For generations, children’s books provided American readers with their first impressions of Japan. Seemingly authoritative, and full of fascinating details about daily life in a distant land, these publications often presented a mixture of facts, stereotypes, and complete fabrications. 

Drawing from the Library of Congress’s massive collection, Sybille A. Jagusch presents long passages from many different types of Japanese-themed children’s books and periodicals—including travelogues, histories, rare picture books, folktale collections, and boys’ adventure stories—to give readers a fascinating look at these striking texts.

Written by Sybille A. Jagusch, chief of the Children’s Literature Center in the Library of Congress since 1983. Foreword by Librarian of Congress Dr. Carla J. Hayden. Paperback, 350 pages.

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