The Circus Comes to the Village

Yamo’s Village Series, Book 2
By Yutaka Kobayashi

When fall arrives, the circus comes to Yamo’s village, one of the few pleasures for the villagers. Yamo and his friend Mirado, whose father is also away at war like Yamo’s brother, get very excited. On the day of the circus, the boys browse the street vendors, ride the swings and enjoy the shows. Mirado plays his father’s flute with the circus band and his music moves the people’s hearts and the audience applauds enthusiastically. The next day, Mirado decides to travel with the circus. Once the circus leaves, the villagers prepare for the severe winter ahead. As the wind blows Yamo thinks about Mirado and wonders how he is doing. Then, one day, snow falls. The villagers are happy, since the snow promises the next year’s harvest.

Kobayashi’s story and illustrations portray the happy village life that fall of the same year as the first book. Then, on the final page we learn: “This winter, my village was destroyed by the war, and people escaped to other villages” again. But the reader is left with hope: “As the spring must come after the hard winter, Paghman village has been waiting for the people to return” follows. This statement adds a feeling of hope for the third book in the series.

 

About the Author
Yutaka Kobayashi (1946–) is a Nihonga (Japanese-style paintings) artist and picture-book author. In 1979, his very first submission was accepted for the Japan Fine Arts Exhibition (Nitten). He was a frequent visitor to the Islamic countries of Asia and the Middle East during the 1970s to early 1980s, and the main themes of his works reflect those visits.

“Thank you for showing the beautiful sideof Afghanistan. I will display the books in our Consulate’s library for guests to enjoy.”
—Zelgai Sajad, Consulate General of Afghanistan
 

• ISBN 978-1-940842-27-1, US $17.99/CAN $23.99
• 40 Pages, 31 Beautiful Color Illustrations
• Hardcover Picture Book (10 3/4 in x 8 1/2 in)
• Written for children ages 5 to 7
• Mariko Shii Gharbi (translator), Simone Kaplan (editor)
• Available in stores and online October, 2019
 

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