Discover the Magic of Grandma’s Love

When Sakura takes a heart-shaped chocolate to her grandmother’s house as a special gift, disaster strikes—the chocolate melts in the summer heat. Heartbroken, Sakura thinks her surprise has been ruined forever.

Through Grandma’s kindness, creativity, and a little “magic,” the melted chocolate is transformed into a brand-new treat. As the story unfolds, learners naturally practise connected Japanese sentences while following each step of Grandma’s clever solution. Authentic illustrations and meaningful repetition help students predict meaning, build reading confidence, and enjoy the story from beginning to end.

Originally written to introduce young children to the concept of “things melt,” this heartwarming reader combines everyday science, practical Japanese, and the special bond between a grandmother and her granddaughter. It encourages learners to discover that even when things don’t go as planned, love, imagination, and a positive attitude can create something even better.

Language Features

Students will practise:

• Reading narrative texts using polite and plain forms
• Following a sequence of events using まず・次に・そして・最後に
• Understanding cause and effect using ～から
• Reading て-form to connect actions
• Understanding ～てしまう／～ちゃう to describe accidental or regrettable events
• Building reading confidence through an engaging story and meaningful repetition

Details: 

Japanese Reader Level: 8
Recommended for: Advanced Learners
Language Focus: Narrative texts using polite and plain forms, て-form, ～から, ～てしまう／～ちゃう, and sequencing expressions
Vocabulary Theme: Family, food, feelings, cooking, and everyday life
Cultural Theme: Japanese family relationships, visiting grandparents, homemade treats, and kindness in everyday life

Character Count: 822
Pages: 25
Product Type: A5 saddle-stitched booklet
ISBN: 978-0-6481178-7-2

Perfect For

• Students developing advanced Japanese reading skills
• Secondary school Japanese programs
• JLPT N4–N5 learners
• Adult learners
• Home learning
• Japanese language classrooms
• Exploring Japanese family life through an engaging story

 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

Like Grandma, this story was inspired by my own grandmother, who was the most important person in my childhood. Whenever something went wrong, she always seemed to know exactly how to make everything better. As a child, I truly believed she had a little bit of magic.

I originally wrote this story while teaching at a bilingual school. At the time, I was introducing the concept of “things melt” to a class of three-year-old children. Rather than simply teaching new vocabulary, I wanted to create a story that children would remember and enjoy.

Through Sakura and her grandmother, I hope readers discover that mistakes and unexpected problems don’t always have to end in disappointment. Sometimes, with a little creativity, patience, and love, they can become something even more special.

Happy reading!

— Mariko Sensei

📖 Your Next Japanese Reader

Continue building your Japanese reading confidence with these engaging Level 8 readers:

• うんどうかい (Sports Day) — Discover one of Japan’s most exciting school traditions while strengthening your reading skills through authentic cultural experiences.
• かかしむら (Scarecrow Village) — Explore a fascinating Japanese village filled with life-sized scarecrows while expanding your vocabulary through descriptive and factual texts.
• ほごねこ ちいちゃん (Rescued Cat Chii-chan) — Enjoy a heartwarming story about a rescued cat while developing confidence with richer vocabulary and more advanced sentence patterns.

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

© Mariko Earle. All rights reserved.