The Origami Master

Week 6 Picture Book 2:
The Origami Master
Written By: Nathaniel Lachenmeyer
Illustrated By: Aki Sogabi
Published: 2008

This book was just fine. Will I remember it in like two years? Probably not. 

Was it a cute fable about being a good friend? Absolutely! 

While the writing and story fell a bit flat for me, the illustrations of The Origami Master completely stole the show. The illustrations are vibrant and exact, which makes for a pretty magical experience. Shima, the Origami Master, lives alone in the mountains of Japan with only his origami to keep him company. He befriends a bird, who also enjoys origami, and has to learn an important lesson about friendship.

Sogabe does an excellent job of capturing the Japanese culture through his illustrations. My favorite illustrations in the book were those that where views of the outside. The illustrator used vibrant colors and an abundance of details in his pictures to give the reader a feel for the remoteness and serenity that were present in our setting.While the author never comes right out and mentions it, the reader can tell that Shima is sad and lonely. He never makes eye contact with the reader, but you can tell based on his facial expressions and actions.

This is a great book to be used as a read aloud for a Japanese culture lesson. Origami is a pretty big staple, and Shima is clearly very passionate about it. The book also includes instructions for creating certain origami figures. While I didn't love this book, I think it is a solid representation of the Japanese culture. It wouldn't be the first book to add in my library, but I hope to have it present at come point. I give this book three stars.