The Secret of the Blue Glass - (Pushkin Children's Classics) by Tomiko Inui (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

On the first floor of the big house of the Moriyama family, is a small library. There, on the shelves next to the old books, live the Little People, a tiny family who were once brought from England to Japan by a beloved nanny. Since then, each generation of Moriyama-family children has inherited the responsibility of filling the blue glass with milk to feed the Little People and it's now Yuri's turn.
The little girl dutifully fulfils her task but the world around the Moriyama family is changing. Japan is caught in the whirl of what will soon become World War II, turning her beloved older brother into a fanatic nationalist and dividing the family for ever. Sheltered in the garden and the house, Yuri is able to keep the Little People safe, and they do their best to comfort Yuri in return, until one day owing to food restrictions milk is in shorter supply...

Review Quotes

'I love this book.' - Michael Morpurgo, Guardian

'[The book] has a sensibility and a poetry of its own.' - Independent on Sunday

'A tender and beautifully written story full of adventure, hardship and cultural revelations.' - Lancashire Evening Post

'A glorious fantasy story... utterly captivating.' - Read it Daddy

'A terrific story of courage, loyalty and love.' - Books for Keeps

'The English translation has been a long but worthwhile wait... reminding us that children's literature can both address adult concerns and provide alternatives to our failings.' - Japan Times, Books of the Year

'An extraordinary book... elements of the work of Oscar Wilde and Hans Christian Andersen.' - The School Librarian

'A terrific story of love and courage in the face of change and adversity as well as a gripping fantasy read.' - South China Morning Post

'A unique and valuable read.' - Lines from the Horizon

About the Author

Born in Tokyo in 1924, Tomiko Inui joined a publishing house in 1950, where she began working as an editor, as well as writing books for children. She published many books over her long career, winning prizes along the way including the Mainishi Publishing Culture Award and the Akaitori Award for Children's Literature. The Secret of the Blue Glass is the first of her books to be translated into English. She died in 2002.
Translated from the Japanese by Ginny Tapley Takemori.