ウィズ・ユー（読みもの）
With You
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
『ウィズ・ユー』
中学3年の悠人は母と、２歳年上の兄と３人で暮らしている。父は家を出ていったきりで、母は優秀な兄のことばかり気にかける。悠人は自分が存在する意味はどこにあるのかと、やりきれない思いを抱えていた。高校受験を控えた10月の夜、悠人は気晴らしにランニングに出かけ、公園のブランコに座る朱音に気づく。朱音は中学２年だが、ひとりで病気の母と小学生の妹の面倒を見ていた。父は単身赴任中で、まわりには悩みを打ち明けられる大人も、相談できる友人もいない。毎日ひとりで家事をして、妹が寝た後に散歩をするのが、唯一ほっとできるひとときだった。悠人はその後も夜のランニングでたびたび朱音を見かけ、気になって声をかける。やがてふたり一緒に歩くのが日課となり、それぞれの思いを打ち明けるようになっていった。
あるとき、悠人は福祉関係の仕事をする母からヤングケアラーについて聞き、朱音がまさにその状況にいることに気づく。大きな荷物を抱え込んでいる朱音を何とか救いたくて相談すると、母は真剣に耳を傾け、一緒に解決策を考えてくれた。自分を必要とする人がいることに気づいた悠人は、家族との関係も見つめ直すようになる。中学生の恋愛物語に、現代社会の問題を盛り込んだ作品。悠人と朱音が未来をしっかり見つめて歩きだす姿がすがすがしい。（汐﨑）
| 出版社 | くもん出版 |
|---|---|
| 初版年 | 2020年 |
| ISBN | 978- 4-7743-3078-5 |
| ページ数 | 248頁 |
| サイズ | 20×14 |
| 対象年齢 | 13歳から |
| キーワード | ヤングケアラー、恋愛 |
With You
Yuto is in year three of junior high and has lived with his mother and his brother Naoto, two years older, since his father left. His mother only cares about his talented brother, and Yuto wonders miserably what the point of his own existence is. One October night with the high school entrance exam looming, he goes for a run to take his mind off things and notices Akane sitting on a swing in the park. Akane is a year below him at school, but looks after her sick mother and her elementary school-aged sister all by herself. Her father has been posted to another town for work, and she doesn’t have anyone she can turn to for help. Her only respite is going for a walk after she’s finished the housework and put her little sister to bed. Yuto often sees her on his nightly runs and becomes curious about her. He strikes up a conversation, and eventually they start going for nightly walks together, confiding in each other.
One day, Yuto hears his mother talk about young caregivers, and realizes this applies to Akane. Wanting to help her, he asks his mother, who works in the welfare office, for advice and together they think about possible solutions. Realizing that there are people who need him, Yuto begins to rethink his relationship with his family. This story is a junior high school romance that also focuses on contemporary social issues. It is refreshing to see Yuto and Akane begin living with their sights firmly fixed on the future. (Shiozaki)
- Text: Hamano, Kyoko | Ill. Nakada, Ikumi
- Kumon Shuppan
- 2020
- 248 pages
- 20×14
- ISBN 978- 4-7743-3078-5
- Ages 13 +
Young caregivers, Romance