NEW PUBLICATIONS 2016

NEW PUBLICATIONS 2016

Illustration ⓒ Bolormaa Baasansuren 2015From “TOYA’S MOVING” （see back cover）FUKUINKAN SHOTEN PUBLISHERS

2

pape

rbac

k /

20 ×

19

cm /

22 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥38

9.-

A

ges

10 m

onth

s-2

PIC

TURE

BO

OK

S LET’S PLAY SHOVE AND PUSH FOR WARMING!by Miho OkaiA shivering green tomato comes towards a trembling green apple and says, “It’s so cold. Shall we play ‘shove and push’ to warm up? “. Th ey romp around shoving and pushing each other. And what do you know, they feel nice and warm. They even seem to redden a bit! Th at’s when an orange comes by and begs to join. Introduces a plain and straightforward game for young ones for the winter.

IT’S A NEW DAY!by Ryo Kisakaillustrated by Shizuko WakayamaAt the crack of dawn a cock wakes up crying out “Cock-a-doodle-doo! It’s a new day, a new day it is!” and he runs to a sheep to wake it up. Th e sheep awakes and hurries to a cow telling her “Baa, it’s a lovely new day!” Th e cow jumps awake saying “Moo, it is indeed!” and goes to nuzzle the dog conveying the message. A fresh morning air is shared around the farm.

SLEEPYHEADSby Gen-ichiro YagyuA little purple eggplant is wailing. So what is the matter? Oh, it’s sleepy! In fact, it’s VERY sleepy. And what do you know, it has fallen asleep. A little yellow banana appears and this one is sleepy, too. An orange little pumpkin and the little green broad bean triplets follow. See how they doze off , slowly and then all of a sudden. The word repetitions reach our ears like a lullaby.

GATHER HERE EVERYONE!by Nobuhiko NukataA merry command echoes, “Gather here ev-eryone!” and two red cubes apart rush to as-semble. Th en ten green cubes appear and the merry command is given again, “Gather here everyone!” Ten of them immediately cluster making a rectangular shape. Th e number and colors of the cubes increase to create even complicated shapes. Enjoy the amazing for-mations small cubes devise. They are simple but creative!

INSECTS LICK, LAP, SUCKby Shigeru TamuraA red fl ower blooms and a small ant crawls up its stem. It starts licking the sweet honey from the fl ower. “My my, this is tasty!” it says. Th en a bumblebee approaches and laps the honey, too. Lick, lick, lap, lap, both of them are quite busy. A dotted butterfl y joins them and shares the same honey. Lick, lick, lap, lap, suck, suck! How delicious it is!

A TREE FROG WAKES UPby Kenichi HironoA tree frog is napping peacefully on a leaf. It is about to wake. Its round eyes blink several times to come to full senses. Th en a whopping jump follows with a nice splashing sound of water. As if boasting its dive, it climbs out and starts croaking. Th e movements of a tree frog is illustrated delicately in clear watercolors.

A DAY FULL OF SOUNDSby Emiko Kobayashiillustrated by Yoko IkenoyaStreeetch, and good morning, the day starts. Peek-a-boo, my hands come out and I get into my clothes. Th en it’s time to eat, Yum yum, I have my breakfast. And at the end of the day of course, Hush hush you all, I am falling asleep. A day in the life of a young child is rhythmically illustrated in onomatopoeia with heartwarming pictures.

STRETCHING ANIMALSby Emiko MurataA frog gets set to stretch and leap! A monkey contracts its body to stretch and jump! A fl a-mingo stands still and then suddenly stretches its neck out. What about a chameleon or an octopus? Which part of their bodies can be stretched out? Illustrations in wood-block dis-play a series of animals stretching their bodies out. Th e movements are humorous, energetic and full of fun!

IT’S SPINNING!by Sayaka Nomuraillustrated by Masamitsu SaitoHold your crayon, hold it tight and let the tip of it spin! So what do we get? With whiskers coming out, it’s a CAT. With legs sticking out, they are chicks. And how about with some crisscrosses? We get a yummy looking water-melon. Enjoy the variation of things popping up from a simple spin of your hands.

CROWS AND RED BERRIESby Junko MasudaA crow finds some red berries. It eats them one by one. YUM, YUM, YUM, YUM…And then a friend comes by. Caw, caw, it cries out. Then they share the other berries. Caw, caw, caw, caw. Bold black illustrations of the crow stand in contrast with the bright red colored berries.

