I live in Tokyo

Takabayashi, M. (2001). I live in tokyo. New York, New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.

This book is a very educational book about life in Tokyo. The story centers around a girl named Mimiko who is seven years old. She talks about the special events that take place in Tokyo as well as the different terms that talk about the city and downtown life. She talks about her family. Her mother practices calligraphy and he likes to practice it too because it makes her feel calm. The book goes through different things that happen each month. She talks about starting second grade and her fears and excitement about school. She also spends time talking about her favorite meals and holidays. It is a great book because it truly gives insight into a year of life for a child growing up in Tokyo. 

It is a great book that is perhaps aimed towards younger students. I do think it would be awesome to have students write their own "I live in ____" book, and perhaps read it to a younger group of students at a nearby elementary school. It is definitely below their reading level, but it would be a good exercise to have them contemplate the holidays and traditions that they love about the culture that they have grown up in. It would also be a good opportunity to compare their traditions to the traditions of other cultures.