Showing results by author "Nankichi Niimi" in All Categories

Written by the celebrated children’s author Nankichi Niimi, Candy is a gentle and mysterious tale perfect for young listeners. A woman with two small children boards a boat on a warm spring day. Just as the ship is about to leave, a samurai comes running from the other side and leaps aboard. What happens next is quietly surprising… It is a heartwarming brief story, ideal for reading aloud to children.

明治时代，一位13岁的少年决心使煤油灯在晚上照亮整个村庄。但是村民并不太能接受新事物…… 明治時代，一位13歲的少年決心使煤油燈在晚上照亮整個村莊。但是村民並不太能接受新事物……

A Very Short Fairy Tale by Nankichi Niimi, one of Japan's most cherished children's authors. In this heartwarming story, a class of first graders learns an important lesson at school: never tell a lie. Their honesty and kindness are quietly tested when they befriend a little grebe. What does the little grebe feel? It is a gentle tale of friendship and truth, perfect for reading aloud to young children.

The trumpet is a heartwarming tale by beloved Japanese children’s author Nankichi Niimi. An elderly man lived alone in the countryside. As his hearing worsened, he asked his son in the city to find a machine to help him hear again. The son searched everywhere but couldn’t afford a proper device. Instead, he sent his father a trumpet with simple instructions: “Hold it upside down to your ear and listen from the back.” What happened next? This touching story of love, creativity, and the bond between a poor father and son is perfect for reading aloud to children.

Whose Shadow Is It? is a quiet and curious story by renowned Japanese children’s author Nankichi Niimi. In the center of a town square, a mysterious round shadow appeared. Two children walking by stopped and looked at it. “What kind of shadow is this?” one asked. “I wonder what it could be,” said the other. And so begins a gentle journey of discovery. Perfect for reading aloud to spark curiosity and imagination.

This rare and insightful essay by renowned Japanese children's author Nankichi Niimi offers a thoughtful critique of the limitations placed on creative storytelling—particularly in broadcast media. In the essay, Niimi reflects on the rigid conditions imposed on writers when submitting radio plays: the story must be completed in 30 minutes, include a specific number of characters, be cheerful and wholesome, express national identity, and—though vaguely defined—must also be artistically excellent. Niimi questions how true inspiration can flourish under such constraints, touching on the ...

The Day I Return from the Sea is a rare and introspective essay by beloved Japanese children's author Nankichi Niimi, best known for his fairy tales. In this poetic and deeply personal reflection, Niimi explores his past's uncertainties and the present's quiet clarity. He writes of the unshakable truth that one's heart and life belong to oneself alone, beyond the reach of others, even emperors like Nero. He affirms a renewed sense of hope and personal determination through vivid imagery and gentle conviction. This essay offers readers a rare window into the inner world of a writer wrestling...

This very-short tale by beloved Japanese children's author Nankichi Niimi begins with a monkey who finds a single red candle. Mistaking it for a firework, the animals of the mountain gather with excitement, trying their best to light it. Their innocent misunderstanding and earnest efforts make for a heartwarming and gently humorous story. Red Candle is a delightful example of Niimi’s simple yet poignant storytelling style — and it’s perfect for reading aloud to children.

This is a poignant and sorrowful fairy tale written by Nankichi Niimi. A giant and his mother, a fearsome witch, live deep in a forest cave. One moonlit night, a lost princess and her two maids arrive at their cave. The witch, with a gentle voice, invites them inside... By morning, the giant awakens to find that the witch has turned the two maids into blackbirds and the princess into a white swan. Moved by pity, the giant secretly begins to care for the swan. It is a sad and touching story of a giant and a princess. A short, moving tale—perfect for reading aloud to children.

This book, published in 1943 by Japanese fairy tale writer Nankichi Niimi, tells the story of a little fox who goes to a human town to buy gloves. On a snowy morning, as the little fox returns home after running around outside, the mother fox holds his cold hands and gets the idea to buy him some gloves. The mother fox uses magic to turn one of the little fox's hands into a human child's. She then teaches the little fox to hold his human hand in the shop and ask for gloves. In Japanese folktales, foxes often use magic to trick people. This heartwarming story is short, so you can read it ...

This charming miniature tale was written by beloved children’s author Nankichi Niimi and first published in 1948. In just a few pages, it tells the story of a little sparrow who is overjoyed to find a one-sen copper coin—but in its excitement, it accidentally drops the coin and later falls ill from catching a cold. What happens to the coin? The gentle, heartwarming ending makes this short story a hidden gem of Japanese children's literature. Perfect for reading aloud to young children.

This book is a very short story written by children's author Nankichi Niimi. It is perfect for reading aloud.

In this touching miniature tale by Nankichi Niimi, a little snail confides in a friend: “The shell on my back is full of sadness.” As the two snails talk, they gently explore where such feelings come from and what they might mean. Though written for children, Snail’s Sadness carries a quiet, thoughtful philosophy that speaks to readers of all ages. If you’ve ever felt lonely or sad for no reason at all, you might find comfort in remembering the snail’s tiny shell. A beautiful story — perfect for reading aloud to children.

A man buys a donkey, only to notice that it walks limply. Curious and concerned, he asks a local know-it-all for advice. A charming and witty tale by Nankichi Niimi, reminding us not to take others’ words at face value. Perfect for a quick read or a delightful read-aloud story.

This very short tale by Nankichi Niimi, a former elementary school teacher, gently captures the lively and curious nature of children. The story follows an invisible god who loves children and secretly plays with them. One day, the children begin to sense that the god is nearby—and soon, they are determined to catch him. Will they succeed? With warmth and imagination, this story beautifully reflects a child's world of wonder and play. A delightful read for all ages.

The poems of Nankichi Niimi, much like his beloved fairy tales, are marked by a deep affection for nature and everyday life, as well as a delicate sensitivity of the heart. The Apple Cart Baby Carriage Hoop Lantern Light Shining Sparrow’s Song

Written by renowned Japanese children’s author Nankichi Niimi, The Butterfly That Followed is a gentle, poetic tale . On a street corner, an old man sells colorful balloons—red, blue, yellow, and purple—swaying softly in the wind. Every day, a little white butterfly visits the balloons and spends the whole day with them. Among them all, it shares a special friendship with the tiniest red balloon. What happened next to the red balloon and the white butterfly? This simple, heartwarming story invites children and adults alike to imagine and dream. Ideal for reading aloud to children.

Written by celebrated children’s author Nankichi Niimi, this Very Short Fairy Tale begins with an old carriage standing quietly in front of the village office. Its green paint has faded in the rain, and its iron frame has turned red with rust. Children often gather and play around it—until one day, the village mayor arrives and says something surprising to them. What did the mayor say? This gentle tale invites readers to consider how we treat old but meaningful things. Full of warmth and subtle reflection, it’s perfect for reading aloud to children.

This is a Very Short Fairy Tale by beloved children’s author Nankichi Niimi. A mother sparrow with a bad leg lays three eggs—but she worries: what if her chicks are born with the same disability? It is a gentle and thoughtful story, perfect for reading aloud to children.

In this gentle story by Nankichi Niimi, young Taro catches a rhinoceros beetle and sets off to visit his friends, hoping they can teach him fun ways to play with it. As he goes from house to house, he experiences moments of growing up—encountering minor pains, quiet loneliness, and the bittersweetness of a summer day. It is a tender tale of childhood and change, perfect for reading aloud to children.