Totto-chan, the Little Girl at the Window

This engaging series of childhood recollections tells about an ideal school in Tokyo during World War II that combined learning with fun, freedom, and love. This unusual school had old railroad cars for classrooms, and it was run by an extraordinary man—its founder and headmaster, Sousaku Kobayashi—who was a firm believer in freedom of expression and activity.

(Source: Kodansha, edited)