Sumo Joe
Written by Mia Wenjen
Illustrated by Nat Iwata
Published by Lee & Low Books
On Saturday mornings, Sumo Joe is a gentle big brother to his little sister. But on Saturday afternoons, he and his friends are sumo wrestlers! They tie on makeshift mawashi belts, practice drills like teppo, and compete in their homemade dohyo ring. They even observe sumo’s ultimate rule: no girls allowed! But when Sumo Joe’s little sister wants to join in the fun, Sumo Joe is torn between the two things he’s best at—sumo, and being a big brother.
Fists, feet, and martial art forms collide in this sweet yet spirited rhyming story by author Mia Wenjen and illustrator Nat Iwata.
Primary ISBN: 9781620148020
Publication Date: June 2019
Available As: Hardcover, eBook
Picture Book, Age 05 or older
Community Represented: Japanese/Japanese American
Themes: Cross-Group Friendship, Cultural Empowerment, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Celebrations & Traditions, Cultural Empowerment & Joy: Identity, Discrimination: Gender and Sexual, Family Relationship: Siblings, Multilingual: Japanese Featured Words, Own Voices/Lived Experience, Religious Background: Shinto, Sports
Setting: United States
Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival
Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience
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Source: Lee & Low Books