Shogo Oketani

In 1965, Kazuo Nakamoto is living in Toyko with his family which is still recovering from WWII and its aftermath. American culture, TV, and a changing face of Toyko are all influential on Kazuo's family.

J-Boys: Kazuo's World, Tokyo, 1965 is a realistic glimpse into the daily activities of this Japanese family in the mid-60's. Yet, for a 9 year-old boy, many things remain the same...growing up, fitting in, teachers, girls, in short, growing up and coming of age.

A delightful story with historical notes and cultural snippets.
Thank you to LibraryThing and Stone Bridge Press for this giveaway copy.… (altro)

In J-Boys, we experience life in Japan in 1965 through the eyes of a young boy, coming of age as life begins to change with the influence of American culture on a place that is very different. This book is a series of stories, varying adventures in Kazuo's life, which show us how Japanese life is unique, with bath houses, different foods, houses, neighborhoods, even places to sleep. It seems honest in its portrayal of this time and place, and one feels the excitement, frustration, sadness, fear and happiness of Kazuo as the book progresses.

I selected this as an Early Reviewer choice, thinking it would be appropriate for my 11th grade students who read world literature selections. However, despite the cover suggesting it would fit for middle grades and up, it seemed a young book, particularly with the definitions/asides included to explain Japanese culture. A good read, just not a good fit for my students.… (altro)

This is a very sweet autobiographical novel about a young boy growing up in Tokyo in the 1960s. The book does well in balancing both a pleasant narrative and an informative peak into a Japanese child's school and home life. It captures the mood of Japan shortly after Tokyo hosted the 1964 Olympics, and how a child would feel being raised in the shadow of World War II while Western influences began to soak through. While Kazuo and his family celebrate distinctly Japanese holidays and live in a home typical of their county, he loves American television and wonders what hamburgers taste like.

J-Boys also does well in giving insight to Japanese society at the time, such as their school system, bath houses, and cooking. The book includes many sidenotes throughout and has a glossary with cultural and historical information to fill in the reader, especially the younger readers this books is aimed at.

While this book is educational about a point of time in the recent past, it also has the universal appeal of being about a young boy and his friendships and relationships, as he grows up in a time of transition for himself, Japan, and the world.… (altro)

There are not a lot of novels in translation for children or adults concerning the lives of ordinary people in peace-time Japan. The stories in Shogo Oketani's debut novel are set in the past, but their realistic portrayal of Japanese life is extremely refreshing.

Tokyo, 1965. Kazuo, the main character of this episodic novel, has a sense of Japan's tragic past via his mother's memories of the war, which ended 20 years before, and of a shiny, new future, suggested by the American shows broadcast on his family's brand new TV. He tries out hamburgers and miruku (powdered milk mixed with water), dreams about having a room of his own like Beaver, all while flying a bamboo kite, throwing beans to cast out demons, and engaging in other traditional Japanese activities.

The chapter entitled "J-Boys" touches upon the discrimination of the descendants of Koreans forcibly sent to Japan, while "Yasuo's Big Mouth" revisits the ravages of war. Other chapters have a lighter tone, such a "Bathing and the Beatles" in which Kazuo and his pals ponder the popularity of Western music.

This novel has an elegiac tone that would appeal to adult readers, but it also clearly depicts Japanese culture, making it accessible for kids. Period photos and copious cultural notes accent the text.… (altro)