One Book That will make you appreciate your childhood and fall in love with it: “Tottochan”
A must-read book especially for all parents and educators..!
NewsBharati 29-Nov-2022 11:00:00 AM
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Whenever we talk about childhood, stories are a major part of it. The stories that we have grown up listening to. Grandmother’s stories, Ramayana And Mahabharata’s stories, Panchatantra stories you name it and we have been listening to all of them. The characters are so so close to our hearts that they become a part of our lives. But some things and some characters stick very firmly in our heads. The same is the case with this “Tottochan”. Tottochan is a book originally written in Japanese and written by Totsuko Kuroyanagi. It has been translated by Chetna Sardeshmukh Gosavi in Marathi and Dorothy Brotton in English.
Tottochan is no different than us. She is just like you and me. A little girl who will steal your heart in the first chapter itself. A girl who talks to birds watches the band from the school window and talks to them, constantly playing with her desk. A girl who has been thrown out of her school because of her naughty, playful and carefree nature and behavior. But she was loving and accepted at a beautiful and different school “Tomoi”. A school made out of Railway coaches. Which do not follow the set pattern but is designed according to the best possible ways for child development. A school that is a dream school for many of us, and an inspiration in today’s day and time.
This book has so many chapters that unfold the innocence of this little girl “Tottochan” and How her school is different than others, how students decide the periods for each subject each day, and how they take their students to different areas for a picnic with the aim of thoughtful child development. Is something very interesting and at the same time inspiring as well? Normalizing polio and being empathetic with people with polio is something we learn from Tottochan when she alone helps her friend “Yasu-aki-chan” who had polio climb a tree with her. Today we are so engrossed in mobile screens, there was a time when Tottochan was extremely curious about Television and how a Sumo wrestler can fit into a box like a TV. Is very interesting to read. You connect with Tottochan and her story very easily.
The sweetest character apart from Tottochan in this book is Principal Kobayashi. Who had a random chit-chat with Tottochan while interviewing her for the school for 4 hours, which teaches us, how having a conversation with kids, helps you and the kid both on a psychological and emotional level? Kids should have “Something from the sea and something from the ground” in their tiffins every day was a rule made by Kobayashi which ensured that kids are having healthy meals every day. Kids should not be ashamed of their bodies so for this Kobayashi made sure no kid will wear a swimsuit in their swimming class. What a beautiful thought. You become a part of this child psychology and that is the most beautiful thing about this book.
Niharika Pole Sarwate
Niharika Pole Sarwate became a journalist to voice her opinion for the right. She has been working as journalist for more than five years now. Art, Culture, Youth, Nation are her areas of work. Social media has strong power and she is on a mission to utilise it for the betterment of the society.