The Little One

A Bank Street College of Education Best Book of 2022

★ “As is true of the best of Anthony Browne’s many mysterious books, Tanaka’s leaves out the very thing that most writers start with, and the result is this expressive, wide-eyed look at grief, presented with the help of an imaginary friend. A small Japanese girl narrates that she starts seeing a black blob of a creature, with a walleyed gaze, sitting here and there in the city scenes that are part of her walk to school. One afternoon, she begins to follow the ‘little one,’ who takes her to a secret opening in her own home that leads to a night of play. After so much fun, the small girl sleeps, then wakes up, noting she has dreamed of her mother. Her next encounter? Her father shows up to hold her hand as they walk home together. Readers will wonder about the mother, and the dreams of the child, but it hardly matters. Something about her adventure with the little one has brought her peace. All of it unfolds in black and white ink drawings, giving the tale a timeless quality. Add this to collections about grief and loss; a parent has gone missing and a child’s imagination saves her, in this poetic book of love and healing.“ —STARRED REVIEW, School Library Journal

“A mysterious creature befriends a young girl and leads her to a magical realm in this curious but comforting first-person tale... Together, girl and creature romp across wordless spreads, their fun wrapped in quietude, until they fall asleep cozily on an enormous fluffy forest creature... It is unclear if the adventure is a dream or a supernatural event, but the escapade appears to satisfy the child’s longing for her mother, who is hinted as absent... Black-and-white copperplate etchings skillfully juxtapose the ordinary world with the shadowy wonderland, where luminescent fireflies and flowers glow. [A] poignant and engrossing narrative, full of layers to peel back, consider, and discuss.” —Kirkus Reviews

“What a weird, wonderful, and touching book this is...The illustrations and tone of the book strongly suggest a debt to Edward Gorey, with their delicate black-and-white copperplate etchings and the bizarre little one. But what at first seems odd and even vaguely threatening gradually becomes warm and friendly. The little girl’s mother is missing and although the book provides no answers as to the where, when, or how of her disappearance, the resolution is comforting. This is an open ended story, with lots of room for children to fill in their own interpretations. Adults who object to the child following a stranger or venturing into dark spaces need to get with the (metaphorical) program.” —Susan Harari, Youth Services Book Review