Compton, Patricia A. The terrible EEK : a Japanese tale / retold by Patricia A. Compton ; illustrated by Sheila Hamanaka. New York : Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers, c1991. 0671737376 (Ages 5-9)

A father tells his son of his fears. This sets up a funny chain of events involving a thief, a wolf, a tiger, and a monkey. Hamanaka's illustrations are both dark and witty. Some similarity to the Korean tale The tiger and the dried persimmon.

Frech, Fiona. Little Inchkin / Fiona French. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, 1994. 0803714785 (trade) (Ages 5-9)

Though they are ashamed of him, a childless couple is blessed with a tiny son, who becomes an important samurai warrior. Artwork is bright and bold with more of an "Asian" feel than a Japanese feel. Compare to Issunboshi the out of print version by George Suyeoka (Island Heritage, 1974), if possible. This story would also be fun to read along side Tom Thumb.

Hearn, Lafcadio. Japanese Fairy Tales by Lafcado Hearn and others. Boni and Liverright: New York, 1918. [Reprinted several times] (Ages 8+)

Hearn wrote the first four stories which are Chin-Chin Kobakama, The Goblin-Spider, The Old Woman Who Lost Her Dumplings, and The Boy Who Drew Cats. . "The others are by Grace James, Professor Basil Hall Chamberlain and others." The other stories are The Silly Jelly-Fish, The Hare of Inaba, Shippeitaro, The Matsuyama Mirror, My Lord Bog-o'-Rice, The Serpent with Eight Heads, The Old Man and the Devils, The Tongue-Cut Sparrow, The Wooden Bowl, The Tea-Kettle, Urashima, Green Willow, The Flute, Reflections, The Spring Lover and the Autumn Lover, Momotaro.

These tellings of these stories show their age. However, I recommend using them for comparison.

Hodges, Margaret. The boy who drew cats / adapted by Margaret Hodges ; illustrated by Aki Sogabe. New York : Holiday House, c2002. Ages 6+.

And

The boy who drew cats : a Japanese folktale / retold by Arthur A. Levine ; pictures by Frederic Clement. New York : Dial Books for Young Readers, c1994.

A boy's love of drawing cats saves his life. Sogabe's artwork is somberly created with cut paper, watercolors, and airbrush.

Kajikawa, Kimiko. Yoshi's feast / by Kimiko Kajikawa ; illustrated by Yumi Heo. New York : DK Ink, 2000. 0789426072 Ages 5-10.

Yoshi feasts on the smells from his neighbor's broiled eel stall, but he is too tightfisted to buy any of them. As he learns generosity of heart, he gains a friend. "Yoshi's Feast was adapted from a story, 'Smells and Jingles,' in William Elliot Griffis's Japanese Fairy World: Stories from the Wonder-lore of Japan (J.H. Barhyte, 1880)."

Kimmel, Eric. Three samurai cats : a story from Japan / retold by Eric A. Kimmel ; illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein. New York : Holiday House, 2003. Ages 4+.

"There was once a daimyo, a powerful lord, whose castle was occupied by a savage rat," begins Three Samurai Cats. "The daimyo rode to a distant shrine famous for its corps of fighting cats--tough, skilled fighters," the story continues. A strange and entertaining story where the wisest cat "allows his enemy to defeat himself".

Martin Rafe. Mysterious tales of Japan / [expanded, developed, and reinterpreted] by Rafe Martin ; illustrated by Tatsuro Kiuchi. New York : G.P. Putnam's Sons, 1996. Ages 8+. Storyteller's Look at Mysterious Tales

Excellent addition to Hearnian literature. Includes Urashima Tar¯o -- Green willow -- Ho-Ichi the earless -- The snow woman -- Kogi -- The crane maiden -- The pine of Akoya -- A frog's gift-- The boy who drew cats -- Black hair. Includes story notes detailing each stories origin. This volume's Crane Maiden and Pine of Akoya are not based on Hearn's telling of the tales.

Melmed, Laura Krauss. Little Oh / Laura Krauss Melmed ; illustrated by Jim LaMarche. New York : Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books/Morrow, c1997. Ages 6-10.

New folklore tale of a woman's origami doll that comes to life after bringing a lonely man and woman together to form a family. Detailed drawings illustrate traditional Japanese settings.

Myers, Tim. Tanuki's gift : a Japanese tale / by Tim Myers; pictures by R.G. Roth. New York : Marshall Cavendish, c2003. Ages 6-10.

A friendship grows between a priest and a tanuki (a badger-like mythical creature).

Partridge, Elizabeth. Kogi's mysterious journey / adapted by Elizabeth Partridge ; illustrated by Aki Sogabe. New York : Dutton Children's Books, 2003. Ages 6-10.

Kogi is an artist who experiences the life of a fish. Sogabe's cut paper illustrations are bright and detailed.

Stamm, Claus. Three strong women : a tall tale from Japan / Claus Stamm ; pictures by Jean and Mou-sien Tseng. New York : Viking, 1990. Ages 6-10.

Three generations of Japanese women are stronger than a sumo wrestler.

Yagawa, Sumiko. Tsuru ny¯ob¯o. English. The crane wife / retold by Sumiko Yagawa ; translation from the Japanese by Katherine Paterson ; illustrated by Suekichi Akaba. New York : William Morrow, 1981. Ages 8-12.

A poor man does a good deed and is repaid in a marvelous way. Things go bad when he breaks a promise. Illustrations are as soft as a cranes feathery down.