Chibi the Cat

Meet Chibi, a curious and lovable cat, in this heartwarming Level 3 reader based on a true story.

Through authentic photographs of Chibi’s daily adventures, learners discover what he likes to eat, where he likes to go, and his favourite places to relax. Each page follows predictable sentence patterns using everyday verbs and expressions, helping learners build reading confidence while enjoying a real story about a much-loved family pet.

The beautiful photographs, taken by Mariko Sensei’s son, capture Chibi’s personality and everyday life, making learners feel as though they are following him throughout his day.

This reader combines authentic Japanese, meaningful repetition, and a real-life story to help learners build confidence as they read about one very special cat.

Language Features

Students will practise:

• Reading simple everyday sentences using ～ます
• Using ～が すきです
• Learning common verbs for everyday actions
• Learning vocabulary related to pets and daily routines
• Recognising repeated sentence patterns
• Using authentic photographs to support comprehension
• Developing reading confidence through repetition

Details: 

Japanese Reader Level: 3
Recommended for: Beginners
Language Focus: Everyday verbs and expressions using ～ます and ～が すきです
Vocabulary Theme: Pets, daily routines, food, places, and hobbies
Cultural Theme: Everyday family life in Japan through the story of a beloved pet

Character Count: 206
Pages: 20
Product Type: A5 saddle-stitched booklet
ISBN: 978-1-925808-00-1

Perfect For

• Learners progressing to simple story-based reading
• Primary school Japanese programs
• Beginning secondary school students
• Adult beginners
• Home learning
• Japanese language classrooms
• Animal lovers learning Japanese through authentic stories

 Teaching & Learning Resources

Every reader includes free access to our Resource Library.

Included with every reader:

•  Audio recordings narrated by Mariko Sensei
•  English translation
•  Quizlet vocabulary activities

Also available for schools and teachers:

•  Class Sets with Online Flipbooks

 A Note from Mariko Sensei

Chibi is not just the main character in this reader—he is our family’s much-loved cat, and he is still happily living with us today.

My son, Rick, has always loved photography and took all of the beautiful photographs featured in this book. Together, we wanted to capture Chibi’s everyday adventures and create a story that learners could enjoy while reading simple Japanese.

Every page in this reader is based on Chibi’s real life. He really loves eating, climbing onto the roof, exploring outdoors, sleeping in the sunshine, and relaxing with our family. Writing about someone we know so well made this book especially meaningful for us.

In Japan, cats have a special place in everyday life and culture. You will often see maneki-neko (beckoning cats) displayed in shops and restaurants as symbols of good luck and prosperity. Chibi reminds me every day why cats are such treasured companions.

I hope Chibi’s story brings a smile to your face and helps you build confidence as you continue your Japanese reading journey.

Happy reading!

— Mariko Sensei

📖 Your Next Japanese Reader

Now that you’ve practised everyday verbs and ～が すきです, continue your Japanese reading journey with these readers:

• むし — Continue learning descriptive sentences using あります while exploring the fascinating world of insects through authentic photographs.
• どうぶつ — Reinforce です and じゃないです through repeated sentence patterns while expanding your animal vocabulary.
• はじめての にほん — Take the next step in your reading journey by exploring everyday life and culture in Japan through longer, connected texts.

These Japanese readers are intended for individual use and extensive reading (tadoku).

© Mariko Earle. All rights reserved.