Zou-Kun No Mitsuketa Shigoto by Hiroyuki Takahashi

Zou-Kun No Mitsuketa Shigoto

(Chinese version of the Japanese original) (English translation- "I can do that.")

By Hiroyuki Takahashi

Original text published by Iwasaki Shoten Co., Ltd., Tokyo, 1978

Chinese translation rights arranged with Iwasaki Shoten Co., Ltd., 

Chinese text FORMOSAN MAGAZINE PRESS, LTD. 1992

No website found for author.

ISBN 957-632-143-3

Accessed through Nangang Public Library in the Taipei Public Library System
Hardbook
Preschool

A lone young blue elephant wanders while seeking out something that he can do. He decides that a nearby town looks like the right place to find that something. In the town, the young elephant encounters various characters. The first is kangaroo postal worker. The young elephant tells the kangaroo- "I can do that- can I help you." The kangaroo replies, that he does not have a pouch to carry the mail so he can't. The next character is a milk pushing cow, who replies to his enthusiastic claim, that he can't because elephants can't make milk. The elephant approaches other characters: a tiger road worker (safety stripes), a mole sewage worker, a giraffe house painter, a buddhist raccoon, a goat scholar, a german shepherd police-dog, and fire-fighting monkeys. In the end, the elephant finds his skill when there is a fire and the fire fighting monkeys can't climb the ladder fast enough to put out the fire. The blue elephant blows water through his trunk and successfully extinguishes the fire. He finds his meaning as a member of the squad fighting fire.

 "I can do that" is a fun book for young children. It introduces different animals and unique traits associated with each animal. Typically, I enjoy characters in books who seek meaning. This is a good book for children that does this and implies that we all have special traits and unique meaning in life. In addition, the elephant teaches the listener to not give up and to keep trying and eventually the right purpose/ thing/ meaning will happen. Optimism and perseverance are good lessons to learn early in life. 


I'm not sure if the book has won any awards or not, but I'm guessing that there was enough recognition, since it has been reprinted in another language 14 years after the original publication. This book will also add to a toddlers vocabulary and will be a good print motivator.