Books published by publisher Little Grandma Books

Giovanni is having trouble concentrating at school because he's tired from his part-time job and he doesn't have time to play with any of his friends any more. His local village is getting ready to hold their annual star festival, but Giovanni feels as if he's been left out. But then the most amazing thing happens, and Giovanni finds himself riding on a train heading through the Milky Way.About this TranslationThis translation includes a simple glossary (just click on the featured word to jump to the explanation) to help you navigate your way through the galaxy, which can also be accessed at the back of the book after you have finished reading the story. I have also added the translation of the 'Cello Voice' sections that Kenji cut from the final version. The Cello Voice sections provide an interesting insight into the author's motivation for writing the story. A much more detailed glossary can be found on the Little J Books website.All effort was made to create a translation faithful to the author's vision. No material has been used in this translation that wasn't written by the author, and the names of the characters have not been changed.About the AuthorBorn in 1896, Kenji was brought up as the eldest child in a wealthy household in Iwate Prefecture, Japan. From a very young age he had an insatiable appetite for knowledge, with interests spanning geology, astronomy, through all types of flora and fauna, cinema, music, painting and literature. A devout Buddhist, Kenji turned his back on the family pawn broking and second-hand kimono business, becoming a teacher at the local agricultural high school, and writing poems and fairy tales to help spread a Buddhist message of universal peace.Night on the Milky Way Railway is his longest story, and is considered by many to be his best.

Will's father dies in a work-related accident. At least that's the official story. But Will knows it isn't true. Someone wanted his father dead - and he's determined to find out who, and why. Part One of the story.The only person who believes him is strange, beautiful loner Amber. But she's hardly 'normal' - always hearing voices and seeing terrible Apocalyptic visions in her head. Will and Amber will have to use every resource they can grab onto to make sense of what is going on in their lives. Meanwhile as they get deeper into trouble, time is running out. And the President of Globecorp is watching them. He has plans...The Final Virus, like Orwell's 1984, paints a terrifying picture of a Dystopic world that has lost touch with its past and is about to destroy its future.

Gauche plays the cello in the town orchestra, but even though he tries and tries he can't seem to get any better. In fact he is the worst in the entire orchestra. There is something missing in his music, but he doesn't know what it is. One evening a cat drops in to listen to him play and from then on all sorts of strange things start happening.This kindle version also contains a bonus story by Nankichi Niimi - Gon the FoxAbout the AuthorKenji Miyazawa is one of Japan’s best known and well-loved writers and poets. He was born in what is now Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in 1896. Although the eldest son of a wealthy pawnbroker and landowner, Kenji was a deeply spiritual person who led a frugal life, and when he wasn’t writing, volunteered a great deal of his time teaching farmers how to improve their crop yields, or organizing concerts for classical music in his local village. He was a prolific writer who completed hundreds of works, but only a small collection of those were published while he was still alive, his reputation as one of Japan’s greatest storytellers only coming after his death (1933 - aged 37).

