SHOGAKUKAN
From the past 100 years to the next 100 years.

Inspiring the power to create new ideas.
Shogakukan was founded in 1922 as a publisher of educational magazines for preschool and elementary school students. Having celebrated its 100th anniversary
last year, Shogakukan has now established itself as a leading publisher of fiction, non-fiction, children’s books, art, photography, travel guides, dictionaries,
encyclopedias and other reference books. Renowned for its long tradition and expertise in the publishing industry, Shogakukan also produces a wide range ofother content over print, digital and audio—comic books for children and adults, educational and entertainment magazines and websites and apps. The wealth oforiginal content is further promoted through investment in film and TV productions, third-party adaptations, as well as extended reality (XR) projects. Honoring

outstanding works with the Shogakukan Children, Comics and Non-Fiction Awards, Shogakukan aims to actively foster diversity, inclusion and accessibility, andstrives for the advancement of education and learning.

For information, please contact:
Shogakukan Inc.
2-3-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8001, Japanwww.shogakukan.co.jp
rights_inquiry@shogakukan.co.jp

Company Name: SHOGAKUKAN Inc.
Headquarters: Tokyo, JapanFounded: August 8, 1922
President: Nobuhiro Oga
Capital: 147 million yen
Sales: 108.4 billion yen (2022 fiscal year)
Employees: 696 (as of March 2023)

2
Copyright ©2023 Shogakukan Inc. Front and back cover artwork by Kurahashirei. All rights reserved.

Contents
HIGHLIGHTS

04

EARLY YEARS

06

PICTURE BOOKS12CHAPTER BOOKS22BACKLIST

31

3

HIGHLIGHTS

4

PAGE 18

PAGE 14

PAGE 8

PAGE 13HIGHLIGHTS

Sato the Rabbit, the Morning Sun

fancomiYuki Ainoya

PAGE 23

PAGE 27

gahaku & brush

The Cabin Company

PAGE 20

Melting into the Sunset

PAGE 19

I’m Home
Makiko Toyofuku

The Snow Theater

The Illustrated Guide to Major Crises

The Comet and the Last Dragon

The Garden

Ryoji Arai

Noritake Suzuki

Kyoko Imai and Miho Satake

Rui Kodemari
5

EARLY YEARS

6

EARLY YEARS
Look
InsideWhere Did the Mosquito Go?
Ka doko itta? / カ どこいった？

Noritake Suzuki
Turn the page and snap! A new type of interactive picture book
A mosquito landed on my hand. Ready, turn the page and snap! Ah, it escaped. Where did the mosquito go?
On the building blocks. One more time, turn the page and snap! It escaped again. From the bestselling authorof The Illustrated Guide to Major Crises and the Workplaces series, a new type of interactive picture book,
simple yet packed with interesting ideas. Read the story and try to catch the mosquito by turning the thick,hefty pages with a mighty snapping sound. A perfect summer read-aloud, with humorous illustrations andISBN: 978-4-09-726820-8

repetitive text to help children focus on the activity at hand and share in the fun. A surprise awaits at the end!

Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: November 2018
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified)Age: 0+Noritake Suzuki was born in 1975 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. After working as a company employee andgraphic designer, he became a picture book author. He won the Readers’ Prize at the Japan Picture Book Awards for
Boku no toire (My Toilet) and the Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award for Shigotoba Tokyo Sukai Tsuri(Workplaces: Tokyo Sky Tree). Major works include the Shigotoba (Workplaces) series, Kawa (River), and Oshiri o shiritai(I Want to Know More About Butts). Daipinchi zukan (The Illustrated Guide to Major Crises), published by Shogakukan in
2022, sold 400,000 copies to date in Japan and was awarded the Miraiya Picture Book Grand Prize, the Libro PictureBook Award Grand Prize and the MOE Picture Booksellers’ Grand Prize.

7

EARLY YEARS
Look
InsideI’m Home
Tadaima / ただいま

Makiko Toyofuku
A gentle story celebrating the comfort to be found in kindness and care for others
Pon is a plush raccoon, with a soft fluffy tail.
One day, he is abruptly packed into a box andsent to a toy hospital, the tail he always
considered his pride and joy completely torn
off and packed in the box right beside him. At
the hospital, Pon encounters many other toys
waiting to be treated—a toy truck with a
missing tire, a marionette with torn strings, adoll with ripped lace on its French-madeintricate dress.
ISBN: 978-4-09-725234-4
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: July 2023
Age: 3+As the damaged toys are gently laid in wicker baskets by the toy doctor, Pon starts sharing with his fellow

inpatients the thoughts that have been troubling him since his arrival. The two children in his family tore off his
tail while pulling him back and forth in a fight. Is the family now trying to get rid of him? Will he ever be able toreturn? A heartwarming story whose soft water-colored illustrations and simple narrative help children address
feelings of insecurity and anxiety and reassure them of their family’s unshakable love.

Makiko Toyofuku is a Japanese author whose works range from picture books to illustrations for newspapers andmagazines. She was born in Tokyo and graduated from the College of Art and Design at Musashino Art University. After
working as a graphic designer at an advertising agency, she became a freelance illustrator. Odoritai no (I Want to Dance)
published by Kane Miller Books in 2020 is her first book to be translated in English.

8

EARLY YEARS
Look
InsideWelcome Back, Kirby
Okaeri Kabi / おかえりカービィ

Written by Asami Taniguchi, Illustrated by Karameru
Kirby is lost in outer space. Will he be able to find his
way home?
While playing along the Milky Way, Kirby falls asleep and gets
swept away by the Sea of Stars. “Where am I?” As much as hetries to get his bearings, Planet Popstar, Kirby’s home planet, isnowhere to be found. So, Kirby hops on a bright yellow star andstarts his long journey back home. On the way, he experiences
ISBN: 978-4-09-725230-6

Pages: 18 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: July 2023
Age: 3+

Sweet Dreams, Kirby
Illustrated by RURUTEAThe Gift of a StarTake Courage

Illustrated by RURUTEA

Illustrated by HYOGONOSUKE

Thank YouA Hug from Kirby

life on all sorts of different planets. Planet Robostar, Burgerstar,
Fluffystar, Playstar…Will Kirby make it home safely or will he be
tempted to stay? In the latest installment in the popular It’s
Kirby Time series, Kirby explores the outer space for the firsttime. Illustrated throughout in bright, lively colors and with an
extraordinary wealth of landscapes and characters drawn inpainstaking detail, this is a story about returning to that
“important place” we all hold dear in our hearts.

Asami Taniguchi is a manga artist born in Tokyo in 1981. She is notablefor being the author of the Kirby of the Stars! Moretsu Pupupu Hour!
manga series. In her occasional manga appearances, she draws herself
in a kimono with an Asian conical hat with the characters of her surname

Kirby’s Tiny World

Illustrated by HYOGONOSUKE

Illustrated by RURUTEA

Together with Kirby

Kirby’s Birthday

Illustrated by Caho(谷口) imprinted on it and a large fountain pen. In 2002, she won anhonorable mention in the children’s section of the Shogakukan New
Comic Award and, in 2003, made her debut in Bessatsu CoroCoro
magazine.

Illustrated by Karameru

Illustrated by Caho

Kirby’s Alone Time

Illustrated by HYOGONOSUKE

9

EARLY YEARS
Look
InsidePikachu’s First Friends

Look
InsidePikachu to hajimete no tomodachi / ピカチュウとはじめてのともだち

Pikachu to yoru no tanken / ピカチュウとよるのたんけん

Rikako Matsuo

Rikako Matsuo

Will Pikachu be able to make any new friends?

Time to venture out into the night!

