Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji

Hello there. I am made of paper and bright, beautiful colors. I can show you a secret. Look closely at my pages. Do you see the tall, tall mountain. It has a pointy top covered in white snow. Sometimes, the big mountain peeks out from behind a giant, splashing wave. Whoosh. Sometimes, the mountain is quiet and calm behind a little town. I am not just one picture. I am many, many pictures of the very same special mountain. I am the Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji. I am a book of wonder, showing you the same beautiful thing in so many different ways.

A kind man made me a very long time ago, around the year 1830. His name was Hokusai, and he lived in a place called Japan. Hokusai loved Mount Fuji so much. He thought it was the most beautiful mountain in the world. He wanted everyone to see it. So, he drew pictures of it. Then, his friends took his drawings and carved them onto big blocks of wood. They were like special stamps. They dipped the stamps in bright blue ink and warm pink ink. Then, press. They stamped the pictures onto paper, again and again, making all of my beautiful pages for you to see.

My pictures made so many people happy. They could see the beautiful, snowy mountain from far away without ever leaving their homes. Even today, children like you smile when they see my pages. They especially love the picture with the giant, splashing wave. I show everyone that one thing can be beautiful in many different ways. I hope I remind you to look all around you. You can find wonder everywhere you go.