Author/Illustrator: Mari Takabayashi
Format: Paperback
Published: Houghton Mifflin Company, 2001

Mimiko, a seven-year-old Japanese girl describes a year in her life, one month at a time. Through Mimiko, Takabayashi adepty conveys that contemporary Japanese culture includes both traditional and modern elements. So, readers learn about Mimiko's fondness for calligraphy, the tea ceremony, and kimonos as well as her enjoyment of hamburgers, the bullet train, and Valentine's Day. The colorful, detailed illustrations are extremely charming. A glossary of Japanese words, numerals, and common phrases is included at the end of the book.