The first picture book series released by monpoké, the official

The second installment of the popular monpoké series takes

Pokémon brand for babies. Babies can now explore theplace on the night of a full moon, ideal for ghosts and otherwonderful world of Pokémon with Pikachu and his friends!
ISBN: 978-4-09-725136-1
Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: December 2021

scary surprises. Pikachu and his friends decide to climb

Traveling on a small boat, Pikachu discovers an island where

ISBN: 978-4-09-725187-3

many Pokémon live, called monpoké Island. As Pikachu wanders

Printing: Coloraround the island, he meets a very special friend.

Rights Sold: English

Pikachu’s Night Adventure

Pages: 32 pages
Publication: September 2022
Rights Sold: English

Makkuroyama, the so-called pitch-dark mountain. In addition to
Pikachu, Dedenne, and Eevee, the book features many otherPokémon that can be encountered at night.

Age: 3+

Age: 3+

はま べに

ふねを

めのま え に はRikako Matsuo was born in 1989 and currently lives and works in Tokyo.

Rikako Matsuo was born in 1989 and currently lives and works in Tokyo.

A graduate of the printmaking course at the Joshibi University of Art andA graduate of the printmaking course at the Joshibi University of Art and

Design in Tokyo, she has loved Pokémon since she was a primary school

Design in Tokyo, she has loved Pokémon since she was a primary school

student. Her most famous picture books include Itsutsugo usagi nostudent. Her most famous picture books include Itsutsugo usagi no

kissaten (The Coffee Shop of the Quintuplet Bunnies), Itsutsugo usagi tokissaten (The Coffee Shop of the Quintuplet Bunnies), Itsutsugo usagi to

umi no hoseki (The Quintuplet Bunnies and the Sea Gem), Takaramono noumi no hoseki (The Quintuplet Bunnies and the Sea Gem), Takaramono noanata (You Are My Treasure), Ofuro daisuki! Shirokuma kyodai! (The Polaranata (You Are My Treasure), Ofuro daisuki! Shirokuma kyodai! (The Polar

Bear Siblings Love Taking Baths!), Sutekina okurimono nakami wa nani?

Bear Siblings Love Taking Baths!), Sutekina okurimono nakami wa nani?

(What Is in This Beautiful Gift?).

(What Is in This Beautiful Gift?).

と めま し た 。

ぽっ かり

おおき な

ヒ ュ ー ヒ ュ ーとい わの

ト ン ネ ル。

©2022 Pokémon. ©1995-2022 Nintendo/Creatures Inc./GAME FREAK inc.
TM, ®︎, and character names are trademarks of Nintendo.

ピ カ チ ュ ウを

かぜが

ふき

よ んで い る よ う で す。

10

EARLY YEARS
Look
InsideLet’s Get Striped!

Look
InsideShima shima shimasho / しましましましょ

Nojo ni sumu neko / のうじょうにすむねこ

Jin Kitamura

Nachio Nakanishi

How about we all get striped together?

Let’s go for a stroll around the farm and meet cat’s
animal friends“Let’s get striped!” A zebra runs at full gallop through the pages
ISBN: 978-4-09-725110-1

Pages: 28 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: June 2021
Age: 0+

The Cat on the Farmof the book and, as if in response to its call, a cat, a fish, tree

ISBN: 978-4-09-725130-9

trunks, grass, people, houses, cars, trains, the sky, the sea, thePrinting: Color

whole world around the zebra gets striped. Jin Kitamura’s line
drawings have a calming effect on the reader, while the fast-

Pages: 32 pages
Publication: February 2018
Age: 0+A cat lives on a farm. When it wakes up in the morning, it takes
a walk and greets the various friends it encounters. Birds,
goats, buffaloes, horses, rabbits, chickens—all the animals on
the farm are introduced from the cat’s unique perspective. The

paced crescendo of the story creates a fun sense of rhythm thatchildlike, playful illustrations featuring richly textured collages

is perfect for reading aloud.

where animals take the center stage will appeal to both children
and adults alike.

Jin Kitamura was born in Tokyo in 1981. After graduating from the
Department of Arts at the School of Humanities and Culture at Tokai

Nachio Nakanishi was born in Kochi Prefecture and is both a chef andUniversity, in 2006 he started his career as a freelance illustrator. His

an illustrator. Since 2007, she has been running Toraneko Bonbon, an

work can be found across various media such as picture books, bookitinerant restaurant that changes its menu according to the season andcovers, merchandising and other products. The minimalist style of his

location Nakanishi travels to. As an illustrator, she is active in a wide

crayon drawings is inspired by everyday life and aims to celebrate thevariety of fields, including children’s books and other goods. She is thebeauty of the ordinary. He was awarded the bronze prize at the 2007

author of Neko goyomi 365 nichi (365 Romantic Cat Days) and Toraneko

competition of the Tokyo Illustrators Society (TIS) of which he is a

Bonbon no omotenashi (Toraneko Bonbon’s Hospitality).

member and is currently a lecturer at the Kobe Design University.

11

PICTURE BOOKS

12

PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideMelting into the Sunset
Yuyake ni tokete iku / ゆうやけにとけていく

The Cabin Company

ISBN: 978-4-09-725229-0
Pages: 31 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: July 2023
Age: 3+

Birds aiming at the sun, a train rushing in the distance, the glow of the setting sun enfolds joy
and sorrow alike
As the sun sinks beyond the horizon, a boy playing freely on a jungle gym, a girl kicking bitterly at a stone, aparent and child coming home from the grocery store…scenes that take in the spectrum of human emotion
are depicted against the warm glow of the sunset in the background. Rich hues of red, orange, pink andyellow gradually melt into deep shades of green, turquoise, blue and purple until under a myriad of twinklingstars all is dark and quiet. “The joy and sorrow of people living here and there today turn into a stream of lightthat melts into the sky. And that’s how this quiet night sky came to be. Sleep tight.”
The Cabin Company is the nickname of Kentaro Abe and Saki Yoshioka, a duo of children’s book artists. Both were bornin Oita Prefecture in 1989 and graduated from the Faculty of Education and Welfare Science at Oita University. They are
active in a wide range of fields, mainly in their hometown of Oita, including exhibitions, picture books, illustrations andworkshops in galleries and shops. They are currently working in a former elementary school, which they renovated into
their studio. Previous books published by Shogakukan include Pokémon no shima (Pokémon Island), Yubisashi-chan(Fingertippy), Nyo-! (Swoosh!) and Nen neko (It’s Bedtime for Kitten) among many others.

13

PICTURE BOOKS
Look
Insidegahaku & brush
Gahaku to burashi / ガハクとブラシ

fancomi

A day in the life of Gahaku the painter and his beloved dog BrushOne day, Gahaku the painter and his beloved dog Brush find a nice spot to paint outdoors. They are preparing
their tools when all sorts of different creatures come out and ask to be painted. An elephant and a giraffecome running from far away and strike a weird pose. “Paint us!” They request in unison. “No, no, paint us!”
ISBN: 978-4-09-725225-2
Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: July 2023
Age: 3+Prairie dogs and moles pop out of the dirt one by one and state in reply. Then trees, clouds, thunders, rivers,
fishes and birds, a mountain and the sun itself all fiercely ask for their portrait to be taken. Gahaku finishes up
all their paintings amid a great hubbub of excitement, but in the end which is his favorite? The latest picturebook by one of the most in vogue contemporary Japanese illustrators enchants readers with brightillustrations and a funny, rhythmical story.
fancomi is the nickname of illustrator and designer Jun Omori, born in Saitama Prefecture in 1980. After graduating in
2004 from the Department of Design at Tokyo Zokei University, he joined the A&A Masuteru Aoba Design Office. He iscurrently active as a freelance illustrator and designer in a wide variety of fields, ranging from product packaging,advertising, magazine and book design. He was a finalist in the 3rd “1_WALL” Graphics Competition. His books include
Boku no hon (My Book) and Sore wa mata betsu no hanashi (That’s a Different Story), as well as the bilingual (Japaneseand English) Small Story and Neko ga taiyaki tabechatta (The Cat Ate the Taiyaki).
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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideISBN: 978-4-09-726718-8

The Dinosaur Audition

Look
InsideThe Dinosaur Sports Day

Kyoryu odishon / きょうりゅうオーディション

Kyoryu undokai / きょうりゅううんどうかい

Chisato Tashiro

Chisato Tashiro

Welcome to dinosaur paradise!

