I was introduced to this charming manga series via BCer laevina, who sent out the first three volumes as bookrings. I spotted the fifth volume at Barnes and Noble today and decided to nab it! (Somewhat to my surprise, the cover shows a leggy young woman - turns out that this volume picks up some ten years after the previous one.)

While I had hoped for more of "little Rin", the time-skip gives us the chance to see what kind of teenager she and her friend Kouki turn into, and the ways in which Daikichi has adapted to parenthood. At this point Rin's practically running the household, it seems, and Kouki's become a gawky teenager with a crush on Rin that - alas for him - is not returned, though she does consider him a very good friend.

The relationships between parent and child appear, too, with Rin asking Daikichi for advice on high-school dating, and with Kouki asking his mother whether she's going to marry Daikichi (um, no - though those two were close at one time). The conversations are amusing and awkward and sweet, a nice touch. (Later on, Kouki and Daikichi get into a discussion about relationships, and that one turns very funny by the end!)

There are some flashbacks to intervening years with the kids in middle school, and more domestic humor - a nice ongoing story.

Volumes I've read so far:

Volume One
Volume Two
Volume Three
Volume Four

[I was intrigued to learn from the TV Tropes page (which is amusing and informative, but beware of spoilers - most are masked, but not all) that there's a film adaptation coming out this year in Japan, and that there's an anime as well; will have to be on the watch for those...]

I plan to donate this book to the ongoing-book-sale shelves in the library lobby. [They sell donated books for low prices, with the proceeds going to benefit library programs.] Hope the buyer enjoys the book!

*** Released for the 2014 E-less Challenge, for books with no "E" in the title. ***

*** Released as part of the 2014 Movie release challenge. ***