Hello. I am a Japanese mother raising my children in Japan. I am also a certified librarian and am good at finding good books. This time I read "The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse" to my 5 year old daughter. This was a great book to read now that I am raising a toddler. For me and for my daughter.

The messages from this book resonated with me as it linked to the many emotions and challenges that I feel in my daily life as a parent.

What do we adults do when we have a hard time? Do we cry? Shout? Eat cake? Yes, I think so. Cake is a very good thing. That's what the mole said. But the mole knew something better than that. It is to get a hug.

There is no hug culture in Japan. I think I hug my children a lot, but I am sure it is much less than in the U.S. or the U.K. I make a conscious effort to hug my daughters gently. I want to make a conscious effort to hug my daughters more often. I often have to silence them with sweets. I am sorry for that.

I felt that the "importance of friendship and bonding" that this picture book emphasizes is very important in building relationships with children. It depicts the acceptance and support of all the different characters and the preciousness of friendship and bonding. 

My 5-year-old daughter is currently having a bit of trouble with her friends at kindergarten. That is, she is leaving her friends out of her group. Even if it is the flip side of camaraderie with another friend, it is not a good thing to exclude someone.

What can we do to accept everyone? How can we be kind? That is my daughter's challenge right now.

There are also lessons to be learned about "self-acceptance and self-love" from this work. There are moments during parenting when it is difficult for us as parents to accept ourselves. The character of Mole, in particular, depicted the process of accepting oneself. I would like to gently convey the importance of self-acceptance to my children.

The importance of thinking and asking questions is another important theme to learn from this picture book. For children, valuing curiosity and asking lots of questions will help them expand their knowledge. We believe that respecting opinions and experiences and fostering the ability to think is the foundation for building rich relationships.

This work also teaches about "courage and overcoming fear. It is important for children to develop the courage to face their fears and anxieties and to face their difficulties. The film depicts characters overcoming their fears, and we want to convey to children the importance of believing in their own strength and overcoming difficulties.

Another important theme is "simplicity and happiness." This picture book teaches children to cherish simple pleasures and the beauty of the moment. I felt it was important to teach children the joy of discovering not only material things, but also relationships, nature, and happiness.

I have not yet been able to incorporate all of the content of this book into my daughter and I, but I will read it to her every night. But I am sure that reading the book to her every night will improve her life. I hope that my daughter's friendships will improve as well. May my daughter and I be kind. May the world be peaceful. I want to live my life without turning away from the beauty of the world. See you later!