The Material Child: Coming of Age in Japan and America

Good in that it dispels stereotypes as opposed to other books on Japanese society that try to explain it all. This book uses actual quotes of actual students. With the way society changes, it will be dated soon. The cover photo is already dated.

This book is a very interesting tour of Japanese youth in the early 1990's. Going beyond mere description she compares Japanese and American teens, blowing away many stereotypes on both sides. I found differences where I wasn't expecting them and surprising ways they are similar. Most of the material focuses on the Japanese side, covering their social development, consummerism, opinions on life's big issues, and how both the group and school mould their personalities and behavior. Make sure not to miss the reproduction of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police's poster on how to figure out if your kid is a juvenile delinquent. It's a laugh!