At sports day it is dinosaur galore!

The dinosaur audition is held under the light-hearted supervision

In this follow-up to The Dinosaur Audition, Ankylosaurus,of Fukuivenator, a small dinosaur measuring 245 centimeters inPachycephalosaurus, Psittacosaurus and a total of other twenty-

length and weighing 25 kilograms. Various dinosaurs, keen to

one dinosaurs, pterosaurs, and sea creatures gather for sports

take part in his new musical, come to show their special skills. A

day. Under the watchful eye and lively commentary of

long-necked Brachiosaurus, a Triceratops with a large bony frill

Fukuivenator, dinosaurs challenge each other in all sorts of races

and three horns, a singing Tyrannosaurus with a huge

ISBN: 978-4-09-725309-9

Printing: Colormouth…Who will win the competition and take part in the final

Printing: Colorrope and speed racing. Is the Tyrannosaurus really faster thanPublication: June 2017

musical? Based on throrough research at the Fukui Prefectural

Publication: September 2023

the Mamenchisaurus? Japan Picture Book Award-winning author,

Pages: 32 pages

Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese(Traditional)
Age: 5+

Dinosaur Museum, one of the world-leading dinosaur museums,

Pages: 40 pages

Age: 5+from carrying eggs while flying and rolling ammonites to pulling

Chisato Tashiro, creates patterns and collages through humble

The Dinosaur Audition is representative of Chisato Tashiro’s

materials such as wood, stones, and leaves to vividly depict theaward-winning work, for the use of a variety of materials anddinosaurs’ endearing adventures and give a sense of just how

painting methods such as printmaking and collage. In particular,

long ago the dinosaurs lived.

the bow tie of the Fukuivenator, the audition’s judge, is madefrom fossils excavated by Tashiro herself at the museum.

Chisato Tashiro is a children’s book author and illustrator, born in Tokyoin 1969. She illustrated the picture book Mori no koe (Voices of the

Chisato Tashiro is a children’s book author and illustrator, born in Tokyoin 1969. She illustrated the picture book Mori no koe (Voices of theForest) for EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Her 2003 picture book Boku wa
kamereon (Chameleon’s Colors) was published in English by NorthSouth Books (tr. Marianne Martens) among other languages. In 2011,
Hikkoshi daisakusen 5 hiki no sutekina nezumi (Five Nice Mice Build aHouse), published in English by minedition, won the Japan Picture Book

Forest) for EXPO 2005 in Aichi, Japan. Her 2003 picture book Boku wa
kamereon (Chameleon’s Colors) was published in English by NorthSouth Books (tr. Marianne Martens) among other languages. In 2011,
Hikkoshi daisakusen 5 hiki no sutekina nezumi (Five Nice Mice Build aHouse), published in English by minedition, won the Japan Picture Book
Award. Her work was selected for the 21st Bratislava World Picture Book
Original Illustration Exhibition.

Award. Her work was selected for the 21st Bratislava World Picture Book
Original Illustration Exhibition.

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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideBonbalbon, the World’s Kindest
Monster
Sekai ichi reigi tadashii kaiju bonbarubon / せかいいちれいぎただしいかいじゅう ボンバルボン

Q-raisCute, funny, and a little surreal—a new monster is in town!
One day, a humongous, enormous monster emerges from the sea. The
town is in an uproar. With courage in hand, the mayor boards a helicopter
and approaches the terrifying sea creature. Just as he is about to plead
for the safety of the town and its people, the monster bows deeply andoffers gifts. “I’d like to bask in the sun a little. May I come ashore?” He
asks. How humble! How sweet! How polite! The mayor is impressed andwelcomes the monster in town. Will the mayor regret his decision? Will
the town come through unscathed? Rumble, rumble, the ground vibrates
ISBN: 978-4-09-725233-7
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: July 2023

once again…Meet Bonbalbon, the latest surprising new character bypopular Japanese artist Q-rais.

Age: 3+

Yusuke Sakamoto, better known as Q-rais, has been making short animations since high school. After graduating from
Tokyo Zokei University, he worked at Tohokushinsha Film Corporation and has been a full-time freelance animator,
cartoonist and illustrator since 2017. He was the grand prize winner of the 19th DigiCon6 ASIA for his film Kamo ga suki (ILike Ducks). His picture books include Chikyu-chan (Earthy), Don Ussa sora o tobu (Don Ussa Flies Up to the Sky) and
Abare neko (Rough Cat).

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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideWhat’s for Lunch?
Obento nani ireyo? / おべんとう なにいれよう？

Ikeda Mame
Is it a hamburger or a spaghetti kind of day?
Mixed sandwiches for a playdate at the park. Fried chicken with plenty of rice and vegetables to take along on
sports day. Sushi rolls with a sprinkling of pink petals to savor beneath the blooming cherry trees. Let’s packour own lunch boxes and go on an adventure! Includes a board book with four different lunch boxes andeighty-five cut out sheets with a large variety of fish, meat, fruit and vegetables to choose from. Cut yourfavorite foods with scissors, tear the paper rice and seaweed with your hands and place them in the lunch box
that most inspires you. By putting together their own meals children are encouraged to think about what foods
they like, what colors they want to use, and how to organize the space in their lunch boxes. This book not only
stimulates parent-child communication, but teaches children to appreciate the warmth and love that goes into
the preparation of a homemade meal. Part of Shogakukan’s Paperpuntas series of activity books that allow
young children (and children at heart) to experience the excitement of manipulating paper and creating
ISBN: 978-4-09-725217-7

something new with their own hands. Tear, cut, fold—the possibilities are endless!

Pages: 54 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: April 2023
Age: 3+

Ikeda Mame is a Japanese manga artist and illustrator, born in Izumo City, Shimane Prefecture, in 1992. After graduatingfrom high school, she worked as assistant chef for three years before moving to Osaka to paint. Her work mainly focuses
on illustrations for book covers and exhibitions. In 2016, she was awarded the Masayoshi Nakajo Award at the HB File
Competition. Her books include Aji ga aru (Tasty), Onaka ga hetta (I’m Hungry), Watashi no kangaeru kotto (This Is How I
Feel About Antiques), Ekiben to fukei (Station Lunch Boxes and Landscapes). Eggs are her favorite food.

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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideSato the Rabbit, theMorning Sun
Usagi no Sato-kun asahi / うさぎのさとうくん あさひ

Yuki Ainoya

Sato the Rabbit
Usagi no Sato-kun / うさぎのさとうくん

Yuki Ainoya
ISBN: 978-4-09-727490-2
Pages: 60 pages

One day Sato decides to become a rabbit and a rabbit hehas been ever since. Welcome to the whimsical world ofSato the rabbit, where the ordinary becomes extraordinary!

