Product Description

From the nutty mind of Kyohiko Azuma, creator of the hit manga Azumanga Daioh comes the story of the new kid in town - little Yotsuba, a green-haired and wide-eyed girl who doesn't have a clue... about anything! With no knowledge of the world around her, and an unnatural fear of air conditioners, Yotsuba has her new neighbors' heads spinning. Join the hilarious exploits of an out-of-this-world schoolgirl as her befuddled friends attempt to uncover the secrets behind this strange child in Yotsubato!

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #76980 in Books
• Published on: 2005-06-06
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 232 pages

From Publishers Weekly
Starred Review. Yotsuba is the charming new girl in town in this all-ages shojo manga by the author of the popular Azumanga Daioh series. In seven stories, the green-haired four-year-old discovers air conditioners, doorbells, cicadas, swings and more, and does it all with the energy of a small hurricane. Her excitement is contagious and infects her handsome young adoptive father as well as the gaggle of pretty girls next door, all of whom get tangled up in her adventures as they try to keep up with her. But is there something strange about Yotsuba's lack of familiarity with the earthly world? The mystery of her origins is partially revealed in the final story: her father, Mr. Koiwai, found her and took her in, but Azuma seems to hint that there's more to be explained about Yotsuba. Koiwai sums up the reaction everyone seems to have to this little bundle of energy: "She can find happiness in anything," he says. "Nothing in this world can get her down." The plots here are little more than setups to explore everyday objects or concepts through the eyes of the irrepressible Yotsuba, but the genuinely sweet formula works, thanks to Azuma's solid storytelling and deft humor. (June 6)
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From School Library Journal
Grade 5 Up–This sometimes silly graphic novel is like a Japanese version of Dennis the Menace. Yotsuba, an energetic, green-haired little girl, drives her neighbors crazy with her goofy adventures. Parents might have some concern about the single father who, at times, walks around in nothing except a T-shirt and boxers in front of teenage girls, but it's used as a comedic device with no innuendo implied. Throughout the book, there are clues as to the nature of where this wild girl comes from; at the end, readers are set up perfectly for what will happen in future series entries. The story is more like a series of episodic anecdotes with virtually no character development. While it is fun, the plot is thin, and some readers are likely to find it boring. The art focuses on the humor, and while it not very detailed or interesting, it is warm and goes well with the lighthearted plot.–Scott La Counte, Anaheim Public Library, CA
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Customer Reviews

Dad's always in his boxers! He hates wearing pants!
Outside of reading Koike Kazuo and Kojima Goseki's massive twenty-eight volume Lone Wolf and Cub, I have rarely read a volume of manga over the past half decade. However, the one short series that I did read, Azumanga Daioh, by the artist, Azuma Kiyohiko, inspired me enough to pick up the first volume of his currently running series Yotsuba&, and I must say that it has been a long time since a comic, or any book for that matter, has made me laugh out loud repeatedly and made me reread it immediately after completing it.

Yotsuba& stars Yotsuba, a five-year-old girl whose father Mr. Koiwai describes not only as being "strange" but as someone that "can find happiness in anything," which she does numerous times within the book. Milk, air conditioners, ramen, etc. everything is a thing of wonder to young Yotsuba, so, therefore, it should be no surprise that her move to a new city with her dad causes her much joy, albeit much confusion. There along with her father and their gigantic friend Jumbo, they mete the Ayase sisters, Asagi, the pretty one, Fuka, the "unpretty" one, and Ena, the youngest but most serious of the three girls. With eyes open to everything, Yotsuba finds adventure and fascinating things everywhere.

Yotsuba& is refreshing. At least in the first volume, there is no drama, no doomed love affairs, or a blue-haired man hell bent to destroy the world. Instead, the reader is given a view of the world of a young child. A world that still holds wonders hiding under every leaf. I definitely look forward the reading the other volumes of this series to see how Azuma fleshes out the characters and to see the wonders which Yotsuba discovers day to day.

A darling read
This is the first book of a wonderful series. Yostuba&! is a wonderful 'slice of life' story revolving around the titular character. The special thing about Yostusba's perspective is she may be a 5 years old, but she's also a touch weird for a 5 year old. I would definitely recommend reading this and it's other volumes when you are in a bad mood; her innocent charms will lift your funk immediately.

Instant Classic
Yotsuba written by Azuma Kiyohiko (author of Azumanga) is one of the best mangas you will read. It is mainly focused on Yotsuba and everyday life, but of course if that were the case it wouldn't be interesting. The real reason why life is so much fun in the manga is because of characters such as Yotsuba, her father, the next door neighbors (Asagi, Fuka, Ena), Jumbo and others* (there are side characters but later on they became part of the main story) There are life lessons and there are fun stories that are realistic and that is one of the main reasons why I think readers can relate and connect with the story/character. This volume and in fact the entire series can be enjoyed by everyone and is recommended for anime, manga and even those who have not read any mangas at all! Please do not overlook this manga as it simply one of the best out there. Once you are done with the first volume, you must simply own all of them (which I do currently up to volume 5)