Towards the Bright Side (3rd Edition)

This book features a selection of 187 children's poems by Misuzu Kaneko, divided into six volumes: "Summer," "Autumn," "Spring," "Winter," "Heart," and "Dream," accompanied by beautiful and heartwarming color illustrations. Misuzu Kaneko's poems are fresh and natural, short and profound, imbued with a gentle warmth that makes them delightful to read. The author is skilled at observing moving images and sounds in people and nature, conveying the symphony of life with delicate and innocent language, offering readers a visionary perspective and spiritual enlightenment. In China, "children's songs" refer to poems circulated among children, whereas in Japan, such poems are specifically written for children and can be translated as "children's poetry," often penned by adults, even great poets. From 1912 to 1926, during the reign of the sickly Emperor Taisho, sandwiched between the Meiji and Showa eras, democracy flourished, and a mass culture with an urban backdrop began to take shape. In 1918, novelist Miekichi Suzuki, a self-proclaimed disciple of Natsume Soseki, founded the children's literature magazine *Akai Tori* (Red Bird), sparking a vigorous children's song movement. Not only did famous literary figures enthusiastically participate, but prominent composers also actively set children's poems to music. Many of these songs are still beloved by Japanese people today, evoking a sense of childlike wonder.

2017-03-01

新星出版社

189

9787513314534