Printing: Color
Publication: April 2006
Rights Sold: Catalan, English, Romanian, Spanish
Age: 6+In this fourth installment of the endearingly surreal Sato the
ISBN: 978-4-09-725202-3
Pages: 40 pages

Rabbit series, Yuki Ainoya explores the theme of light, how it

Printing: Color

can be manipulated as a physical object and used in ways we

Publication: December 2022

would never have thought of. In the first half of the book,

Age: 6+entitled Asahi (Morning Sun), Sato grabs the slit of morning

Sato the Rabbit, the Moon

sunlight peeking through the curtains of his room and uses it as

Usagi no Sato-kun tsuki yo / うさぎのさとうくん つきよa tool for various purposes. He stirs with it his coffee, scoops up

Yuki Ainoya

sparkles from the river, lights a fire with it, cooks and eventuallyeats it. By the time the slit of sunlight is all gone, night has
fallen and it is dark again. In the second and last story of the

ISBN: 978-4-09-726352-4
Pages: 60 pages
Printing: Colorbook, entitled Todai (Lighthouse), Sato’s room turns into a

Publication: September 2008

lighthouse quietly floating in the sea. The sound of the waves,

Age: 6+

Rights Sold: English, Romaniancuriously shaped clouds and an enchanting sunset are only
some of the wonders Sato discovers inside the seashells hefinds on his way.
Praise for the English edition of the series“Charming artwork illustrates the interconnectedness
among nature, children, and creativity…Sweet, surreal, andcontemplative.” Kirkus Reviews“A surreal symphony of vibrant colors and images…asatisfying ode to the deep power—and beauty—of theimagination.” Nanette McGuiness, World Kid Lit

Sato the Rabbit, a Sea of Tea
Usagi no Sato-kun kocha no umi / うさぎのさとうくん こうちゃのうみ

Yuki Ainoya
ISBN: 978-4-09-726552-8
Pages: 60 pages
Printing: Color

Yuki Ainoya was born in Yokohama and studied Japanese Art in the Art& Design Department of Tama Art University. She was the winner of the

Publication: September 2014
Rights Sold: English, Romanian
Age: 6+

Crayon House Children’s Book Grand Prize in 1990 and the JapaneseChildren’s Book Award in 2007 for the original Japanese edition of Satothe Rabbit. In her spare time, she likes playing the accordion and huladancing.

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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideISBN: 978-4-09-725193-4
Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: October 2022

The Snow Theater

Look
InsideYuki no gekijo / ゆきのげきじょう

Ippiki okami to ohoshi-sama / いっぴきおおかみとおほしさま

Ryoji Arai

Maiko Matsumura

Under a blanket of white snow, a warm and gentle
tale unfolds

A magical story about the healing power of twinklingstars shining bright in the sky

An illustrated book of butterflies is a father’s most treasured

On a clear, starry night a lone wolf running free through thepossession. Yellow, red, white, orange, green butterflies…On awoods meets a star shining bright in the sky. The star is a little

cold, snowy day a boy shows the book to his friend andtired of always shining in the same fixed place and longs to be

together they marvel at the beautiful colors. The boy’s friend

as free as the lone wolf. Meanwhile, the wolf admits that it iswould love to borrow the book and take a closer look, but hesure fun to be free, but sometimes a hollow feeling creeps up intugs it a little too hard and a page suddenly rips. Can his father

ISBN: 978-4-09-725211-5

the pit of its stomach. “Let’s run together!” The wolf suggests.

ever forgive him?

Pages: 32 pages

But how could the star break free from its constellation? That’s

The boy puts on his skis and ventures out in the snow. Troubled

Publication: February 2023

when they come up with an ingenious idea that will allow them

Age: 3+to enjoy some time together.

Agent: Japan Uni Agency (World, excluding Asia) thoughts spinning in his head, he suddenly falls in a hole andRights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese(Traditional), English, Korean
Age: 3+

The Lone Wolf and the Star

Printing: Colorright in front of him, nestled in the snow, a tiny theater appears.

With

delicatebrushstrokes

andvibrant

colors,Maiko

Snow ballerinas twirl at the soft tune of little snowmen singing.

Matsumura makes light shine through the darkness. At a time

As more and more snow continues to fall, the theater magicallywhen interpersonal relationships have been weakened by thegrows bigger and bigger. The boy is lost in the majestic scene,

pandemic, her book reminds us of the tenderness and kindness

until—“Hey!” A familiar voice suddenly calls from afar andto be found in friendship and mutual care.

before he knows it, his father is by his side.
Maiko Matsumura was born in Nara in 1985. She graduated from the
Ryoji Arai is a Japanese picture book artist living in Tokyo. Born in 1956

Faculty of Design at Kyoto Seika University and in 2009, just before

in Yamagata Prefecture, he majored in design at Nihon University

completing her studies, her work was selected for the Bologna

College of Art. He published his first picture book, Melody, in 1990. Since

International Picture Book Original Drawing Exhibition. She subsequently

then, he has published more than sixty picture books and illustrated more

moved to Tokyo where she worked for an import book company. She isthan two hundred other children’s books. Ryoji Arai has also worked withcurrently a full-time mother, as well as a painter and an author of picture

advertising, magazine illustration and theatre set design. He has received

books. For Iwanami Shoten she illustrated the Japanese edition of A

many honors in Japan and overseas, including the IBBY Honor List andPicture Book Without Pictures by Hans Christian Andersen. Her books

the Bologna Ragazzi Award. His art has been exhibited in more than ten

include Anata wa sekai no kodomo (You Are a Child of the World) andBiennial of Illustrations Bratislava (BIB) as the artist representing Japan.

the self-published Hajimaru hajimari (The Beginning of the Beginning).

In 2005, Ryoji Arai became the first Japanese author to be awarded the
Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award. The poem Almost Nothing, yet
Everything: A Book about Water (Enchanted Lion Books, 2021) written
by Hiroshi Osada and illustrated by Ryoji Arai was selected as a USBBY
Outstanding International Book of 2022.

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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideThe Illustrated Guide to Major
CrisesDaipinchi zukan / ⼤ピンチずかん

Noritake Suzuki
The picture book that took post-COVID Japan by storm for teaching children easy but
effective stress-coping techniques
Over 400,000 copies sold in Japan
In this illustrated guide, the many possible major
crises faced by children in their daily life arecategorized according to “level of emergency”
ISBN: 978-4-09-725138-5
Pages: 48 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: February 2022
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Korean
Age: 5+and “likelihood of occurrence,” from the least
urgent crisis to the most serious one. In addition,
each occurrence is accompanied by a descriptionof a similar crisis and suggestions on how to copewith it. With this one book, children will be
prepared to overcome whatever obstacle comes
your way.
Noritake Suzuki was born in 1975 in Hamamatsu, Shizuoka Prefecture. After working as a company employee andgraphic designer, he became a picture book author. He won the Readers’ Prize at the Japan Picture Book Awards for
Boku no toire (My Toilet) and the Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award for Shigotoba Tokyo Sukai Tsuri(Workplaces: Tokyo Sky Tree). Major works include the Shigotoba (Workplaces) series, Kawa (River), and Oshiri o shiritai(I Want to Know More About Butts). Daipinchi zukan (The Illustrated Guide to Major Crises) was awarded the Miraiya
Picture Book Grand Prize, the Libro Picture Book Award Grand Prize and the MOE Picture Booksellers’ Grand Prize.
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PICTURE BOOKS
Look
InsideVroom Vroom, Splosh

Look
InsideBuroron dororon / ブロロンどろろん

Ushi tozan / うしとざん

Nao Takabatake

Nao Takabatake

A car is speeding by and there is paint on the road.
Can you guess what will happen next?

2021 Sankei Juvenile Literature Publishing Culture Award
2021 Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award

On the sidewalk a can of paint has fallen over, spilling paint on

Cows are easy to climb. Let’s give it a try. Grab and hold on

the main road. When cars rush by, over and over people on thetight! Grab and hold on tight! By grabbing on to the hair of the

sidewalk are splashed with colorful paint. Every time you turn

cow’s front hooves, up the man climbs. What will he find oncethe page, you will be amazed by the outlandish shapes people’ssilhouette leave impressed on the wall. Welcome to the
ISBN: 978-4-09-725149-1

spontaneous and richly imaginative world of Nao Takabatake.

