Editorial review

そらの100かいだてのいえ

Name: そらの100かいだてのいえ
ISBN: 9784033326009

いわいとしお／偕成社

Climbing a sky-high house where clouds and rainbows live

The fourth book in Toshio Iwai's 100かいだてのいえ series moves the 100-storey house into the sky, where the residents are clouds, rain, rainbows and thunder. A detailed, vertical-format book made for slow looking and counting together.

Publisher states: 3歳から
NIPIKO Books suggests: 3–8 yrs

Series: 100かいだてのいえ · Book 4 →

About the book

そらの100かいだてのいえ (roughly 'The 100-Storey House in the Sky') is the fourth title in いわいとしお's much-loved series, published by Kaiseisha in 2017. On a snowy day, a hungry little great tit named Tsupi finds a single sunflower seed and decides to fly up into the sky to find somewhere to plant it, which leads him to a very tall house.

The story and what makes it special

Like the rest of the series, the book opens vertically and is read from the bottom up, with new residents every ten floors. This time the residents are not animals but things of the sky and weather, such as clouds, rain, rainbows and thunder. Every single floor is drawn in careful detail, so one spread can hold a child's attention for a long time.

Summarised from reader feedback

Why children love it

Reviews on 絵本ナビ and reader letters printed by the publisher describe children enjoying the guessing game of who lives on the next ten floors, and being delighted that a cloud or a rainbow can have a home and a daily routine. Many children trace the stairs with a finger and count the floors, and parents report that each rereading turns up a new small detail. Some primary-school children reportedly pick it up and read it on their own.

What parents may appreciate

Parents frequently mention the soft pastel colours and the pale pink cover. They also value how naturally conversation flows: what is happening on this floor, who is sleeping, where the bath is. Counting happens as part of the fun rather than as a lesson. A few parents name this as their favourite book in the whole series.

Things to consider

Few real concerns are reported. In practice, the pictures are so detailed that a full read-through can take a long time, so it may suit an unhurried afternoon better than a sleepy bedtime. One child in the publisher's reader letters found the thunder character a little scary.

Recommended age

Publisher states: 3歳から
NIPIKO Books suggests: 3–8 yrs

The publisher's stated age is 「3歳から」 (from age 3). NIPIKO Books's editorial suggestion is roughly ages 3 to 8: younger children enjoy being read to and pointing, five- and six-year-olds start counting and hunting for details, and early readers can pore over it alone.

Reading-together ideas

Before turning to the next ten floors, ask your child to guess what sky creature might live there.
You don't have to reach the 100th floor in one sitting; stopping halfway and finishing tomorrow works well.
Afterwards, look at the real sky together and imagine what kind of room a cloud or a raindrop would have.

NIPIKO Books editorial assessment

NIPIKO Books's recommendation

NIPIKO Books suggests this book for children who love detailed pictures, are getting interested in numbers, or are curious about weather and the sky. It is a natural next step after the first book in the series, but it also stands on its own. Best enjoyed slowly, side by side, a few floors at a time.