『A review for English-speaking crafters』
First, I apologize for my monolingualism. However, I think that it would be useful for English-speaking fans of Amigurumi to know that yes, this is the same book that was recently translated and published in English by Chronicle Books (U.S.) under the title "Kyutto! Japanese Crafts Amigurumi".
My daughters love all things Japanese, especially the "Fruits Basket" book series and Amigurumi. I may have to buy the original Japanese language edition of this book, in the interest of better understanding Japanese patterns - let the book serve as a "Rosetta Stone" of sorts, in conjunction with other good references such as "Clear and Simple Crochet Symbols" ( よくわかる編目記号ブック―かぎ針あみ107 ).
Trying to translate between Japanese and English with babelfish, though amusing, leaves a lot to be desired. Perhaps the growing popularity of this book will inspire more American designers to create patterns that rely on clear, detailed charts and the universal language of crochet symbols.
Oh, and I love the sheep pattern. Must crochet it Right Away. Thank you, Takamori Tomoko-san.