Pages: 36 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: March 2022
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified)Age: 3+Climbing a Cow

Nao Takabatake was born in Gifu Prefecture in 1978 and graduated fromthe Department of Fine Arts at Tokyo Zokei University. In 2003, he won
the Kodansha Award for New Writers of Children’s Literature for Mukattasaki wa (The Destination) and in 2013, he received the Japan Picture Book
Award for Kaeru no odekake (Frog’s Day Out). He is the son of Jun
Takabatake, one of Japan’s best-loved illustrators of children’s literature.

he reaches the top? Why is he climbing a cow?
ISBN: 978-4-09-725085-2

Pages: 32 pages

Nao Takabatake’s unique charm is on full display in this eccentric

Printing: Colorand unexpected story that will make you smile no matter how

Publication: December 2020

many times you read it.

Age: 3+

Nao Takabatake was born in Gifu Prefecture in 1978 and graduated fromthe Department of Fine Arts at Tokyo Zokei University. In 2003, he won
the Kodansha Award for New Writers of Children’s Literature for Mukattasaki wa (The Destination) and in 2013, he received the Japan Picture Book
Award for Kaeru no odekake (Frog’s Day Out). He is the son of Jun
Takabatake, one of Japan’s best-loved illustrators of children’s literature.

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CHAPTER BOOKS

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideThe Comet and the Last Dragon
Suisei to saigo no ryu / 彗星とさいごの竜

Written by Kyoko Imai, Illustrated by Miho Satake
A sweet dragon and a clever young girl team up in an epic mission to save planet Earth
In a faraway land, lost deep in the mountains, lives the last dragon. “Whatever you do, never stop being proudof who you are,” his mother told him. But having lost his parents before he could even learn to fly, he never
had any pride to begin with. He simply doesn’t know what being a real dragon is supposed to feel like. One
day as he is napping in the chest-high water of the marsh, a strangely dressed girl frightens him awake. “Youcan fly, can’t you?” She is staring so intently at him that he thinks he might be about to be sold to a circus or
to a zoo. As it turns out, the girl is on a mission. A large comet is about to destroy planet Earth. But, having
come from a family of famous astronauts, astrologers, computer scientists and whatnot, the brave girl is notabout to give in. She has a plan to correct the comet’s orbit and avoid a collision with planet Earth. The only
missing piece in her plan is the legendary star-swallowing dragon…With only seven days left before the end of
all life on planet Earth, will the dragon learn to fly? Award-winning author of children’s literature, Kyoko Imai,
Category: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-4-09-289329-0
Pages: 120 pages

and master of fantasy illustration, Miho Satake, take us on a magic adventure showing the power of truefriendship.

Printing: Black & White
Publication: June 2023
Age: 7+

Kyoko Imai is a Japanese author of children’s literature, born in Hiroshima Prefecture in 1949. In 1984, she started

writing essays and novels, and later turned to children’s literature. She is the recipient of many awards including the 2003
Ogawa Mimei Literary Award for Aruki dasu natsu (Walking Summer). In 2018, Konpira inu (Konpira Dog) won theJapanese Children’s Literature Association Award, the Sankei Juvenile Literature Publishing Culture Award and the
Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award.
Miho Satake is a Japanese artist and illustrator, born in Toyama Prefecture. She first made her debut as an illustrator in
the science fiction magazine Kiso Tengai (Fantastic) and created numerous works in the fields of science fiction andfantasy. She is best known for illustrating the Japanese editions of several classic children’s books including Howl’sMoving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones, Kiki’s Delivery Service by Eiko Kadono, and the 20th anniversary edition of the
Harry Potter series. The English-language edition of Kimyoji yokocho no natsu (Temple Alley Summer, tr. Avery Fischer
Udagawa) written by Sachiko Kashiwaba and illustrated by Miho Satake won the 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideEerie Tales
Fushigi soshi / ふしぎ草子

Written by Yoko Tomiyasu, Illustrated by Koji Yamamura
A collection of eight stories of the eerie and strange
Strange noises coming from an unused music room. What is it that lurks inside, waiting behind its doors? A
football kicked in a deserted park during morning practice disappears into the heavy fog. Driving towards a
hot spring in the middle of a blizzard, the road becomes narrower and narrower until it is impossible to move.
While playing on a swing, a little girl’s shoe flies into the air and lands in a witch’s garden...
With stunning black and white illustrations by internationally-acclaimed animation artist Koji Yamamura andreferences to contemporary issues such as global warming and declining birthrate, this collection of eightchilling (yet totally plausible) short stories will make you shiver with fear and excitement.
Yoko Tomiyasu is a fantasy writer of children’s literature, born in Tokyo in 1959. Deeply attracted to stories of ghosts andogres since she was a child, in her works she often adapts characters from Japanese folktales and legends. She is therecipient of the Newcomer Award from the Japanese Association of Writers for Children and the Shogakukan Children’sCategory: Mystery
ISBN: 978-4-09-289324-5
Pages: 192 pages
Printing: Black & White
Publication: April 2023
Age: 9+Publication Culture Award for Kunugi bayashi no zawazawa so (Noisy House in the Chestnut Woods), the Sankei Juvenile
Literature Publishing Culture Award for Sora e tsuzuku shinwa (The Nature God of the Skies), the 2002 IBBY Honor List
Literature Award for Yamanba yama no mokko-tachi (Mokko in Mount Yamamba) and the Noma Prize for Juvenile

Literature for Bon maneki (Invitation to the Summer Festival of Bon). She currently lives in Osaka with her husband andtwo sons.
Koji Yamamura is an animation artist and illustrator of children’s literature. He was born in Nagoya in 1964 and studied
painting at Tokyo Zokei University. His most famous films are the 2002 Atama yama (Mt. Head) nominated for the
Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film and winner of the Short Film Award at the Annecy International AnimatedFilm Festival, and the 2007 animated adaptation of Franz Kafka’s A Country Doctor, winner of the Ottawa Grand Prize. He
is the only director to win the Grand Prize at all four major animation festivals in the world and in 2021 was selected as

one of the 25 best short-film directors of the past 25 years. In addition, his picture book Oyasai, oyasai (Vegetables,
Vegetables) written by Chihiro Ishizu has become a long-seller, having sold over 460,000 copies in Japan to date.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideGold Kingdom and Water Kingdom
Kin no kuni mizu no kuni / 金の国水の国

Written by Yui Tokiumi, Illustrated by Nao Iwamoto
The manga that for the first time in history topped Japanese
bestselling charts for two consecutive years comes to life in a
new romantasy novel!
In a faraway land, war breaks out between two neighboring countries, the Gold Kingdom andthe Water Kingdom, whose rulers are quarreling over trivial matters. The Gold Kingdom isrich and wealthy, but is on the verge of extinction due to a severe water shortage. On theother hand, the Water Kingdom boasts luxurious nature and water reserves, but its people
are poor and out of work. Eventually the gods intercede and order that the most beautiful
girl in the Gold Kingdom should marry the wisest young man in the Water Kingdom.
Princess Sarah is asked to travel to the Water Kingdom, but the Gold Kingdom actually sends a cat. A
charming man named Naranbayar is chosen from the Water Kingdom, but a dog is sent to the Gold Kingdom
instead. Fearing the truth might lead to a resurgence of war, Sarah and Naranbayar act as a married couple
and pretend to be in love. This is the story of two intelligent and kind-hearted people whose plan to stop theCategory: Fantasy / Romance
ISBN: 978-4-09-231437-5
Pages: 192 pages
Printing: Black & White
Publication: January 2023
Age: 9+conflict between their countries and open diplomatic relations, ends up moving their own hearts as well.
Yui Tokiumi was born in Nagano Prefecture. Before becoming a novelist, she worked at a history museum, where she
was involved in the excavation of archaeological sites and in the research and study of historical and folklore materials.
She is known for her adaptation of manga series, video games and other classics into literary form. Shigatsu wa kimi nouso (Your Lie in April), a light-novel spin-off of Naoshi Arakawa’s homonymous manga series, was published in English by
Vertical in 2014.
Nao Iwamoto is an award-winning manga artist born in Okayama Prefecture. In 2009, she won the Shogakukan MangaAward for Machi de uwasa no tengu no ko (Tengu Child of Town Rumors). Her manga Marronnier okoku no shichinin no
kishi (Seven Knights of the Marronnier Kingdom) is currently being serialized in the monthly magazine Flowers. The anime

film adaptation of Kin no kuni mizu no kuni (Gold Kingdom and Water Kingdom) was released in Japanese theaters inJanuary 2023 and the English edition of the manga is scheduled for publication by Seven Seas Entertainment inNovember 2023.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideThe Merry-Go-Round of Lost Stars
Maigo no hoshi-tachi no meri go raundo / 迷子の星たちのメリーゴーラウンド

