Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window

This book ("窓ぎわのトットちゃん" in Japanese) is written by Kuroyanagi Tetsuko, about herself. This book is about her childhood ("Totto-chan" is her nickname) during a very specific period of time when she was in elementary school. She was in a school known as "Tomoe Gakuen" founded by Kobayashi Sosaku.

I first came to know this book in secondary school, when it was used as a textbook for literature class. I really enjoyed the story, which was about how the author spent her days at Tomoe Gakuen, and the lessons that she learnt there from the headmaster Mr Kobayashi. Those lessons probably played a part in her upbringing and influenced her childhood development.

Totto-chan has since grown up and gone on to become a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador and also hosts her own talk show on Japanese television. This book was a huge success in Japan and probably worldwide as well. Ask any Japanese if they know Totto-chan and they will all say yes.

I have read the book a few times, including once in the original Japanese text. I would say Dorothy Britton did an excellent job translating the original Japanese text into English, for nothing is lost in translation. The feelings conveyed is the same. Mr Kobayashi is a great educator with foresight and his views on education should not be brushed aside.

If you have children, this is a good book to read, to understand how you can help bring out the best in your children, rather than pile stress on them forcing them to study for school.

Update 18 December 2023: The book received a Guiness World Record for being the most published autobiography penned by a single author.

TV personality Kuroyanagi's "Totto-chan" memoir earns Guinness record