The Little One

A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022

On her way home, a young girl meets a little figure that only she can see. Join the pair on an afternoon filled with tea and adventures, friendship and magic!

One day, a young girl sees a mysterious little figure sitting on a wall. It seems to be following her through town on her way back home, so, curious, she goes to say hello: "Hello, little one, what are you doing here?" It's now her turn to follow the little one as it leads her to a garden and a cup of tea. And then, the pair enter a pitch-black closet and close their eyes, opening them to reveal... a magical attic that contains roots to hop over, trunks to hide in, vines to climb, branches to slide down. There's even an enormous, cuddly creature, so soft and warm and perfect for napping and dreaming!
Though silent and unnoticed by anyone else, the little one forms a beautiful friendship with the young girl in the space of an afternoon, showing her affection and care and sharing with her the fun and healing that comes out of imagination and play. Each illustration in this beautiful book was created via a delicate copperplate etching by author-illustrator Kiyo Tanaka, lovingly crafted to depict a dream-like world full of friendship, where anything is possible.

About the Author
Kiyo Tanaka was born in Kanagawa, Japan. After studying oil painting and printmaking at Tama Art University in Tokyo, she now works as a children's book author and illustrator, enjoying great success. She has participated in the illustrators' exhibition at the Bologna Book Fair in 1995 and 1996, as well as the Biennial of Illustrations in Bratislava in 2001, 2003, 2011, and 2019. Her illustrations use a technique of copper plate printing on Japanese paper, and she continues to produce and exhibit print works throughout Japan and internationally. She currently lives and works in Futo, Japan.

David Boyd is Assistant Professor of Japanese at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His translations have appeared in Monkey Business International, Granta, and Words Without Borders, among other publications.