Written by Rieko Hinata, Illustrated by Munashichi
Unravel the mystery of a never-aging girl living alone in an abandoned amusement park
Haunted by the ghost of its founder, used as a base by aliens…the abandoned amusement park has been foryears the object of all sorts of rumors. Mika, a mysterious girl who stopped growing at the age of three afteran accident took place fifteen years ago, lives there alone. When the demolition of the park is finally approved,
the local elementary and junior high schools are forced to close due to a series of strange incidents. Then,
during summer vacation, in response to the girl’s call five children with special powers gather at the park andthrough the diaries they keep the truth starts to unravel. Does Mika really hold the key to all the mysteries
surrounding the abandoned amusement park!?
The five children’s strange powers—communicating with whales, entering a bewildering world with fish heads
in a shrine at night—evoke the loneliness many children experience as a consequence of being perceived as
strange or living isolated in their communities. The extraordinary events taking place in the park, will inspireyoung readers to appreciate their individuality and help them understand that in our own peculiar way we all
Category: Fantasy
ISBN: 978-4-09-227245-3

have a chance to find happiness.

Pages: 256 pages
Printing: Black & White
Publication: March 2021
Age: 11+

Rieko Hinata is a Japanese author of children’s literature. Her books include Amefuru
hon’ya (The Rainy Bookshop), Maho no niwa e (To the Magic Garden) and Nichiyobi no
okoku (The Kingdom of Sundays). In 2023, her series of fantasy novels Hikari no o (TheFire Hunter) was adapted into an anime TV series.
Munashichi is an illustrator well known in the anime and gaming industry for the concept
design of the acclaimed video games Tales of Zestiria and Tales of Berseria and theconcept artwork for the anime TV series Princess Principal. Popular for drawing extremely
detailed retrofuturistic fantasy worlds, his books include The Art of Munashichi and Entotsu
machi no puperu (Poupelle of Chimney Town).
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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideThe Garden
Niwa / 庭

Rui Kodemari
In the lush Hawaiian nature, a mixed-heritage girl embarks on a journey to find her roots“I used to think of myself as fun. But I don’t like what I have become. Oh, I wish I could escape to a desert
island.” In her second year of junior high, Mana is bullied by her Japanese classmates on social networking
sites for her Hawaiian origins and correct English pronunciation. Her best friend fails to defend her, the two
drift apart and eventually Mana stops going to school.
During spring break, in desperate need of a change of scenery, she heads on her own to Hawaii, her father’s
homeland, for a brief stay. The intoxicating fragrance of flowers, the bright blue sky, the seemingly limitless
expanse of the ocean…Will Mana be able to find her place in the magnificent Hawaiian landscape?
Mana’s grandmother Heidi is blind and lives with her family in a remote location. Every morning the two stepout into the garden and as she cuts weeds, removes older flower stems, and tends to unruly branches Mana
learns to listen to the voice of nature and to the voice of her own heart. Against the backdrop of Hawaii’s rich
Category: Coming of Age
ISBN: 978-4-09-289311-5
Pages: 224 pages

nature and cultural heritage, Rui Kodemari introduces young readers to the complex and often difficult historyof immigration in Hawaii.

Printing: Black & White
Publication: June 2021
Age: 11+

Rui Kodemari is a Japanese novelist, poet and essayist, born in Okayama Prefecture in 1956. Based in the U.S. since
1992, she writes novels, poems, fairy tales and picture books, while living in the New York State’s woodlands. In 2019,
she won the Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award for Aru hareta natsu no asa (On a Bright Summer Morning)
about eight American high school students of various descent debating the rights and wrongs of the atomic bomb blasts
on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. An English edition of the same book (tr. Glenn Sullivan) was published in 2021.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideBirds
Tori / 鳥

Rui Kodemari

A delicate exploration of the friendship between two young girls spreading their wings acrossdifferent continents
Fourteen-year-old Chika lives with her mom and dog Poirot in the woods of New York State, where her mom
runs Nanae’s House, a secluded bed-and-breakfast in close contact with nature. Chika’s parents divorced
when she was five years old and her Japanese father has been living in Japan ever since. When she travels to
Japan, Chika always visits her father’s new family and is particularly close to her stepsister Erina, who is about
Category: Coming of Age
ISBN: 978-4-09-289328-3
Pages: 224 pages
Printing: Black & White
Publication: May 2023
Age: 11+

her age. From the first time they were introduced, the two hit it off and began corresponding via e-mail. Since
they both share a love for birds, they also formed the “Little Bird Society” with just the two of them asmembers. Erina is the head of the society’s Japanese branch and Chika is the head of the American branch. In
their exchanges, they compare events in their daily routine to those in the life of a bird, talk about love andsend each other poems. Seven o’clock in the morning on the East Coast of the U.S. corresponds to eighto’clock in the afternoon in Japan, so Chika always starts her mornings by reading the e-mail she just received
from Japan. When Chika’s dog Poirot suddenly passes away at the end of the book, how will the two girls
learn to accept the transience of life? By verbalizing their thoughts and feelings to one another, the two young
girls learn not only to care for each other, but also to treasure the nature and living beings that surroundthem.
Rui Kodemari is a Japanese novelist, poet and essayist, born in Okayama Prefecture in 1956. Based in the U.S. since
1992, she writes novels, poems, fairy tales and picture books, while living in the New York State’s woodlands.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideLove Problems Never End
Ren’ai mondai wa tomaranai / 恋愛問題は止まらない

Mariko Yoshino
Love is like a rollercoaster—buckle up and enjoy the ride!
Rumor has it that the coach of the school’s baseball teamordered all players to shave their heads by next week. They
have been slacking off lately and the new hairstyle ought
to strengthen their spirit. “Uesato has to shave off his soft
curls?? I’ll never allow that to happen!” Captain andattacker number four of the team, Uesato is everyone’s
dream boyfriend.
He claims to love baseball more than anything. But he andthe head of his fan club are the official couple of the school.
Is this true love? Will their relationship stand the test of time?

Category: Romance
ISBN: 978-4-09-289318-4

Thirty-four episodes told from the point of view of thirty-fourPages: 256 pages
Printing: Black & White

different schoolmates. Master Japanese screenwriter Mariko

Publication: May 2022

Yoshino skillfully navigates the daily ups and downs ofAge: 11+school, love and friendship at a local junior high school.

Mariko Yoshino is a Japanese novelist and screenwriter, born in 1970 in Kanagawa Prefecture. After graduating from theFaculty of Humanities at Sophia University, she studied screenwriting in Osaka and worked in publishing. In 2005, she
won the 1st Shincho Entertainment Award for Aki no daisankaku (Autumn Triangle) and has been writing literature forchildren and adults ever since. She won the Utsunomiya Children’s Award and the Noma Prize for Juvenile Literature forboth Gekidan 6-nen 2-kumi (Theater Company Year 6, Class 2) and Himitsu no kotei (The Secret Schoolyard). Her
screenplay 73-nen mae no kamifusen (The Paper Balloon from 73 Years Ago) won the Excellence Award in the Radio
Drama Division at the 73rd Japan Arts Festival.