WALKING ON FATHER’S FEETby Samiro YunokiA baby boy stands on his father’s feet. And they go; Hup two three four, keep it up two three four! A puppy follows suit and goes; Hup two three four, keep it up two three four. A piglet, a cub and even a baby mouse stand on their father’s feet and go; Hup two three four! Walking around together holding hands and synchronizing steps is a wonderful way of bonding.

MOTHER BEAR AND HER CUBby Kazuyoshi IinoAutumn is at its peak in the mountains. A big bear walks around in its heavy steps. It comes and goes walking around making huffing and puffing sounds. Th at was when another light huffi ng sound was heard.It was a cub. So the big bear was its Mother! She was looking for her beloved youngster. Mother bear nudges the cub and gives it a good smack.

3

pape

rbac

k /

21 ×

20

cm /

24 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥38

9.-

A

ges

2-4

PIC

TURE

BO

OK

SWE LOVE SHOESby Kanayo SugiyamaWouldn’t it be nice if there were shoes like this? Children think up some hilarious shoes. ‘Ball shoes’ that would bounce you around or ‘fl ashing shoes’ that would fl ash lights in the dark. And then how about ‘jet shoes’, a pair that would carry you swiftly. ‘Fluffy shoes’ could make you feel like you’re on cloud nine. Could you think of more? A book to tickle your heart with imagination.

BULL AND KANA MEET ANTSby Yumiko FukuzawaBull and Kana are close friends and hang out together all the time. One day, Kana spots a line of ants outside. She gets curious and fol-lows them to see where it leads to. Bull tries to tell Kana something but she simply doesn’t hear him. That was when Kana realizes that her Teddy was missing! Even the pretty yellow ribbons in her hair were gone. Kana bursts into tears. Bull tries to sort Kana’s problems out.

A LITTLE FISH MEETS FRIENDS IN THE SEAby Tomomi MiyamatsuA little sardine sets out for a swim in the big ocean. He meets a creature with two big clips. “Hi, I’m a sardine, and who are you?” he asks. Th e new friend replies, “I’m a crab. See, I walk side-ways.” And then a bright red fish comes along. Little sardine asks again. Th e new friend greets him “I’m a red snapper. You like my outfi t?” Little sardine meets others, too. Then he runs into a school of sardines and swims back home together.

SOUNDS OF STEPS IN THE WOODSby Yoko Yaoitaillustrated by Charyshina-Kapystina NataliaSnow started falling on the winter woods cover-ing everything. A squirrel ran on the blanket to where he had buried an acorn during the autumn. When he was about to enjoy it, SUP SUP SUP, something was approaching. A pheasant pecked at his acorn! So he moved on to the spring. HUT HUT HUT, something was approaching again! Will he lose his acorn again? Let’s savor the choicest sounds in the hush of snow.

I FLY MY PLANEby Seiichi TakabeBrrm...brrm, my plane fl ies in the skies. “Hey, won’t you let me on? “First a mole, then a fox and a bear hop on. But when a cow followed suit it was too much for the plane. Th e engine started moaning vroooom and the passengers had to parachute down. Poof! The parachute canopies open up and they all meet on the ground again. Simple but straightforward illus-trations on plain cardboard enhance the story.

THE WATCHING WOODSby Hidehiro OtakeTranquility seeps into your soul. Though the forest does not give out a word, still you feel that you are being watched upon. From a hole in a trunk, a tree squirrel peeks out. From be-hind a branch, a nuthatch watches. Up in an aspen, two cubs look out this way. And under that tree, the Mother bear is staring out. Beau-tiful photographs taken in a boreal forest in-vites you into a world where you can feel the breathing of life.

A KID SLEEPS PEACEFULLYby Seizo TashimaA pure-white kid is sleeping peacefully under a tree. A dragon fl y comes by and perches it-self on the kid’s ears. Th e kid doesn’t even stir. Then a baseball comes flying, but it doesn’t budge. It gets stepped on by a dog in dog-and-cat chase yet naps undisturbed. But when Mother goat comes along it can tell. Bold il-lustrations enhance the soothing air of this story.

RAINDROPS FALLINGby Kyoko MoriA drop of rain falls from above. Th en another, and another…soon it starts raining. A snail looks up and a frog comes out from nowhere. Th ey seem to be enjoying the rain until a gust of wind whirls. Now it is pouring, even an earthworm wriggles out from the ground. Th e puddle nearby is growing. Th en a tranquil mo-ment arrives. Th e rain has passed. A fresh and fi ne sensibility captures the magical moments.

