区立あたまのてっぺん小学校（読みもの）
Head-Top Elementary School
カテゴリー: Japanese Children's Books、おすすめ！日本の子どもの本、読みもの／chapter books and novels
『区立あたまのてっぺん小学校』（Kuritsu atama no teppen shogakko）
小学２年生のリョウは、２学期の最初の日に、自分の頭の上に小さな机と椅子と黒板があり、キミドリ色の小さな人が４人もいることに気づく。そのうえ「玉川区立あたまのてっぺん小学校」という看板まであった。区立と書かれていたので区役所へ行ってみるが、対応した職員に、リョウの頭は、校庭で遊んでいるからよく日があたり、給食を食べるのが遅いので小さな人たちもリョウの給食をもらうことができ、髪がとても短いので、キミドリの人たちが過ごすのにちょうどいいのだと言われる。しかし、リョウは「みんなと ちがうのは いやです」「できるだけ 早く ちがう 頭を さがしてください」と抗議する。
小さい４人はキミドリ先生と３人の児童。リョウが登校している間だけ、頭の上にいる。ある日、４人がリョウたちの水族館への遠足についてきて、ひとりが行方不明になってしまう。何とか見つけることができたが、その後、リョウは、頭の上のことをからかわれても、自分にとってはこの状態が自然だと言い返せるようになる。そして、区役所に、頭の上に学校があってもいいと伝える。
頭の上に小さな人の学校ができるというアイディアが楽しく、この経験を通して、人と違ってもいいということをリョウが理解できる点が意義深い。挿し絵もユーモラス。（土居）
| 出版社 | 金の星社 |
|---|---|
| 初版年 | 2020年 |
| ISBN | 9784323074528 |
| ページ数 | 96頁 |
| サイズ | 22×16 |
| 対象年齢 | 7歳から |
| キーワード | 小人 小学校 友だち |
Head-Top Elementary School
On his first day of the second term of second grade, Ryo feels something odd on top of his head, so he checks a mirror. On his head, he sees small desks, chairs, a chalkboard, four tiny green people, and a sign that says Head-Top Elementary School! The sign says that the school belongs to the city ward, so Ryo goes to the ward office. There, Mr. Tanaka tells Ryo that because he plays outside a lot, his head gets good sun; because he eats his lunch slowly, the little people can eat some of his food. Because his hair is short, they can get along very easily. Ryo, however, says he doesn’t want to be unlike everyone else. “Please find a different head-top as soon as possible!” he says.
The four little people—three children and their teacher, Ms. Kimidori—occupy Ryo’s head only while he is at school. One day, Ms. Kimidori says that they wish to go along on Ryo’s field trip the next day. With the principal’s permission, they accompany Ryo to the aquarium, but the little boy named Jiro becomes lost. Ryo’s classmates help to search for him, and he appears at last. After that, even if Ryo’s classmates tease him, he replies that it’s natural for him to have the little people on his head. He even tells Mr. Tanaka that Head-Top Elementary School can stay. Mr. Tanaka informs Ryo that the little people have been helping with their area’s greenification project.
This book combines the delightful idea of a tiny school on top of one’s head, with Ryo’s experience of learning an important truth: it’s OK to differ from others. Both the illustrations and the text skillfully convey a humorous atmosphere. (Doi)
- text: Mabe, Kayo | illus. Tanaka, Rokudai
- Kinnohoshisha
- 2020
- 96 pages
- 22×16
- ISBN 9784323074528
- Ages 7 +
people, Elementaryschool, Friendship