ടോട്ടോ-ചാന്‍: ജനാലയ്‌ക്കരികിലെ പെണ്‍കുട്ടി

Tetsuko Kuroyanagi remembers her childhood in wartime Tokyo, where she was expelled from school at six for being too restless in class. Her mother then takes her to Tomoe Gakuen, a school in which lessons take place in railway carriages. There the headmaster, Mr. Kobayashi, encourages every child to be who they are, arranges lunches from the sea and the mountains, and organises outings and camps. Totto-chan makes friends, including a boy with polio, and learns about kindness, until bombing destroys the school.

A reflection on the joy of learning, valued by teachers and parents, and a quick and moving read.

Practical and clear-cut; an easy read.

Best for readers like The Escapist Adventurer. Which reader are you?