is this?)
Windows Little
   www.CheapWindows.net    Buy One Get One Free on all uPVC Windows and Doors - Free Quote! 
Free Tattoo Library
   MyWebTattoo.com    7000 free tattoos for every body... Design your dream tattoo online! 
Official National Lottery
   www.national-lottery.co.uk    Buy your Lotto ticket online now. It could change your life! 
  
 

Product Description

Product Description
The story of the unconventional early education of a popular television personality, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi.
Inside This Book (Learn More)
First Sentence
They got off the Oimachi train at Jiyugaoka Station, and Mother took Totto-chan by the hand to lead her through the ticket gate. Read the first page
Explore More
Concordance
Browse Sample Pages
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Search inside this book:

Tags Customers Associate with This Product

 (What's this?)
Click on a tag to find related items, discussions, and people.
Check the boxes next to the tags you consider relevant or enter your own tags in the field below
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
(1)
See all 11 tags...

Your tags: Add your first tag
 
See most popular tags
 

Customer Reviews

9 Reviews
5 star:
 (9)
4 star:    (0)
3 star:    (0)
2 star:    (0)
1 star:    (0)
 
 
 
 
 
Average Customer Review
5.0 out of 5 stars (9 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
Share your thoughts with other customers:
Most Helpful Customer Reviews

 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Problem Child Becomes Star Pupil by Changing Schools, 5 Feb 2006
By F. Orion Pozo "Orion Pozo" (Raleigh, NC USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   
Totto-Chan: the Little Girl at the Window is a delightful memoir by a Japanese TV personality and philanthropist on her earliest education experience at a non-traditional school in Tokyo just before and during what she calls The Pacific War.

The book's simple prose, suitable for older elementary school children, reveals lasting pedagogical attitudes of self-respect, freedom of expression, joy of discovery, and community of scholars that are timeless lessons for parents and teachers as well as students. They show the best side of a Japan that was lost forever in the war. The saccharine innocence of the narration may turn some people off and appeal to others, but it is just a thin veneer for a substantive work on the lasting values of any educational system.

Originally a Japanese bestseller, this English version by Dorothy Britton does an excellent job of translating the child-like writing into beautiful English prose. The book is told from the child's point of view in 61 brief chapters averaging just over 3 pages, and is illustrated with 19 of Chihiro Iwasaki's delightful pictures of children.

The chapters follow the author through 4 years of her life at the Tomoe Gakuen an elementary school headed by Sosaku Kobayashi. He had gone to Europe twice to study the Eurythmics method of teaching music of Jaques-Dalcroze (not to be confused with the similarly named movement theory Eurythmy of Rudolf Steiner). He started his school in six abandoned railroad cars in 1937 only to see it destroyed in the American bombing of Tokyo in 1945.

At the end of the book is a Postscript that tells the background of Tomoe Gakuen and its founder and how the author came to write the book. This is followed by an Epilogue that tells what happened later in life to some of the people in the book.

Although now over 20 years old, this is a highly-recommended title for elementary school teachers and parents of young children.

Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Inspiring!, 10 Feb 1999
By A Customer
Totto-Chan's experiences at Tomoe Gaukuen should be required reading for educators! This is a wonderful memoir of a very special school in Japan that allowed children the freedom to learn in the way that best suited them, in a caring and respectful environment. It is a fascinating and inspiring portrait of the incredibly positive effect that elementary school CAN have on a child.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)



 
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars a must read for elementary school teachers, 10 Feb 1998
By A Customer
I really liked this book. It demonstrates what's needed and missing from many children's lives...a sense that what they think is important, and the respect from adults that one gets for having a mind of one's own. This being a true story is a testimonial of how alternative schooling can change a person's life. If you have a difficult child in your class or in your home, or in your circle of friends and aquaintances, you should read this.You can read it to your child.
Comment Comment | Permalink | Was this review helpful to you? Yes No (Report this)


Share your thoughts with other customers: Create your own review
 
 
 
Most Recent Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars One of the most perfect little books ever written.
It does a disservice to the joy within to label this book simply as a children's book. True, it is a book you could read to your kids nightly, in small bite size pieces, chapters... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Sera69

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book...
Totto-chan is one of my favourite books. It is written from a simplistic point of view of a child and seems so sincerely written it really lets the reader understand the heart of... Read more
Published on 27 Jul 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Totto - Chan Number 1 Book
I think Totto - Chan is a very excellent book! It is excellent because it relates to a lot of kids that are curious and kids that stand up for their friends. Read more
Published on 22 Mar 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Totto-chan was me in the first grade.
Tomoe Gakuen became for me the ideal school for a child such as myself. I loved music, singing, dancing, and following all lines of self expression as my interests dictated. Read more
Published on 29 Jan 1999

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved the book
Loved the book and bought 12 copies for friends who were also very touched by it. What Totto chan went thru was wonderful and it is even better she remembered it all and wrote... Read more
Published on 24 Sep 1998

5.0 out of 5 stars Wow
The theme in this book can be seen in almost every other book in the market. It's about a school girl and her school life. Yet, it is strangely unique and touching. Read more
Published on 2 Jan 1998

Only search this product's reviews


Customer Discussions

 Beta (What's this?)
This product's forum (0 discussions)
  Discussion Replies Latest Post
  No discussions yet

Ask questions, Share opinions, Gain insight
Start a new discussion
Topic:
First post:
Prompts for sign-in
  [Cancel]


Active discussions in related forums
   
Related forums

Listmania!

Create a Listmania! list

Look for similar items by category

Feedback

Fun for Everyone

Christmas Gifts
Achieve over 15,000 RPM with our great range of Powerballs.

›Shop the Powerball store

  

Up to 75% off Shoes

Shoe Clearance - 75% off Shoes
Save up to 75% on shoes for the whole family.

›Shop clearance shoes

  

Up to 50% off Dental Care

Braun Oral-B Professional Care 6000 Rechargeable Toothbrush - Pack of 2
Put a sparkle in your smile with up to 50% off selected Oral-B and Philips rechargeable toothbrushes.

›Up to 50% off power toothbrushes

  

Treat Someone

Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificates--available in any amount from £5 to £500 With an Amazon.co.uk Gift Certificate, you can get them what they want (even if you don't know what that is).

›Learn more about Gift Certificates

  
Ad

Where's My Stuff?

Delivery and Returns

Need Help?

Your Recent History

  (What's this?)
You have no recently viewed items or searches.

After viewing product detail pages or search results, look here to find an easy way to navigate back to pages you are interested in.

Look to the right column to find helpful suggestions for your shopping session.
Continue Shopping: Top Sellers

amazon.co.uk Amazon Home
International Sites:  United States  |  Germany  |  France  |  Japan  |  Canada  |  China
Business Programs: Sell on Amazon  |  Fulfilment by Amazon  |  Join Associates  |  Join Advantage
Customer Service  |  Help  |  View Basket  |  Your Account
About Amazon.co.uk  |  Careers at Amazon
Conditions of Use & Sale |  Privacy Notice  © 1996-2009, Amazon.com, Inc. and its affiliates