Totto-Chan - Gadis Cilik di Jendela (The Little Girl at the Window) Review

By Liku Layuk Allo - September 29, 2017

Hello again world! Yassss finally I am back with a book review. God. It feels like ages. Life seems tough lately, so maybe you guys think I don't have time to read any book at all? Ha. Luckily, I finally picked this book from the nearest book store months ago, after seeing it around for sooo many years... Where have I been? I know. I always thought ‘oh I want to buy it, the book looks so cute..’, but I don’t know why I never actually bought it until recently.

So, without further do, let’s move on to the review.

Abstract

The full name of the book is 'Totto-Chan The Little Girl at the Window' (or in Bahasa, Totto-Chan Gadis Cilik di Jendela). The writer, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi, fondly called "Totto-chan" by her parents and childhood friends, is today a successful television personality in Japan. The book starts by telling of Totto-chan's expelling from her previous school, when she was only in grade one, because of her childhood naughtiness. Totto-chan, who was labeled as a troublemaker by her teacher, was forced to leave school. Her anxious but kindhearted mother then took her to Tomoe Gakuen, a school ran by headmaster Sosaku Kobayashi, who had utterly different views on schooling than the other educators of his time. It is just a matter of very short time until Totto-chan realize what a different and interesting school Tomoe Gakuen would be.

(Spoiler alert!)

Tomoe was nowhere beyond "conventional" school. To start with, Totto-chan and her friends studied in classrooms made of old train-carriages (due to the lack of fund for real classrooms). And it’s only one of so many unique traits of the school. In the school, Totto-chan learnt to scrawl music notes on the floor, to dance, she also learnt that an old farmer could be a great gardening teacher. Tomoe's headmaster, Kobayashi, believed in experiential learning. He even asked the parents to send their kids to school in their worst clothes so they won’t afraid to play outside and getting their clothes dirty. Their teachers taught them to express themselves freely and gave out nontraditional lessons. The headmaster spent time listening to what the children had to say and talked to them like equals. There are so much more to be explored as we follow Totto-chan making new discoveries about herself and the world around her.

beautiful illustration by Chihira Iwasaki

Analysis

When I first read this book, I thought it would be a cutey-beautiful, light children story. The language and phrases the writer used was simple and fits every ages. But lately, as I swept through pages, I realized that this isn’t an ordinary children story at all. Totto-chan instead, is a very deep story, which touches the heart of the reader, especially on the educational side. Totto-chan's school, Tomoe Gakuen, was very different and insightful in so many aspects. Tomoe Gakuen accepts any students from any background, even students with special needs. It had a headmaster who inspired by the educational methodologies of Emile Jaques-Dalcroze, someone who taught eurythmics in Paris, allowed children’s potential to blossom naturally. The students were trusted to climb trees, play freely or stay in class to finish a science experiment. At the beginning of the first period, the teacher made a list of all the problems and questions in the subjects to be studied that day. Then she would say, "Now, start with any of these you like." This method of teaching enabled the teachers to observe what they were interested in as well as their way of thinking and character. It is the story of the journey of a child from what she was, to what all she can become. It poses a sharp satire on the machine-like educational system in Japan. It proves that a child whom the normal education system rejected can become everything they want.

It has everything that a reader needs – laughter, innocence, happiness, warmth, hard work, love, tears and realizations. It is a life story of a kid seeing the world, how she handle difficult situations, and how she learn about differences and the pain of losings. Totto-chan’s life was very beautiful and meaningful. But happiness always comes to an end, just like every childhood must. With the approaching of war and food shortage, Totto-chan slowly learnt the harsh truth of life. The small wonders and adventures of the children was slowly and surely engulfed by war.

illustration by Chihira Iwasaki

Personal Thoughts

I admit I almost had tear in my eyes whenever I recalled the events and the endearing characters in Totto-chan. It has a heartbreaking end to a wonderful story. It is a book which is both insightful, rich and moving at the same time. And the best part of the book is probably the headmaster of Tomoe Gakuen, Mr. Sosaku Kobayashi. If you ever encountered someone who's like him, then count yourself a lucky soul. I can’t believe this book is a true autobiography of Tetsuko Kuroyanagi. It is impossible to believe that a man like Kobayashi was real! Or a school like Tomoe existed in history.

My favorite part of this story is the chapter where Totto-chan invited her best friend, Yasuaki-chan, to climb her favorite tree. Yasuaki had polio and couldn't climb (they don’t have the vaccination in that era yet :( ). Totto-chan decided that he deserved to see the world from the top of a tree. It is a very touching chapter to read, scary yet very beautiful. It melts my heart to the core.

Also the chapter in which a Korean boy shouts at Totto-chan "Korean!", because other people do so to him, making him think "Korean" is an insulting word. It teaches precious lessons about war, diversity and discrimination.

Another favorite thing of mine: the epilogue relates what became of the Tomoe students that featured in the book. Until the writing of the book, the Tomoe alumni assembled to reminisce every year on November 3rd, the day on which Tomoe used to hold its Sports Day. Isn't that beautiful?

I really love this book. If I have a child, I will have NO DOUBT to put him/her in Tomoe Gakuen, especially when they could be taught by a man like Mr. Kobayashi. It would be such an honor and joy. I love how the school truly enhances the differences of each kid, how to deal with it, and how to embrace it. I will agreed to have my kids raised with such lessons and teachings. I truly believe school nowadays mainly lost their main importance and only focusing on high grades but doesn’t value kids’ soul and needs as much as it is needed. Every child is unique, every child is different. Each of them needs different approaches and a good school and every parent has to know that.

I highly recommend this book to every child, parents and parents to be out there. I will definitely read this to my child someday. No wonder why this book became legendary and the 'must-read' for students and educators in Japan.

*note : Totto-chan’s condition in her early struggling year in the book was “special”, it would now be called as ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder).