その景色をさがして（読みもの）
Looking for That Scenery
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
『その景色をさがして』（Sono keshiki o sagashite）
中学２年生のトーコは小説家だった母を半年前に病気で亡くし、祖父母と暮らしている。母より７歳下で小児科医の千紘ちゃんはトーコを心配してくれるが、母を失った悲しみと、病気の母にひどい言葉を口にしてしまった後悔と、絵の才能が花開いている親友への嫉妬と、母と離婚した父が突然連絡してきたことで、もやもやしている。トーコは千紘ちゃんに甘えて、自分は両親に愛されていないと思うという。すると、千紘ちゃんは、自分が家族に対して複雑な思いを抱えて医者になったことと、トーコの母の中学生時代から小説家になるまでの困難をトーコに告げる。トーコは病床で母がどうしても一緒にいきたいといっていた場所をつきとめたいと思い、母が大切にしていた絵葉書の差出人に手紙を書く。差出人は母の友人で、トーコが探している場所に心当たりがあるという。（土居）
| 出版社 | PHP研究所 |
|---|---|
| 初版年 | 2018年 |
| ISBN | 978-4-569-78749-7 |
| ページ数 | 175頁 |
| サイズ | 20×14 |
| 対象年齢 | 12歳から |
| キーワード | 母親 死 友だち |
Looking for That Scenery
This is the story of Toko, an insecure teenager, and how she comes to terms with her mother’s past.
Thirteen-year-old Toko has been living with her grandparents since her mother, a novelist, died half a year ago. She struggles with complex emotions: grief over the loss of her mother and remorse over some terrible things she said to her, envy of her friend whose artistic talent is blossoming, and turmoil over suddenly being contacted by her father who divorced Toko’s mother.
Chihiro, a pediatrician and Toko’s aunt, is concerned about Toko. One day, Toko confides that she is angry with both her parents for making her suffer like this. “I can’t help thinking,” she says, “that the only reason they could be so selfish is because they never really loved me.” Chihiro tells Toko that the reason she became a doctor was because she had mixed feelings about her own family. She also tells her that Toko’s mother was bullied in junior high school.
After she became ill, Toko’s mother mentioned her desire to visit a certain place once again. Toko decides to find out where that is. She finds a postcard that her mother treasured and writes to the person who sent it. Through this, she learns that this person lives very near the place her mother wanted to go and decides to visit her. Toko learns many things about her mother from this friend. Alone, Toko visits the place her mother wanted to see. There she finds wisteria laden with blossoms. Now she understands where her name comes from: Toko means “wisteria child.” This scene provides a beautiful and dramatic conclusion to the tale. The family’s grief touches the reader’s heart precisely because neither Toko’s mother nor her death are romanticized. (Doi)
- Text: Nakayama, Seiko
- PHP Institute
- 2018
- 175 pages
- 20×14
- ISBN 978-4-569-78749-7
- Ages 12 +
Mothers, Death, Friendship