MY FRIEND, MR. GLOVEby Maki Sasaki Someone was knocking on the door. This is how I first met my friend, Mr. Glove. We went to the nearby park and played hide-and-seek, jumped ropes and sang out loud. He put me up on a branch and then said, “Why don’t you jump off ?” He was right there under the branch to catch me gently. Th at was great fun and I sure do hope to play with him again!

SPRING HAS COME!by Eriko HiranoThe first little hint of spring shows on the ground, fi eld-horsetails start popping up. Look carefully, and you’ll spot small flowers here and there. Cats give big yawns and Japanese white-eyes come to suck honey f rom the plums. Oh just think of the f resh yummy things we’ve been waiting for. Spring has come! Introducing the signs of spring with various examples in colorful illustrations.

GREEN PEASby Nobuko KamataA young girl rolls pea seeds on the soil. Roll and roll it sits where it stops and then a heap of soil is added to cover it. Sprinkle, sprinkle some water on top and soon enough some sprouts come out! The book follows the growth of peas. Finally the reward, a nice bowl of rice and peas is ready to enjoy. Th e strong vital force of tiny peas surely surprises us.

PANDAS’ ICE-CREAM PARLORby Kanako OgawaTonton and Lanlan run an ice-cream parlor. It is quite pop-ular with its vanilla, chocolate and of course the pandas’ fa-vorite, bamboo leaf flavors. One day Mr. Bear requests a honey fl avor. Th ey go out to fetch a bee hive but it was too high up in a tree. Th ey devise an incredible idea! Will they manage to make a honey fl avor ice cream?

PANDAS’ ICE CREAM P

4

pape

rbac

k /

19 ×

27

cm /

28 o

r 32

pag

es /

4-co

lor

prin

t / ¥

389.

-

Age

s 4-

5

PIC

TURE

BO

OK

S DANCING IN THE GOURD An Old Sri Lankan Folktaleretold & illustrated by Sybil WettasingheJapanese text by Kyoko MatsuokaA farmer found a giant gourd and took it back home. There, however, it shrunk into a regular size! The farmer thought it might be helpful later and put it away anyway. After a while, his wife fell ill and he sent for a dancer to expel the evil spirits inside her. During the ritual, a big storm hit the village and that gourd suddenly expanded again! A hilarious Sri Lankan folktale told with colorful and innovative illustrations.

THE APPLIQUÉ BIRDby Maho TonouchiTh e appliqué bird was an appliqué on Ken’s kindergarten bag. One day, Ken was sobbing because he had lost a little red button. See-ing this, the appliqué bird felt uneasy... why don’t I fly about and see if I can find the button for him? She did this discreetly as she didn’t want to be spotted. There were

plenty of things at kindergarten, however, that were little, red and round. Would she manage to fi nd it?

NATCHAN’S UNIQUE IDEASby Keiko NabetaNatchan has three big brothers. Th ey are as competi-tive as ever always trying to show that they excel the others. Being the youngest, Natchan does not own any gadgets nor can prove that she excels. But there was one thing she was good at; to think up of a way to have fun without all those gadgets. She would say, “I know!” and start something fun. Th e second epi-sode of the Natchan Series.

TECCHAN ENJOYS SKIING WITH HIS FRIENDSby Hisako Maruki Th is is a heart-warming story of a small vil-lage in Hokkaido, and it goes years back. Tecchan, the kid from the village temple, was skiing with his four mates. Th ey always hung out together wishing for their bunny-

hill slope to connect with the snow which slid off the temple roof. Th at warm day fi nally arrived and they prepared their big dream hill together. But some-how they missed Kazuchan that day. Everyone got worried and...

TEKO AND CATS, CATS, CATSby Yoshi FuruuchiTeko is just an ordinary girl. Perhaps she stands out a bit with her red hair but she has many cat friends. She almost thinks she’s a cat herself! Th ey go out to fi sh dinner together. Teko fi nally hits on something big! Th e cats pitch in to help her tug her rod, and in came an angry octopus spurting ink on them! An uproarious and rhythmical story with bold illustra-tions.

MANJIRO AND THE SING-ING WATERMELONby Izumi Hondaillustrated by Jin KitamuraIn the midsummer fields, Manjiro spotted an extra-large watermelon. He had raised them all from seeds. It was time to harvest. The extra-large one, however, wouldn’t even budge. That

was when it suddenly began to roll by itself. Manjiro ran after it into a river forget-ting that he was a rock in water! Th e watermelon told him to hold on to it and start-ed singing nonchalantly while fl oating down the stream. Manjiro, who was fi rst in panic, grinned relaxingly. What happens next?