Tales from Japan Book 5 combines all of the works from Tales from Japan, Books 1 - 4. The Tales from Japan series was produced by Little J Books to provide readers with a sample of the best works of Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa, authors of fantasy fiction that has been loved by children and adults throughout Japan for more than 70 years. Both of these authors have had a significant influence on the fiction and animation that was produced in Japan post-WWII. Ame-ni-mo-makezu, a prayer composed as a poem, and The Restaurant of Many Orders are two of Kenji's most famous works, while Gon the Fox and Buying Mittens are two standout stories from Nankichi Niimi.This version contains the following stories:Kenji Miyazawa:Gauche the CellistThe Restaurant of Many OrdersWild Pear (Yamanashi)The Nighthawk StarKenju's Forest PlaygroundAme-ni-mo Makezu Nankichi Niimi:Gon the FoxBuying MittensWhen the Thieves Came to Hananoki VillageGrandpa's LampThe Story of the GiantGauche the CellistGauche is a hopeless musician and he's always being yelled at by the conductor. It's not because he doesn't try, it's just that there is something lacking in his music. With a big concert approaching, Gauche receives some special music lessons from some close neighbors. The Restaurant of Many OrdersThis is perhaps the most famous of Kenji's short stories and one of his personal favorites, as it was the title story of his one and only self-published collection of short stories. Two hunters go on a hunting trip in the country and end up completely lost. Luckily they come across what appears to be an extremely popular restaurant…but everything is not as it seems.Gon the FoxGon is a cheeky fox who loves to play pranks on people. But one day he plays a prank that has unexpected consequences. So he decides to make amends.Niimi wrote this story when he was only seventeen years of age, and more than seventy years after his death, it remains one of the best known and loved Japanese short stories of all time. The Story of the GiantPeople are terrified of the giant because he is enormous and he is the son of that horrible old witch. But is it possible that they may have misjudged him? Buying MittensMama fox only wants the best for her little one, so when the snow arrives and her precious boy needs some mittens, then she knows what she needs to do. The only problem is that she is afraid and her legs won't take her any further. So her son must go on his own. This delightful children's story contains beautiful descriptions of the foxes' journey through the snow-covered woods during the night. About the AuthorsNankichi Niimi was born Shohachi Watanabe in what is now Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, on July 30, 1913, with the year 2013 marking 100 years since his birth. It was recently estimated that over 60 million people have read Gon the Fox, a story he penned at just 17 years of age. Niimi went on to write a large number of poems and short stories, such as Buying Mittens, Grandpa's Lamp and When the Thieves Came to Hananoki Village before his death from tuberculosis at age 29.Kenji Miyazawa is one of Japan’s best known and well-loved writers and poets. He was born in what is now Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in 1896. Although the eldest son of a wealthy pawnbroker and landowner, Kenji was a deeply spiritual person and refused to take over the family business for moral reasons. He was a prolific writer who completed hundreds of works, but only a small collection of those were published while he was still alive, his reputation as one of Japan’s best storytellers only coming after his death in 1933, aged 37.

Age level: 9 and up / Grade level: 4 and up / Series: Arkeepers Fiction (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Detective, Adventure, Humor and Magic)From the best-selling and award-winning children’s author, W.J.Madsen, comes the most anticipated series of 2012.Imaginative settings reminiscent of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking -Glass’ and a fantastical plot sure to captivate an audience of any age! About the series:The mysteries of the universe are now in the spirited hands of new young Keepers! But what these Angelik children—Jake and Alexa Moustachio, do not know, but are destined to find out, is that they belong to the most cherished of all families. Their ancestors dated back as far as time can stretch. The Moustachios have been, and will always be, the Keepers of the Universe—Angelik Arkeepers to be exact, those special enough to be chosen to watch over all that is, was, and will be, and to protect all the secrets of the universe from the Deminion Darkeepers, who would dare do it harm. And it is those individuals who are evil enough to challenge what is pure, who will awaken the unsuspecting powers that lie within the mystical magnifying glass willed to the young sleuths by their beloved grandfather, Buck Moustachio. This magnifying glass, made of ancient Egyptian crystals, is able to transport the young detectives to worlds within hidden dimensions of the cosmos—worlds filled with smart-aleck talking animals, wickedly funny villains, and mysterious cases to solve. Two ark-magnifying glasses, two keys of life, one ancient box, and their grandpa’s journal are all that stand in the way of saving the universe from its impending doom. A scavenger hunt across the ages awaits the young Moustachios as they are chased through time by the maniacal Baron Von Snodgrass, who will stop at nothing to seek his revenge on the Moustachio family. Secrets are revealed, and lies are told on the other side of their grandfather’s magnifying glass. And only Jake Moustachio, his sister Alexa, and their outrageous pets are the chosen ones to unravel all that there is— to unravel!Episode One: KEEPERSAn ancient castle; Two food-fighting & knife-throwing culinary queens; A fidgety Timekeeper; One temperamental moose head; Five renegade ghostly knights, The mystical magnifying glass; Stolen Time; The power hungry baron; A volatile mounted pink elephant head; One gutsy boy; His oh-so-sassy sister; A date with destiny…and their pussycat!Episode Two: ANGELIKSA wild western frontier; Two bickering and jibber jabbing old goats; A blue ribbon & tiara wearing pig; One washed up beauty queen; Kidnapped cows; An age-old family recipe; The lovesick weeping bull; Treacherous archenemy ranchers; Hunting for buried treasure; The sinister baron; One plucky girl; The oh-so-brave brother; Her scatterbrained guinea pig; A twist of fate…and their pussycat!Episode Three: DARKEEPERSDeciphering a cryptic sandstone puzzle; The storm of the century; One double-talking ostrich head; A quacking one-eyed duck; Cursed cantankerous baby pirates; Three unscrupulous wise-guy sea monkeys; A stolen mystical conch shell; The Devil’s Triangle; Racing across the Seven Seas; One phony journal; The megalomaniac baron; The mystery-solving siblings; Two oh-so-feisty felines; An unforeseen future…and their guinea pigEpisode Four: GUARDIANSAn ancient Egyptian secret; The Great Pyramids of the Worlds; Three half-witted & overly-catnipped Sphynx kitties; The All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball; A conniving mummy; Disguised demonic & poisoning villains; One abducted fluttery canary; A busybody & overly-plump pet psychic; The missing key of life; Three double-crossing leprechauns; One Guardian pussycat; The oh-so-spirited siblings; Nine lives to live…and their guinea pig!Arkeepers, available in digital and paperback.

Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa are undoubtedly two of Japan's most highly regarded writers of fantasy fiction. Book 2 of Tales From A Japanese Dreamland contains four stories by Kenji Miyazawa and one story by Nankichi Niimi.Gauche is a hopeless musician and he's always being yelled at by the conductor. It's not because he doesn't try, it's just that there is something lacking in his music. And now the orchestra is preparing for a big concert so if Gauche doesn't improve in a real hurry he's going to be in big trouble. One day a strange cat turns up holding a tomato in his mouth and then all sorts of strange things start to happen to Gauche.A Story with a MessageThe underlying theme in this story is about how we recognize our own weaknesses. It is not easy to admit when we are doing something wrong, especially when we are putting in so much effort. But if that effort is being applied in the wrong place, then it is almost impossible to achieve the goals that we have set ourselves. Recognizing that we've been doing something the wrong way is the first step to achieving our dreams.This version also contains the following stories:The Nighthawk StarWild Pear (Yamanashi)The Restaurant of Many OrdersBuying Mittens (by Nankichi Niimi)About the AuthorsKenji Miyazawa is one of Japan’s best known and well-loved writers and poets. He was born in what is now Hanamaki City, Iwate Prefecture, Japan, in 1896. Although the eldest son of a wealthy pawnbroker and landowner, Kenji was a deeply spiritual person who led a frugal life, and when he wasn’t writing, volunteered a great deal of his time teaching farmers how to improve their crop yields, or organizing concerts for classical music in his local village. He was a prolific writer who completed hundreds of works, but only a small collection of those were published while he was still alive, his reputation as one of Japan’s greatest storytellers only coming after his death in 1933, aged 37. Nankichi Niimi was born Shohachi Watanabe in what is now Handa City, Aichi Prefecture, on July 30, 1913, with the year 2013 marking 100 years since his birth. Gon the Fox is studied by every Japanese child in elementary school and it was recently estimated that over 60 million people have read this story, which he wrote at just 18 years of age. Although Niimi went on to write a large number of poems and short stories, such as Buying Mittens, Grandpa's Lamp and When the Thieves Came to Hananoki Village before his death from tuberculosis at age 29, Gon the Fox is undoubtedly the most famous and well-loved of all his works, and perhaps the most famous Japanese children's story of all time.

