Kamishibai - “Paper Theatre”

Honey and friends in a Kamishibai theatre performance.

“Young Carers in Bunnyland” by Ana Graça appears to be the world’s first picture book specifically designed for younger young carers. This tells a story about a six year old young carer called Honey and her friends who, by magic, gets turned into bunny rabbits! The book was re-printed after less than three weeks and has now also been  published as an eBook. The has now also been adapted to make it available in Kamishibai format. 

Kamishibai is a traditional Japanese storytelling method that involves using large picture cards. The term “Kamishibai” translates to “Paper Theatre” or “Paper Play” and this format is particularly well-suited for storytelling in group settings and with younger children. Picture books work well for reading with individual children but less so in group settings.

Our new Kamishibai version has been produced in digital format. It has been designed to be printed as a set of 15 large cards. The idea is that the story’s narrator tells the story without directly reading from the picture book and ideally involves the children in discussion about what is happening throughout the telling of the tale.

The file size is too large to be readily downloaded. Instead, we can provide copies on request by emailing them using WeTransfer. To request an electronic copy of the Kamishibai version of our book, simply send an email to jbangsuk@icloud.com or you can make the request via this website. Wooden Kamishibai theatres can be purchased via Amazon or elsewhere online. However, it is also possible to undertake this type of storytelling by simply holding up the pictures printed out as large cards.

“Young Carers in Bunnyland” presented in Kamishibai format