ちいさな宇宙の扉のまえで（読みもの）
In Front of a Small Door to the Universe
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
『ちいさな宇宙の扉のまえで―—続・糸子の体重計』
前向きで明るい細川糸子とクラスメート4 人が各章の語り手となり、５つの物語で6 年生の毎日を伝える。同じ形式で5 年生時代を描いた『糸子の体重計』の続編。
盲腸で入院した糸子が久しぶりに登校すると、転校生の日野恵（ひのめぐみ）がいた。糸子は恵に始終まとわりつかれて戸惑うが、彼女の良さも素直に認めていく（ディスタンス）。恵は「天真爛漫な不思議ちゃん」を装い、「モノ」で人をつろうとするが、それでは本当の友だちは得られないと気づく（リセット）。恵は冷静で強い意志を持つ町田良子（りょうこ）が苦手だが、良子にも悩みはある。良子はプロのバレリーナをめざしているが、オーディションと修学旅行の日が重なってしまい、考えあぐねる（チョイス）。良子を大好きな坂巻まみは、自分の感情が友情とは異なる特別なものではないかと思い詰める（レインボー）。一見明るく元気な滝島径介（けいすけ）は、ふたり暮らしの母に再婚話が浮上し、自分はお荷物なのかもしれないと考え始める（グッバイ）。
彼らはささいなことに悩み、時には逃げ、嫉妬し、傷つけ合う。しっかりと相手を見て素直に思ったことを口にする糸子の存在と行動が魅力的で、物語を明るい方向に導く。失敗しても、失望しても、くじけず前を見て、一歩を踏み出す決意を述べる卒業式の良子の答辞が心に残る。（汐﨑）
| 出版社 | 童心社 |
|---|---|
| 初版年 | 2022年 |
| ISBN | 978-4-494-02077-5 |
| ページ数 | 312頁 |
| サイズ | 20x14cm |
| 対象年齢 | 11歳から |
| キーワード | ６年生、学校、友だち、卒業 |
In Front of a Small Door to the Universe
Narrated by Itoko Hosokawa, a positive, cheerful character who loves good food, and four of her sixthgrade classmates, this story is a sequel to Itoko’s Bathroom Scale, which depicts the daily lives of the same protagonists when they were in the fifth grade.
Returning to school after an appendectomy, Itoko discovers a new student in her class: Megumi Hino. Megumi follows Itoko everywhere. At first, Itoko is flustered, but she recognizes Megumi’s strengths and tries to be a good friend. Megumi pretends to be innocent and mysterious, trying to attract friends by giving away nice little things, but comes to see that she can’t make true friends this way. Although she finds the objective, strongwilled Ryoko Machida disconcerting, Ryoko is facing her own difficulties. An aspiring ballerina, she’s at a loss when her ballet audition coincides with a school trip. Mami Sakamaki really likes Ryoko, but is beginning to wonder if her feelings are something more than friendship. Keisuke Takishima is outwardly cheerful and energetic, but when his single mother starts talking about remarrying, he worries that he’s a burden on her.
Each protagonist has their own worries, doubts, and hopes as they go through the school day. In the midst of this, the presence and actions of Itoko, who sees others objectively and expresses herself openly, captivate the reader and lead the story in a positive direction. In her speech at the school’s graduation ceremony, Ryoko declares her determination to focus on the future and press forward, undeterred by failure or disappointment. Her words linger in the heart of the reader. (Shiozaki)
- Text: ITO Miku | Ill. SATO Makiko
- Doshinsha
- 2022
- 312 pages
- 20x14cm
- ISBN 978-4-494-02077-5
- Ages 11 +
Sixth grader, School, Friends, Graduation