Yuko-chan
and the Daruma Doll: The Adventures of a Blind Japanese Girl Who Saves Her
Village
Tuttle
Publishing
Ages
4-8
Sunny
Seki’s story is set a couple of centuries ago, in Takasaki, near Tokyo, just
after a volcanic eruption of Mount Asama. Yuko-chan, a blind orphan, makes for
a resilient, endearing heroine. The monks at Daruma Temple take care of her.
Their spiritual leader, Daruma urges his followers, “If you fall seven times,
you must pick yourself up eight times! You need strong faith, and the belief
that you can accomplish your goals"
The
spirited Yuko-chan, with her dog, help deliver food to villagers who have lost
their homes. One day, she slips and falls, hurting herself. As she awaits help,
she reaches for some tea. She then notices that her tea gourd always returns to
upright position after being dropped, rather like Daruma's teaching about never
giving up. A charming idea takes shape in her bright mind. Despite the initial
dismissal by her peers, she finds support from an unlikely quarter, due to her
past generosity. Yuko- chan with the monks enlists the villagers to paint
gourds with Daruma’s face. The Daruma dolls gain popularity and create a steady
income source for the villagers.
The story is inspiring and underlines the thought that disability does not imply inability. Sunny Seki, with his illustration, captures the beautiful, rustic landscape very well. For culture lovers, the bilingual book offers additional information about the Daruma doll tradition.
It
is interesting to note that even today, one can buy the Daruma dolls in Japan.
The dolls are sold with the eyes blank. It is customary for buyers to paint in
one eye when they make a wish and paint the other when they achieve their
dream. This custom, as expected, has had its share of controversy.
Saffron Tree is thrilled to have Sunny Seki answer our questions. Stay tuned!
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