02 Nov / Taro and the Magic Pencil by Sango Morimoto, translated by Katherine Schilling
Parents might recognize (and appreciate) the derivative homage to children’s classic Harold and the Purple Crayon, Hayao Miyazaki/Studio Ghibli’s animated Howl’s Moving Castle, and more … but the younger readers won’t bat an eye except to turn away momentarily from sort-of scary Cutlass Croc, then start giggling over the scatalogy of Bottomless Pete’s intestines!
But perhaps I’ve gotten ahead of myself …
Meet Taro, mild-mannered kid who loves to read and create manga of his own. His sketchbook is filled with the characters and adventures of Doodledom where “anything is possible.” But when a roly-poly magician pops out to warn him that Doodledom is in danger of being totally erased by King Crossout and his Magic Eraser, Taro can’t just stand by!
The magician transforms Taro into Terrie the Terrier and throws him into his own Doodledom, arming him with a magic pencil (complete with directions). Terrie joins forces with Hippity, who might look timid but is “one brave bunny.” Together they must outwit Tattle-Tail, duel Cutlass Croc, escape Bottomless Pete’s blocked guts, and get to the castle for a showdown with the greedy evil King!
Interestingly enough, Terrie the Terrier looks to be a pit pull in the original Japanese version. I guess that had to be changed for the nervous American market. [Malcolm Gladwell argues oh so convincingly in a chapter of his collection, What the Dog Saw and Other Adventures, that pit pulls aren’t bad, they have irresponsible (mean, cruel!) owners, not to mention other dog breeds have been far more aggressive and destructive although they’ve managed to escape the media’s unforgiving eye … oh, but I digress …]
My tween son chuckled over all the poop (what is it about boys and their obsession with certain biological emissions??) … “weird but funny,” he called Taro’s adventures. I guess that’s the best sort of endorsement.
Readers: Middle Grade
Published: 2010
PIT BURU-TARO Mahou no enpitsu no maki © Sango Morimoto
Original Japanese edition published by Shueisha Inc.