よつばと！ #1, by あずまきよひこ
by
Stuart Holland
「よつばと！」を読むのはドラゴンボールより本当に簡単です！これは私の読むのレベルです。私は辞書を使いなかったページがたくさんあります。
よつばちゃんは面白い子供です。よつばちゃんはよく私をびっくりしました。よつばちゃんの「エアコンは地区う温暖化の原因です」の反応は面白かったです。この本の読むの時に私はよく笑います。
「よつばと！」の次の話のまんがを読むのよていがあります。イギリスで日本語のほんをつけますは難しいけどがんばります。（もう「よつばと！」二と三持っています。ここで高いですね！）
This is a lot of fun. I’ve found a real story that actually matches my reading level, which is incredibly exciting. I’m hopeful that my Japanese practice is approaching the “self sustaining” threshold, where there are fun things that I just want to do (rather than have to study deliberately) which will continue to boost my language proficiency. Don’t get me wrong - there will still be plenty of studying. But some of it being simply leisure activities makes a huge difference to the amount of time I can get myself to dedicate to it.
And Yotsuba isn’t only good because it matches my reading level. It’s genuinely a lot of fun. The style of the panels is very funny, Yotsuba’s reactions are frequently hilarious. She has a great way of feeling both real and larger than life, positive but not saccharine. She isn’t purely happy-go-lucky (she was very distressed when she couldn’t catch a cicada or when she thought she was contributing to global warming), but she balances that with just the right amount of zaniness to keep things lighthearted.
There’s also just a touch of mystery. Where is Yotsuba from? How did she find the family she has now?
I’m sure I’ll find out more in the future issues. The internet recommends Yotsuba for language learners and I can see why. There is a lot going on that both teaches you things and also helps you along. Yotsuba herself speaks exclusively in hiragana, but the other characters aren’t written that way. Occasionally Yotsuba mispronounces words, which can be a definite gotcha, but the other characters often correct her, which sets you back on track.
Wholly recommend. Great story, very funny, sometimes heartwarming, and a great language ramp.