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CHAPTER BOOKS
Look
InsideThe Canned Mackerel that
Became Space Food
Uchu-shoku ni natta saba kan / 宇宙食になったサバ缶

Yasuyuki Kosaka, Yoshiko Besshi
The high school project that delivered food to space
8,500 copies sold in JapanIn November 2020, astronaut Soichi Noguchi released a video on YouTube in which he sampled in gravity-free
conditions a dish of canned mackerel developed by high school students and praised it as “delicious.” The
Canned Mackerel that Became Space Food covers the efforts of the over 300 students of Wakasa High School
in Fukui Prefecture, who over the course of fourteen years turned canned mackerel into space food. The

project started in 2006 with the simple suggestion of a student to develop a seafood product featuring the
local specialty. But what kind of flavor would an astronaut want to taste in space? This is the story of a groupof students who despite facing seemingly insurmountable difficulties were driven by their love for scientific
Category: Non-Fiction
ISBN: 978-4-09-227258-3
Pages: 176 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: June 2022
Age: 8+

exploration to persevere and make their shared dream come true. Their brainchild, a mackerel can reinforcedby kudzu powder and strongly flavored with soy sauce, was granted Japanese-style space food status in 2018
by the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The book also includes a list of other Japanese-style space
food in the JAXA-certified menu and essays on nutrition and health in space.
Yasuyuki Kosaka holds a Ph.D. in Bioresources and teaches a Marine Science Course at Wakasa High School in Fukui
Prefecture. “Learning because it’s fun!” is his motto as he engages in marine education and inquiry-based learning. He
has led marine restoration projects in cooperation with local communities and product development using local ingredients.
Yoshiko Besshi was born in Fukui Prefecture. A member of the Japanese Association of Writers for Children and of theJapan Juvenile Writers Association, in 2014, she won the Ogawa Mimei Literary Award for Excellence for Ototsu aiueo notegami (The Embossed Letter). Her non-fiction works include Kami ga tsunagu monogatari (Stories Connected by Hair).
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BACKLIST

31

BACKLIST

Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725205-4
Pages: 36 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: November 2022

Age: 3+

Chit, the Witch in Training

The Pumpkin Soup BathChibikko majo no chitto / ちびっこまじょのチット

Kabocha supu no ofuro / かぼちゃスープのおふろ

Akiko Tanji

Keiko Shibata

Chit dreams of becoming a witch as skilled as her teacher and is

On their way home, three good friends—a polar bear, an alpaca

determined to practice as hard as she can to make her dream

and a cat—are led astray by a delicious smell floating in the air.

come true. However, as the day of her first test draws near, no

The smell comes from a huge pumpkin brimming with warm,

matter how hard she tries the magical spell to turn a stone into

creamy soup. A sign perched on the pumpkin reads, “Pumpkin

a cake just does not seem to work. Strawberry shortcakes,

soup bath. Please come in and warm yourself up, but under no

blueberry pies, after tasting the gorgeous creations of the othercircumstances are you to drink the soup!” Will the three friends

aspiring little witches, what will the teacher think of Chit’s

be able to control their appetites? A laugh-out-loud picture

shapeless blob? A book about the happy place in between
success and failure.
Akiko Tanji is an illustrator and picture book author born in 1972. She
currently lives in Tokyo with her cat, who is often portrayed in her
artwork.

Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725207-8
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: November 2022
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Korean
Age: 3+

book exploring what happens when one is told not to dosomething but can’t help doing it anyway.
Keiko Shibata is an illustrator and picture book author based in Kochi
Prefecture. She is the author of the Pan dorobo (Bread Thief) series thathas sold more than 1,600,000 copies in Japan and won numerous
awards.

Friends

I Miss You So Much

Tomodachi / ともだち

Aitakute aitakute / 会いたくて会いたくて

Written by Shigenori Kusunoki, Illustrated by Megu Yoshimura

Written by Shigeru Muroi, Illustrated by Yoshifumi Hasegawa

On a bright sunny day, a little boy of about Mizuki’s age moves

An official selection of the Japan School Library Association
40,000 copies sold in Japan

into the house next door. Mizuki walks by timidly and says hello.

Kei loves his grandmother and wishes they never had to be

When the boy responds with a strange hand gesture, Mizuki
Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725141-5
Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color

the nursing home where she lives. After several unsuccessful

the house. With an illustrated guide to simple one-word signs,

attempts to meet her, he finds a toilet paper core tied to a red

this book introduces young children to sign language.

Publication: March 2022
Age: 3+apart. One day he sneaks out after school and heads straight topulls a face that startles the boy and makes him run back into

Shigenori Kusunoki is a popular author of children’s books and a

Category: Picture Books

ISBN: 978-4-09-725096-8

string hanging from her window. He holds it against his ear, andas if by magic he can finally hear his grandmother’s voice.

lecturer. His bestselling books Okodademasen-yoni (I Hope I Don’t Get

Pages: 32 pages

Scolded) and Megane o kaketara (When She Put On Her Glasses) have

Publication: January 2021

Shigeru Muroi is an award-winning actress, as well as the author of

Rights Sold: Korean

many picture books. Yoshifumi Hasegawa made his debut as a picture

been translated into many languages. Megu Yoshimura is a Japanese

Printing: Color

Age: 3+illustrator, who won in 2019 the MOE Picture Booksellers’ Grand Prize forbook author in 2000. In 2008, he was awarded the Japan Picture Book

Mamezara-chan (The Bean Plate), written by Masumi Asano. For

Award and the Shogakukan Children’s Publishing Culture Award for Boku

Shogakukan she has illustrated a series of children’s books written by

ga ramen tabeteru toki (When I Eat Ramen).

Eiko Kadono.

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BACKLIST

Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-726671-6
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: October 2016

My First Orchestra

The Mischievous Architect

Hajimete no okesutora / はじめてのオーケストラ

Itazura no sukina kenchikuka / いたずらのすきなけんちくか

Written by Yutaka Sado, Illustrated by Koshiro Hata

Written by Tadao Ando, Illustrated by Koshiro Hata

A six-year-old girl has a conductor for a father. But what does a

Set in Nakanoshima Children’s Book Forest, the new library in

conductor do? What does “orchestra” mean? When the

Osaka Tadao Ando specifically dedicated to children, with floor-occasion finally arrives to attend her father’s concert, all theto-ceiling, outward-facing books. As two elementary school

family dresses up and heads to the concert hall. The hall ischildren are shown around by a mysterious man who looks very

brimming with musicians. As the stage goes dark and the girl’smuch like Mr. Ando, many questions surface. Why do you makefather takes the podium, the magic begins...The first picture

these buildings? What does an architect do? The guidebook by world-renowned conductor, Yutaka Sado.

thoughtfully responds.

Yutaka Sado graduated from the Kyoto City University of Arts andstudied under the late Leonard Bernstein and Seiji Ozawa, among
others. Guest conductor of many prestigious orchestras in Europe,

Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), French, Korean

including the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, in September 2015 he was

Age: 6+appointed as Music Director of Austria’s Tonkünstler Orchestra. Koshiro

Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-726842-0
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: March 2019

Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725056-2
Pages: 40 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: February 2020
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional),
KoreanAge: 6+

Tadao Ando is a self-taught architect, who at the age of twenty-eightestablished the Tadao Ando Architectural Institute. The Church of Light,
the Pulitzer Arts Foundation and the Chichu Art Museum are among his
most representative works. He was awarded numerous prizes, including
the AIJ Prize and the Pritzker Architecture Prize. Koshiro Hata is a

Hata is a picture book author, illustrator and book designer.

picture book author, a illustrator and book designer.