Nankichi Niimi & Kenji Miyazawa are undoubtedly two of Japan's most highly regarded writers of fantasy fiction. Book 4 of Tales From A Japanese Dreamland contains four stories by Nankichi Niimi and one story by Kenji Miyazawa. The following is a short description of each story contained in Book 4.Gon the FoxGon is a cheeky fox that loves to play pranks on people, but one day he plays a prank that has unexpected consequences, so he decides to make amends.Niimi wrote this story when he was only seventeen years of age, and now more than seventy years after his death it remains one of the best known and loved Japanese stories of all time.The Story of the GiantAll of the town's people are terrified of the giant because he is enormous and he is the son of that horrible old witch. But is it possible that they may have misjudged him?Grandpa's LampMinosuke was born a poor orphan, but with a little luck and a lot of hard work he manages to carve out a business of his own and starts to rise up in the world. One day a competitor arrives that threatens to take it all away from him. A fascinating insight into the period of transition in Japan, from a country in darkness to one bathed in light.When the Thieves Came to Hananoki VillageWhat could be a better hunting ground for a thief than a village where people don't even bother with proper locks? The only trouble is that these thieves have no idea what they are doing, and it is up to the boss to train them. But just when the boss appears to have made a wonderful score, the story takes an unexpected turn.Ame-ni-mo MakezuPerhaps the most famous Japanese poem of the modern age, it was written by Kenji while lying on his death bed and was never seen by anyone else until after his death. This significance of this poem has increased greatly for the Japanese people following the Great East Japan Earthquake, with many people using it to reflect on what truly is important in their lives.Kenju's Forest PlaygroundKenju is different from other kids his age, and he gets teased a lot. But Kenju can see things all around that others can't. One day, completely out-of-the-blue, he decides to plant seven hundred cedar trees, and those trees become something that no one ever imagined.

The Kate Toms Series is a fantastic series by Kate Toms that will engage and amuse little ones and adults alike. 10 Little Penguins is a fantastic first counting book for little ones. Each spread follows the penguins as they get up to all sorts of fun and mischief over a busy day. Beautiful, hand-stitched illustrations and charming, rhyming text makes the story ideal for adults and young children to share together.

Age level: 9 and up / Grade level: 4 and up / Series: Arkeepers Fiction (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Detective, Adventure, Humor and Magic)From the best-selling and award-winning children’s author, W.J.Madsen, comes the most anticipated series of 2012.Imaginative settings reminiscent of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking -Glass’ and a fantastical plot sure to captivate an audience of any age! About the series:The mysteries of the universe are now in the spirited hands of new young Keepers! But what these Angelik children—Jake and Alexa Moustachio, do not know, but are destined to find out, is that they belong to the most cherished of all families. Their ancestors dated back as far as time can stretch. The Moustachios have been, and will always be, the Keepers of the Universe—Angelik Arkeepers to be exact, those special enough to be chosen to watch over all that is, was, and will be, and to protect all the secrets of the universe from the Deminion Darkeepers, who would dare do it harm. And it is those individuals who are evil enough to challenge what is pure, who will awaken the unsuspecting powers that lie within the mystical magnifying glass willed to the young sleuths by their beloved grandfather, Buck Moustachio. This magnifying glass, made of ancient Egyptian crystals, is able to transport the young detectives to worlds within hidden dimensions of the cosmos—worlds filled with smart-aleck talking animals, wickedly funny villains, and mysterious cases to solve. Two ark-magnifying glasses, two keys of life, one ancient box, and their grandpa’s journal are all that stand in the way of saving the universe from its impending doom. A scavenger hunt across the ages awaits the young Moustachios as they are chased through time by the maniacal Baron Von Snodgrass, who will stop at nothing to seek his revenge on the Moustachio family. Secrets are revealed, and lies are told on the other side of their grandfather’s magnifying glass. And only Jake Moustachio, his sister Alexa, and their outrageous pets are the chosen ones to unravel all that there is— to unravel!Episode One: KEEPERSAn ancient castle; Two food-fighting & knife-throwing culinary queens; A fidgety Timekeeper; One temperamental moose head; Five renegade ghostly knights, The mystical magnifying glass; Stolen Time; The power hungry baron; A volatile mounted pink elephant head; One gutsy boy; His oh-so-sassy sister; A date with destiny…and their pussycat!Episode Two: ANGELIKSA wild western frontier; Two bickering and jibber jabbing old goats; A blue ribbon & tiara wearing pig; One washed up beauty queen; Kidnapped cows; An age-old family recipe; The lovesick weeping bull; Treacherous archenemy ranchers; Hunting for buried treasure; The sinister baron; One plucky girl; The oh-so-brave brother; Her scatterbrained guinea pig; A twist of fate…and their pussycat!Episode Three: DARKEEPERSDeciphering a cryptic sandstone puzzle; The storm of the century; One double-talking ostrich head; A quacking one-eyed duck; Cursed cantankerous baby pirates; Three unscrupulous wise-guy sea monkeys; A stolen mystical conch shell; The Devil’s Triangle; Racing across the Seven Seas; One phony journal; The megalomaniac baron; The mystery-solving siblings; Two oh-so-feisty felines; An unforeseen future…and their guinea pigEpisode Four: GUARDIANSAn ancient Egyptian secret; The Great Pyramids of the Worlds; Three half-witted & overly-catnipped Sphynx kitties; The All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball; A conniving mummy; Disguised demonic & poisoning villains; One abducted fluttery canary; A busybody & overly-plump pet psychic; The missing key of life; Three double-crossing leprechauns; One Guardian pussycat; The oh-so-spirited siblings; Nine lives to live…and their guinea pig!Arkeepers, available in digital and paperback.

