{"product_id":"japanese-reader-collection-volume-5-shitakiri-suzume-paperback","title":"Japanese Reader Collection Volume 5: Shitakiri Suzume - Paperback","description":"\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cp style=\"text-align: right;\"\u003e\u003ca href=\"https:\/\/reportcopyrightinfringement.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"nofollow\"\u003e\u003cb\u003eReport copyright infringement\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/a\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003cp\u003eby \u003cb\u003eYumi Boutwell\u003c\/b\u003e (Author), \u003cb\u003eClay Boutwell\u003c\/b\u003e (Author)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eRead two of Japan's most beloved folktales, broken down sentence by sentence for upper-beginner learners.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA kind old man searches the mountains for his pet sparrow after his mean-tempered wife cuts out its tongue - and finds himself welcomed into a hidden sparrow village with a choice between two treasure boxes. Another old man, this one with a large lump on his cheek, stumbles upon a circle of oni dancing in the forest at night; he joins their dance and ends the night rid of the lump, only for a greedy neighbor with the same affliction to try the same trick and end up wearing two. \u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003ci\u003eThe Cut-Tongue Sparrow\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eKobutori Jiisan\u003c\/i\u003e are two of the most beloved moral tales in Japanese folklore - companion pieces, in their way, on what happens to a kind man and a greedy one. This volume gives you the language to read both stories in Japanese, with line-by-line vocabulary, grammar notes, native-speaker audio, and a simple English translation for self-checking.\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eNew in the 2026 edition: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cb\u003eBonus unlock code inside the book\u003c\/b\u003e - redeem at Makoto+ to study every sentence from this book interactively, on the web or in the mobile app\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNew watercolor illustration and audio QR codes on every story's opening page\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eHook teaser and Before-You-Read intro for each story, pointing you toward the grammar and vocabulary patterns to watch for\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFull Exercises sections with answer keys (Comprehension Questions, Particle Fill-in, Grammar Pattern Hunt, Translation Comparison) for both stories\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eResized furigana - ruby now sits closer to the base text, the way good Japanese typography should\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eRunning headers, page numbers, and sumi-e section ornaments throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThe two stories: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e1. The Cut-Tongue Sparrow (Shitakiri Suzume)\u003c\/b\u003e - A kind old man keeps a pet sparrow that brings him daily joy. While he's away, his mean-tempered wife cuts the bird's tongue for eating some rice starch, and it flies off. The old man searches the mountains for his lost friend, finds a hidden village of sparrows, and is offered a choice between two treasure boxes on his way home. His wife, hearing the story, sets off to claim one of her own - and learns the difference between humility and grasping.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e2. Kobutori Jiisan\u003c\/b\u003e - An old man with a large lump on his cheek is caught out at night in the mountains and stumbles upon a circle of oni dancing under the moon. They invite him to join, and he dances so well they ask for his lump as collateral so he'll return - leaving him newly unblemished. A neighboring old man with the same affliction hears the tale and tries to repeat it. The oni are not pleased.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWhat's inside: \u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eEach story presented three ways: with line-by-line vocabulary, in plain Japanese (for unscaffolded reading practice), and in English summary\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eWord-by-word breakdowns with furigana over every kanji\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrammar spotlights, cultural notes, and reading tips throughout\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree MP3 audio downloads - natural speed and slowed down - recorded by a native speaker\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eFree Anki decks for pre-study\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eBonus unlock code for Makoto+ Sentence Explorer\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eNo sign-up required for the audio\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eWho this is for: \u003c\/b\u003e Upper-beginner to lower-intermediate learners. You'll need solid kana and a working sense of basic grammar. (New to hiragana? Take our free two-week crash course at TheJapanesePage.com\/hiragana.)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eQuestions or requests for future readers? The authors' personal email addresses are inside the book.\u003c\/p\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eNumber of Pages:\u003c\/strong\u003e 150\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eDimensions:\u003c\/strong\u003e 0.32 x 8.5 x 5.5 IN\u003c\/div\u003e\n            \u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003ePublication Date:\u003c\/strong\u003e August 26, 2013\u003c\/div\u003e\n            ","brand":"Books by splitShops","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":53095300792544,"sku":"9781490938974","price":22.66,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0811\/5909\/4496\/files\/v3VXHi2vE79781490938974.webp?v=1781658509","url":"https:\/\/improvedinc.myshopify.com\/products\/japanese-reader-collection-volume-5-shitakiri-suzume-paperback","provider":"Improved Improper Input Inc.","version":"1.0","type":"link"}