Yotsuba&! (Kiyohiko Azuma)

Perhaps the hardest part about being a reader is when you finally finish a good book or series.  As all good things must come to an end, so too must this one.  Sure, rereading is a thing, but it's not the same as experiencing something for the first time.  Recently, I completed the manga series Yotsuba&!, and had that experiences, so, today, I'm going to tell you a little about it.

 

So, Yotsuba&! tells the story of a little girl named Yotsuba, her father, and their friends.  It's a slice of life manga that is part seeing the world through the eyes of a child, and part watching a child experience all these things for the first time--but from the perspective of a parent.  It's incredibly cute and sentimental.  Also, it's laugh out loud hilarious.  I was constantly cracking up!

So, what makes Yotsuba&! so great?  Well, the stories and adventures are never anything too crazy.  If you're not a fan of fantasy, and want a more realistic story, than this is good for that.  Adventures include riding bikes, getting a camera for the first time, and picking chestnuts.  If that sounds dull, then never fear!  Yotsuba's crazy antics are enough to turn any simple story into something much, much more.

Confession time: I really didn't want kids.  For years, I was pretty content with the fact that I don't get kids and kids don't get me.  Mostly, too, I don't think they like me.  I'm not doing anything wrong, but I think they can sense that I'm too serious or that I just don't know what to do around them.  This makes all of us uncomfortable.   But, sometimes, little things start to change my mind.  Reading Library Wars: Love and War, for example, has started to change how I think about romance.  I'm not a huge romantic, but there are a few anime and manga series that are making me reconsider.  When it comes to having children, Yotsuba&! makes me think that perhaps it wouldn't be all that bad.  In fact, it could be a lot of fun.

So, I suppose most of what I've been saying doesn't tell you too much about the series.  And I guess that's because this is one of those series that is hard to explain and do it justice.  It's a slice of life manga.  Okay.  It's about friendship and discovery, but mostly I think about love and family.  It takes everyday things and makes them absolutely hilarious and amazing and fun!

Oh, and the faces.  Oh, the faces.

I have not enjoyed a manga this much in quite a while.  Also, I will say, the first book might start off a bit slow, so give it time.  Soon, you won't be able to stop reading!  Sadly, there is no anime, at least not that I can find.  And I'm not sure if there will be one or not.  But, still...you should totally read this and tell me what you think!  If you have any specific questions, please feel free to post them in the comments, and I will try to answer as best as I can :)

Until next time, dear readers!  ~Emmy