I came up with ideas of writing a short story in English for my nephews as part of their Christmas gifts. Before, I have written short stories in Japanese for them as gifts several times.

When I get an idea, I act on it immediately. So I have already sent it to my nephews. However, I was concerned that I had only read a few children’s picture books in English. For example, I didn’t know what tense picture books use. I wrote them using the past tense. But should I have written them using the present tense?

So I went to a small, rural one-story library in my neighborhood. Surprisingly, there were English picture books. When I found the ‘Guri to Gura’ and the ‘Daruma-chan’ series in English, I couldn’t help smiling. They are among the most popular children’s books in Japan.

Anyway, I checked their tenses. It seemed that they used the present tense. The translations of onomatopoeic and mimetic words were also helpful. Above all, “Guri to Gura” and “Daruma-chan” which I read for the first time in decades, enriched my heart.

I had a fulfilling time as if it was my Christmas gift to myself. What kind of time do you feel as if you have been given a gift?