SAKURAKO’S KIMONO AND CHERRY BLOSSOMSby Mutsuko Watari illustrated by Setsuko MashimaGrandma remade one of her old kimonos into Sakura-ko’s size. Sakurako visits her and tries it on. It was beau-tiful and just perfect. Sakurako decides to show herself to the big weeping cherry tree in the backyard where she meets a boy, Sakurataro. Seeing how lovely Sakurako was in the kimono, Sakurataro asks her if he could bor-row it for his sister’s wedding. A Japanese fantasy story folds out under a cascade of falling cherry blossoms.

THE SKY IS FALLING DOWN! An Old Sri Lankan Folktaleretold & illustrated by Punya KumariA hare was dozing off one afternoon when it heard a sudden THUMP! Startled and scared, he thought it must be the sky falling down. He started running fu-riously. A tortoise asked why he was in such a rush. “I don’t have time to explain but the sky is falling down.” the hare answers. Animals end up following the hare like this until they came to King Lion. Will the King buy this story?

WITCH’S LANDby Seiichi YunoHiromi rescued an old witch who accidentally broke her broom by crashing into a building. In return, she got to visit the Land of the Witches high up in the skies. Hiromi is given her own broom to use to see around the Land. She plays around fl ying with the children witches, too. But the feast was not exactly something she enjoyed so she decided to fly back home. A colorful fantasy world lifts your spirit.

DID YOU SEE MY CAT, FUU-CHAN?by Emiko MurataFuu-chan the cat absolutely detested the vet. Never-theless it had an appointment that day, so off they were to the vet...when suddenly Fuu-chan commit-ted an escape! “Did you see my cat, Fuu-chan?” the little boy asks around chasing it. Illustrations in woodblock show the lively everyday lives of regular people. So can you spot Fuu-chan in each scene?

WIRE ANIMALSby Shigeru TamuraColorful wires are the focus in this book. At fi rst it is just a normal piece of wire, but with scissors and a bit of bending, amazing ani-mals appear. An elephant, a hedgehog, a camel, a crocodile and then a pair of animals take shape; a snake and a frog, then a lion and a cheetah. Enjoy the wire animals, or even more, you could actually build them yourself using a little care with the tools.

TRACE THE SNAIL TRACKby Kazuo MiwaI’m the owner of Densuke, the snail. I had acci-dentally forgotten to close the lid of Densuke’s aquarium last night. He was gone in the morn-ing! Snails leave a shiny snail track where they go, so I decided to follow that. Densuke walked over Grandpa’s face and even over an ink stone. When I fi nally found him, a bit of his shell was cracked. Did you know that snails could repair their shells?

5

GOBUJIRO, THE LITTLE HALF-INCH An Old Japanese Folktaleretold by Kazuko Inadaillustrated by Naho InadaGobujiro, a tiny boy of only 15 millimeters, was born to an old couple who always wished to have a child. At the age of eighteen, Gobujiro

begged to become independent and became a servant to a young lady. He escorted her on the popular Konpira-mairi, a visit to Kotohira-gu Shrine, and on the way experiences several odd incidents. In the end he gets the magic mallet, the formula for a happy ending!

MAYU & KAPPA A Story of a Witch’s Daughterby Yoko Tomiyasuillustrated by Nana FuriyaMayu meets Midorimaru, a little Kappa, who was practic-ing sumo wrestling with the big rocks along the pond. Mayu never heard of it. She, however, learns about it and surprises Midorimaru with her extraordinary physical strength. Th e Champion, Dekamaru proposes a bout with Mayu which she nonchalantly accepts. Will Mayu beat him? An extra touch at the end marks the friendship between Mayu and Midorimaru in this sixth episode of the series.

THE STAR FESTIVAL IN HARU’S TOWNby Maki IinoIt is the day for the Star Festival. Haru’s home-town has a special song called “Can You Spare Me a Candle?” for this day. Children walk about the neighborhood in the evening singing this song in exchange for some candy. Grandpa

explains that in the old days the children would actually get candles not candy. Haru is enchanted by this and hopes to get a candle from somebody. She sets out on her round with her big sister.

THE MAGIC GLASSESby Eisuke YamazakiYouta borrows a strange pair of magic glasses from an optician he knows. Whatever you see, moving creatures and things look pitch-black with them. Moreover the black silhouettes of people seem to look like figures and animals. Flipping back and forth with this book, com-paring the two pictures, you would spot various things you hadn’t noticed before. A unique book of playing with shadow pictures.