Age level: 9 and up / Grade level: 4 and up / Series: Arkeepers Fiction (Fantasy, Science Fiction, Mystery, Detective, Adventure, Humor and Magic)From the best-selling and award-winning children’s author, W.J.Madsen, comes the most anticipated series of 2012.Imaginative settings reminiscent of Lewis Carroll’s ‘Through the Looking -Glass’ and a fantastical plot sure to captivate an audience of any age! About the series:The mysteries of the universe are now in the spirited hands of new young Keepers! But what these Angelik children—Jake and Alexa Moustachio, do not know, but are destined to find out, is that they belong to the most cherished of all families. Their ancestors dated back as far as time can stretch. The Moustachios have been, and will always be, the Keepers of the Universe—Angelik Arkeepers to be exact, those special enough to be chosen to watch over all that is, was, and will be, and to protect all the secrets of the universe from the Deminion Darkeepers, who would dare do it harm. And it is those individuals who are evil enough to challenge what is pure, who will awaken the unsuspecting powers that lie within the mystical magnifying glass willed to the young sleuths by their beloved grandfather, Buck Moustachio. This magnifying glass, made of ancient Egyptian crystals, is able to transport the young detectives to worlds within hidden dimensions of the cosmos—worlds filled with smart-aleck talking animals, wickedly funny villains, and mysterious cases to solve. Two ark-magnifying glasses, two keys of life, one ancient box, and their grandpa’s journal are all that stand in the way of saving the universe from its impending doom. A scavenger hunt across the ages awaits the young Moustachios as they are chased through time by the maniacal Baron Von Snodgrass, who will stop at nothing to seek his revenge on the Moustachio family. Secrets are revealed, and lies are told on the other side of their grandfather’s magnifying glass. And only Jake Moustachio, his sister Alexa, and their outrageous pets are the chosen ones to unravel all that there is— to unravel!Episode One: KEEPERSAn ancient castle; Two food-fighting & knife-throwing culinary queens; A fidgety Timekeeper; One temperamental moose head; Five renegade ghostly knights, The mystical magnifying glass; Stolen Time; The power hungry baron; A volatile mounted pink elephant head; One gutsy boy; His oh-so-sassy sister; A date with destiny…and their pussycat!Episode Two: ANGELIKSA wild western frontier; Two bickering and jibber jabbing old goats; A blue ribbon & tiara wearing pig; One washed up beauty queen; Kidnapped cows; An age-old family recipe; The lovesick weeping bull; Treacherous archenemy ranchers; Hunting for buried treasure; The sinister baron; One plucky girl; The oh-so-brave brother; Her scatterbrained guinea pig; A twist of fate…and their pussycat!Episode Three: DARKEEPERSDeciphering a cryptic sandstone puzzle; The storm of the century; One double-talking ostrich head; A quacking one-eyed duck; Cursed cantankerous baby pirates; Three unscrupulous wise-guy sea monkeys; A stolen mystical conch shell; The Devil’s Triangle; Racing across the Seven Seas; One phony journal; The megalomaniac baron; The mystery-solving siblings; Two oh-so-feisty felines; An unforeseen future…and their guinea pigEpisode Four: GUARDIANSAn ancient Egyptian secret; The Great Pyramids of the Worlds; Three half-witted & overly-catnipped Sphynx kitties; The All Hallows Eve Masquerade Ball; A conniving mummy; Disguised demonic & poisoning villains; One abducted fluttery canary; A busybody & overly-plump pet psychic; The missing key of life; Three double-crossing leprechauns; One Guardian pussycat; The oh-so-spirited siblings; Nine lives to live…and their guinea pig!Arkeepers, available in digital and paperback.