EarthyThe Space Department Store

Chikyu-chan / ちきゅうちゃん

Uchu hyakkaten / うちゅうひゃっかてん

Written by Shigesato Itoi, Illustrated by Q-raisMayu Kuroiwa

One day, a boy receives a strange gift from his father. His nameWelcome to the Space Department Store, where evenis Earthy and his round head looks just like planet Earth withscreaming children can’t hold back their laughter! Make yourself

oceans, mountains and people all peacefully living together on

comfortable and enjoy the best selection of goods andits surface. As days go by, the boy grows increasingly fond of

hospitality in the whole wide world. With a satisfied look on his

his new friend. When the boy wonders what he can do for

face, the director monitors from his office customers from

Earthy, a voice suddenly responds, “Why don’t you just love

different planets as they swarm in and out of the various

him?” Shigesato Itoi’s gentle but profound words remind us toCategory: Picture Books

show appreciation and love to the precious beings that

ISBN: 978-4-09-725115-6

surround us.

Printing: Color

Age: 3+

Shigesato Itoi is a copywriter, essayist, lyricist, and actor, but outside

Pages: 32 pages
Publication: July 2021
Age: 3+sections of his store. But does the entire universe express
happiness with a smile?
Mayu Kuroiwa is a contemporary artist whose works have been
exhibited in galleries throughout Japan, including the Tokyo Metropolitan

Japan he is best known as the game designer of Nintendo’s EarthBoundArt Museum and the Tokyo Metropolitan Theatre. In her first picture

series of games. Q-rais is a full-time freelance animator, cartoonist andbook, Uchu hyakkaten (The Space Department Store), she transposes

illustrator.

onto paper the bewitching atmosphere of her art installations.

33

BACKLIST

Category: Early Years

Fingertippy

Pokémon Island

Yubisashi-chan / ゆびさしちゃん

Pokémon no shima / ポケモンのしま

The Cabin Company

The Cabin Company

Fingertippy’s black and round face hides in unexpected corners

A young boy reaches Pokémon Island on his small boat. Asof the page. Point your finger and find her! The act of pointing

soon as the anchor is dropped, the boy and the Pokémon are

is an important developmental milestone for babies. With

best friends and enjoy their time together. They fly in the sky,playful and fun illustrations, this picture book encourages early

dig holes, take naps in the fields, and eat curry. All too soon the

shape and color recognition.

ISBN: 978-4-09-726752-2
Pages: 24 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: November 2017
Age: 0+Category: Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725058-6

The Cabin Company is the nickname of creative duo Kentaro Abe andSaki Yoshioka. They are active in a wide range of fields, mainly in theirhometown of Oita, including exhibitions, picture books, illustrations andPages: 36 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: March 2020

Age: 5+workshops in galleries and shops. They are currently working in a former

time comes to say goodbye, but the time spent together isnever to be forgotten. Don’t miss the breathtaking scene where
151 Pokémon appear. A picture book for Pokémon fans of allages.
The Cabin Company is the nickname of creative duo Kentaro Abe andelementary school, which they renovated into their studio.

Saki Yoshioka. They are active in a wide range of fields, mainly in theirhometown of Oita, including exhibitions, picture books, illustrations andworkshops in galleries and shops. They are currently working in a former
elementary school, which they renovated into their studio.

Category: Early Years
ISBN: 978-4-09-726774-4
Pages: 32 pages
Printing: Color

Hoo Hoo

Swoosh!

Hoho / ほーほーNyo-! / にょっ！

The Cabin Company

The Cabin Company

The owl goes “hoo hoo hooooo,” the frog “ribbit ribbit.” Babies

Beneath the surface of the beautiful sea, “swoosh” andwon’t be able to resist the colorful costumes and amusing

something appears. A silhouette is barely visible. “What is that?”

expressions of these cute animals, each emitting its own sound.

is the question posed asked at every page. This picture bookAs their eyesight develops, babies begin to respond to colors

with its question-and-answer format and creative ideas will flex

other than black and white. This new book by The Cabinthe muscles of your imagination.

Company with its rich and beautiful tints is sure to nurture yourbaby’s emotional development.

The Cabin Company is the nickname of creative duo Kentaro Abe andCategory: Picture Books

Publication: February 2018

ISBN: 978-4-09-726690-7

Age: 0+Pages: 34 pages

The Cabin Company is the nickname of creative duo Kentaro Abe andSaki Yoshioka. They are active in a wide range of fields, mainly in theirhometown of Oita, including exhibitions, picture books, illustrations andPrinting: Color
Publication: December 2016
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified)

Saki Yoshioka. They are active in a wide range of fields, mainly in theirhometown of Oita, including exhibitions, picture books, illustrations andworkshops in galleries and shops. They are currently working in a former
elementary school, which they renovated into their studio.

Age: 3+workshops in galleries and shops. They are currently working in a former
elementary school, which they renovated into their studio.

34

BACKLIST

The Animal Cracker Zoo

Touch and Feel Mazes

Okashi no dobutsuen / おかしのどうぶつえん

Sawaru meiro / さわるめいろ

Junko Murayama

Junko Murayama

Explore the paths of this deliciously intricate zoo by tracing the

Recommended by the International Board on Books for
Young People (IBBY)

embossed animal crackers with your fingertips. Elephants, lions,giraffes, zebras, rhinos, hippos and other irresistible animal-shaped

ISBN: 978-4-09-725195-8
Pages: 12 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: September 2021
Age: 3+

ISBN: 978-4-09-726497-2

crackers are lined up in clearly distinct sections and are easily

Pages: 12 pages

recognizable thanks to their different shapes. Published in

Publication: February 2013

collaboration with the Association for the Publication andCategory: Braille Picture Books

Category: Braille Picture Books

Printing: Color
Rights Sold: Chinese (Traditional), English, German
Age: 5+Dissemination of Braille Picture Books in Japan, Junko Murayama’s
unique tactile books with accordion-style binding can be enjoyed
together by blind, visually impaired and sighted children.
Junko Murayama became a book designer after graduating from the
Department of Visual Communication Design at Musashino Art University.

Touch and Feel Mazes 2
Sawaru meiro 2 / さわるめいろ２Junko Murayama

The award-winning three volumes of the Sawaru meiro (Touch and Feel
Mazes) series were her first braille picture books.

Category: Braille Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-726575-7

Fish
Sakana / さかな

Pages: 12 pages
Printing: Color

Publication: January 2015
Rights Sold: Chinese (Simplified), Chinese (Traditional), German
Age: 5+

Junko Murayama
Discover amazing aquatic creatures with your fingertips. White
sharks, coelacanths, seahorses, flying fish and boxfish, more thantwenty species of marine fish are included in this new illustrated
tactile book by Junko Murayama. The surprising shape of bodies,
scales and thorns will blow you away. Published in collaboration
with the Association for the Publication and Dissemination of Braille
Category: Braille Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725101-9
Pages: 12 pages
Printing: Color
Publication: September 2021

Picture Books in Japan, Junko Murayama’s unique tactile books with

Touch and Feel Mazes 3
Sawaru meiro 3 / さわるめいろ３

Junko Murayama
Category: Braille Picture Books
ISBN: 978-4-09-725011-1

accordion-style binding can be enjoyed together by blind, visually

Pages: 12 pages

impaired and sighted children.

Publication: September 2019

Age: 3+

Printing: Color
Age: 5+

Junko Murayama became a book designer after graduating from the
Department of Visual Communication Design at Musashino Art
University. The award-winning three volumes of the Sawaru meiro (Touchand Feel Mazes) series were her first braille picture books.

35

Shogakukan Inc.
2-3-1 Hitotsubashi, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-8001, Japanwww.shogakukan.co.jp
rights_inquiry@shogakukan.co.jp