Review by Booklist Review
In this original episode, the poet Bashō sits down next to a pond, closes his eyes, and takes no apparent notice as a golden carp, a graceful water lily, and a whining mosquito all insistently beg for his attention: "O, Bashō! Big fan. My life? It could fill a book of poetry!" Using brushed ink on wet paper to create atmospheric moonlit scenes, Tamaki depicts a poet at work, sitting quietly, seemingly oblivious to distractions, and responding at last not to the elegant fish, the lovely flower, or the long-legged insect diva but to the plain frog who takes a flying leap into the pond and inspires the most famous haiku ever: "Old pond-- / Frog jumps in. / Splash!" In an afterword that includes an analysis, transliteration, and direct translation of the poem as well as comments about the poet and the poetic form, Adderson invites readers to do as Bashō did: go outside themselves, close their eyes, and then express in three lines and as few words as possible what they perceive most intensely.
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Adderson (Babble!) and Tamaki (Every Peach Is a Story) imagine a playful encounter between Japanese poet Matsuo Bashō and three would-be muses vying for placement in his work. Walking one evening, Bashō comes upon a peaceful pond and sits, eyes closed, to think. A golden carp swimming past recognizes him, and, hoping to be immortalized in verse, "danced, fluttering/ the golden extravagance of his tail" on the pond's surface. A water lily subsequently unfurls and wafts her perfume, and then a mosquito (a self-identified "big fan") whines in the poet's ear. But neither sight, smell, nor sound penetrate his serenity until a frog, out for nothing more than a swim, inadvertently becomes the focus of Bashō's now-famous haiku "Old Pond," reproduced in translation at book's end. Though text and visuals don't always align, spare lines humorously explore the pursuit of celebrity and continuation, while watercolor illustrations blend a limited palette of gold, indigo, olive, and pink, conjuring fluid-feeling visuals that juxtapose movement and stillness. Back matter includes more about the poet. Ages 3--6. (Oct.)
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Review by School Library Journal Review
K-Gr 3--Tamaki captures the serenity of a Japanese garden and a quiet poet while also taking on others' need for fame. A famous Japanese poet named Basho sits by a pond, meditating. A beautiful carp dazzles and twirls in the water, wanting to get Basho's attention. "Look at me!" the fish begs. "Write about me," but Basho ignores the fish. Next, a gorgeous lily that blooms only for a day sees a way to make its existence immortal--if only the great poet Basho would write about them. So it goes, with a mosquito seeing his chance at fame, but the poet ignores it. A happy frog decides to get in its evening swim, and the poet writes his famous haiku about that very moment. Additional pages follow with careful information on Basho and haiku. VERDICT This is an excellent book to include in units on teaching poetry or mindfulness.--Pamela McLeod Thompson
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Review by Horn Book Review
This multilayered picture book offers a whimsical interpretation of the famous haiku "Old Pond" by the master poet Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) and celebrates nature and poetry with thoughtfulness and irony. After a walk, Basho stops beside a pond to rest and think. Knowing that he is "the most famous poet in the land," three characters -- a golden carp, a blooming lily, and a pesky mosquito -- vie for his attention and poetic immortality. But none can disturb his reverie until a frog, ignoring them all, dives in for its carefree midnight swim. It is this act that startles and inspires the poet to compose his classic haiku: "Old pond -- / Frog jumps in. / Splash!" Adderson's spare telling offers layers of meaning and fun. The anthropomorphic characters have lines of dialogue or thoughts well suited for reading aloud ("'O, Basho,' the carp called, 'Look at me!'"), and each exemplifies a sensory mode: sight, smell, or sound, all helpful for modeling exploration of nature and writing poetry. Illustrations in acrylic ink recall the style of ancient Japanese ink painting, with each one awash in shades of green-to-yellow, or blue-to-purple, or both, and with perspectives from above, below, close up, and at a distance, providing movement and subtle humor. An endnote includes the poem in the original Japanese with a literal translation, as well as advice for writing nature poems. Sylvia VardellNovember/December 2025 p.43 (c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright The Horn Book, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
Review by Kirkus Book Review
The quintessential 17th-century Japanese poet Bashō composes his signature haiku despite demanding distractions. While out for an evening walk, Bashō finds a "peaceful place…to think" along a pond's mossy banks. Soon enough, he's recognized as "the most famous poet in the land" by nearby inhabitants, each hoping for literary recognition. The golden carp rises to the surface to dance and flutter, demanding, "O, Bashō!…Look at me!" but the poet's eyes continue to rest. The water lily, realizing "a flower lives only one season, unless he's the subject of a poem," unfurls his petals to entice the poet with his perfume, but Bashō's nose doesn't twitch. The mosquito, smelling blood, whines in Bashō's ear, but the poet remains "deaf to droning pests." Just as the frog decides he won't allow the "flashing fish, lavish lily, megalomaniacal mosquito, [and] pensive poet" to ruin his midnight swim, Bashō reengages his senses to capture the moment: "Old pond-- / Frog jumps in. / Splash!" Adderson's succinct text is a clever reflection of Bashō and his precise verses. Tamaki presents her visceral illustrations in saturated swathes of blues and greens with pleasingly popping yellows and pinks. Multiple close-ups of uninterruptible Bashō brilliantly ensures that his wide-eyed, rainbow-energy-emitting final portrait is a humorous, affecting delight. Appended backmatter explains haiku, introduces Bashō, and encourages nature-inspired creativity. A gleefully inventive tale that captures the provenance of one of history's most famous poems.(Picture book. 5-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
