HCSHR: 9:3: A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests

A Pond, A Poet, and Three Pests by Caroline Adderson with illustration by Lauren Tamaki. Toronto: Groundwood, 2025. ISBN 9781773068930. $22 hardcover, $9.99 kindle.

Review by Ruth Kennedy

 

What grabs the mind of a poet? 

Explore this theme in a delightful picture book for the young and for those who enjoy reading with them. This story features the poet Basho in contemplation by a pond, as in his famous poem:

Furuike ya
kawazu tobikomu
mizu no oto

— Basho

 

The translation used in the story is:

 

Old pond—

Frog jumps in

Splash!

 

This translation, while not referenced, is a perfect fit for this story. We see Basho, seated by the pond, unperturbed by the “pests” who try to get his attention, in part because of his fame, but to whom he is oblivious. It’s the frog jumping in that is unexpected and which awakens the poet’s mind. 

The illustrations are part black line drawings, which also create some of the words, and are coloured using a water-based medium, which creates its own colour “splash” moments, in harmony with the story. This beautiful complementarity between the text and images is part of the charm of this book.  

Following the story, the book closes with two pages which include some explanation: of haiku, of Basho’s background, and of the meaning of the poem.

This book will calm the mind and delight the senses.