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WAY OF THE BABY by Seiya; Illus. by Yasuhiro Suzuki; Trans. by Brian Hutchins Kuramoto

WAY OF THE BABY

A Book of Five Grins

by Seiya; Illus. by Yasuhiro Suzuki; Trans. by Brian Hutchins Kuramoto

Pub Date: Sept. 19th, 2005
ISBN: 0-595-35885-3

The first English translation of Kuramoto’s treatise on the manipulative ways of the baby.

Written by “a legendary samurai baby from seventeenth century Japan” as a self-help guide for tots, the way of the baby has Zen’s clarity and obliquity. Kuramoto, with the aid of Suzuki’s minimalist sketches, examines all aspects of a baby’s communication skills. Parents should pay close attention to this wise baby’s advice. Like Noam Chomsky’s concept of hard-wired grammar, babies have an intuitive grasp of communication using gestures, looks and vocalizations. First: “The Way of the baby is through mastering the parent.” Stick to your resolve, says Kuramoto; don’t give your hand away to the parent, for many interesting revelations emerge when the parent’s guard is lowered: “Know the secret of the grin and the power of the gaze. Anticipate the plans of the parent without looking and before they occur.” Use facial expressions to grab attention: Narrow your eyes and let out a soft grunt or a measured yelp if a parent seems distracted or disinterested. Laughter, too, is always a key to the heart.

An elegant and useful guide to parenting, from a unique perspective.