For hundreds of years, schoolchildren in Japan have been introduced to poetry through the work of Issa. Born in 1763 on a farm in central Japan, Issa began writing poetry as a young child, inspired by his deep love for the natural world. Gollub's poignant rendering of Issa's life and over thirty of his best-loved poems, along with Kazuko Stone's sensitive and humorous watercolour paintings make this a classic introduction to Issa's work for readers of all ages.