Yotsuba&!

Volume 3
by Kiyohiko Azuma

More daily fun through the life of Yotsuba, this odd little five-year-old who tackles everything with enthusiasm. Part of the fun of Yotsubato is seeing how the ordinary things amaze this little girl, the summer is all one big eye-opening adventure for her. There's a hint at the very end that Yotsuba and her dad recently moved from somewhere more rural (they call this 'the big city' and one of the other kids protests: "it's not that big!").

Yotsuba experiences fireworks for the first time- initially doing some on the street with her neighbors, later attending a festival and seeing a fireworks show. She goes to the zoo with her dad- that was pretty funny- the things Yotsuba noticed about the animals as well as her dad's made-up facts. (Oh, and she punches a goat). Yotsuba tries to learn to play badminton. She hops on a city bus by herself- freaking out Fuka who had taken her along on errands. She meets a police officer, and finds out that Jumbo is a florist (who in a fit of pique fills her house with discarded flowers from the shop). The father of the three girls next door makes an appearance- he's not separated or deceased as they seemed to be joking/hinting at, but apparently just absent due to working all the time.

Looks like my library has the first twelve volumes; I am plowing through them with enjoyment.

Rating: 3/5                  176 pages, 2004