A CARP FOR KIMIKO

Kimiko yearns for a carp-shaped kite to fly on Children's Day, like the one little brother Yukio has, but it's not the Japanese tradition: kites are for boys. When she tries, politely, to negotiate, her parents are firm—but not unsympathetic, especially Mama. It's true, as Kimiko says, that Yukio shared in the Doll Festival by coming to Kimiko's party; Mama, sighing, says, ``You remind me of the carp, Kimiko, always wanting to swim against the current,'' but agrees to ``bend'' tradition: she may unpack one of the dolls reserved for that festival. Better, once Children's Day is over, Kimiko gets a special gift: a live carp in an aquarium. Roundtree's illustrations are stolidly literal, her bright colors almost garish—an unfortunate choice for a gentle story distinguished by unusual warmth and subtlety. An upbeat but still bracing look at a culture in which children learn to accept tradition—and, like all children, to bargain within the constraints they're given. (Picture book. 4-8)