Sonic the Harinezumi

Kasumi and Erika Itano are 4th and 5th grade sisters at Oda Shougakko who have a fragile mental condition called "pervasive developmental disorder", according to the nurse's electronic dictionary, which requires them to be taught English in a special class. I assumed it must be a genetic disorder, but this didn't really make sense, because the girls, though sometimes shy, are two of my brightest, most enthusiastic students. Last weekend, I learned the truth from my friend Megumi who used to teach at Oda. Kasumi and Erika's parents are going through a tough divorce, which has been hard on the mom and the two girls. So the girls are getting special treatment at school for the time being.

I taught my first private lesson to Kasumi and Erika today from 9 to 9:30. We played "I'm thinking of something/ 20 questions" in the Cooking classroom, with Yokota sensei, the former 6th grade teacher, "Support staff" since the new school year started in April. I'd throw one of the girls a ball (my black-and-orange Princeton Nerf mini-football), and she'd ask me a question, usually in Japanese, that I'd answer in English.
"Ningen yori, okii desu ka?" Is it bigger than a human?
"Africa de sunde imasu ka?" Does it live in Africa?
"What color" (Erika asked in English). "Grey".
Kasumi: "Oh! Wakatta! (I get it!) Zoo desu yo!" Her older sister helped: "Elephant."

I thouth of "elephant", then "kangaroo", which took them a while: Bigger than a human, brown, furry, doesn't swim, doesn't live in Africa, seen in a zoo (doubutsukoen). Not an ostrich, camel, gorilla, lion, or zebra. "Where from?" wasn't a Yes/No question, but since Erika said it in English, I answered: "Australia."

Kasumi-chan got it immediately-- "Wakatta!" I tossed her the ball.
"Kangaroo!" She was giddy as I gave her the ball and said "Jibun no sukina doubutsu o kangaete kudasai": Now think of your own animal.

It took us a while-- Smaller than a human, grey (hairo, 葉色), kept as a pet in America but not in Japan, definitely not cute ("Kawakunai yo!"), not a mouse, not a rat or hamster. Finally, Erika asked "Harinezumi des ne?" I raised an eyebrow- "nani?" Yokota sensei doodled on the board beside his camel and ostrich, a small spiky animal--
"Oh, a hedgehog." I said. "Sonic no doubutsu desu ka?"
"So des yo!"