Natsumi’s Song of Summer

Natsumi loves summer. She especially loves all the summer insects, but her favorites are the cicadas who complete summer with their song. This year, Jill, an unknown cousin will visit from overseas. Natsumi awaits her visit with a mixture of emotions, hoping they will get on well but fearful that they may not. Happily, Jill, like Natsumi, has a great capacity for happiness, finding delight in watermelon at the beach, attending a Japanese festival or watching fireworks. Most of all, when Natsumi tentatively shares her passion for cicadas, she finds Jill loves them, too.

This appealing title is a lovely combination of two artistries. The story is written in a series of compelling and lyrical Tanka poems that appear almost effortless in revealing both the gentle plot and associated emotions. The text is matched by charming illustrations created on Photoshop. They feature large rich landscapes often over double pages, vibrant flowers, and images of two young children (and a cat!) focused exclusively on their friendship and their delight in shared experiences.

The simple but heartwarming story provides a glimpse into Japanese culture, highlighting the pleasures of summer and the spontaneity of a developing friendship between two children, each open to new discoveries despite their different upbringing. The vitality of Jill and Natsumi bubbles through on every page.

Adding to the richness of the story in Natsumi’s Song of Summer is an afterword that explains Tanka, a traditional Japanese form of poetry, and provides intriguing information about cicadas, e.g. they have a decibel level almost the same as a lawnmower!!