HOW THE SUN REACHED THE LUNCH BAGby Izumi Hondaillustrated by Takayuki InoOn an early spring morning, the sun notices something sitting on the ground. He takes a good look and realizes that it’s a lunch bag. Oh my, the sun uttered. He wanted so much to have it. His stomach started growling. He kept staring at it and then what do you know? Th e soil underneath it got pushed up. It was a bamboo shoot! A simple and peaceful story in a bamboo thicket.

TALE OF THE STRANGE MERCHANTby Yosuke InoueOnce upon a time, there was a strange merchant. Th e strangeness wasn’t the merchant himself but what he sold. A never-ending tea pot that served tea unlimitedly or a tengu’s hand fan that lifted you up into the high skies. He sold “shaded areas” which did quite well dur-ing midsummer and huge cicada shells to hang on trees like a hammock. Enjoy the hilarious things this strange merchant sold. Some might be tall tales, but oh well!

I’LL SELL THESE EGGS AND BUY A PIG An Old Bulgarian Folktale retold by Yoko Yaoita illustrated by Yumiko HiokiTh e young farmer had plenty of eggs to sell today and was happy about that. Walking along the road he starts thinking; I’ll sell these eggs and buy a pig, then take care of it so that it has 20 no 30 piglets... he was now totally absorbed in daydreaming. He had forgotten about the stick holding the basket! As the saying goes, don’t count your chickens before they’re hatched.

MR. CHOKI, THE SCISSORSby Sumiko Kandaillustrated by Kayako NishimakiMr. Choki is energetic but also a bit of a scat-terbrain. He loves to cut things to order, and in some cases, goes overboard. One day a new face arrives. It’s a shovel car, quite a rough character.

It runs over the origami paper and a doll. It picks up and throws Mr. Choki into the air. Th is made everybody unhappy. So Mr. Choki decided to gather his friends and create a Choki-Choki Car to confront this shovel car.

LOOKING FOR MY TEDDY BEAR’S MISSING EYEby Yoko MoriAcchan owned a precious teddy bear, Teddy. One day, she lost one of Teddy’s eyes. It accidentally popped off and fl ew into a patch of grass. Acchan searched for it but in vain. She put a bandage on Teddy’s eye promising to fi nd it. Acchan wished she could be Teddy’s size. Th at way it would be easier to search in the grass, she thought. In the middle of that night, Acchan woke up to fi nd herself shrunk!

THE SPECIAL PRESENT FOR THE SHY GIRL, KASUMIby Kiyoshi Soyaillustrated by Ayako MaruyamaKasumi is a very shy girl. When an uncle from the mountainside visits with a big backpack full of goodies, Kasumi is too shy to say hello to him. She covers her eyes and says “Kasumi isn’t

home.” Uncle starts to take the presents out and Kasumi is so willing to see them. When she senses that there might not be anything for her, she suddenly barges out in protest. But actually, there was a special something waiting for her.

DOKKAEBI AND ACORN JELLY SELLER An Old Korean Folktaleretold by Lee Sang Kyo Japanese text by Kiyomi Otake illustrated by Na Hyun Jung A hard-working but very poor youth lived with his mother. One autumn day he hap-pened to collect plenty of acorns. His mother was a good acorn jelly cook. So they decided to

sell acorn jelly at the market. Th e youth, however, ended up disappointed, having to return with the whole batch on his back. Or at least, that is what he thought until he met a group of Dokkaebi. What is a Dokkaebi? Will they help the youth?

A SCIENTIST AND HIS AMAZING POOLby Norio Nakamura Doc’s new invention was a pool. It was no ordinary pool. Whatever you dipped into it got enlarged. Not just a little, but into a huge scale. Doc’s assistant was asked to guess what there was in the pool from what was showing above the surface. First it was a kettle and then a football... the guessing went on. Th e last item looked somewhat VERY familiar to the as-sistant. Can you guess what it was? A story full of humor and wit.

pape

rbac

k /

19 ×

27

cm /

32 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥38

9.-

A

ges

5-6

PIC

TURE

BO

OK

S

6

THE MOSQUITO COILby Seizo TashimaA plume of smoke drifts in the air and a mos-quito drops! A plume goes further more and two mosquitoes drop! drop! Likewise, a fl ower drops! A hat drops! Letters from the newspaper drop! Th e eff ect spreads out into the town and a statue drops! An advertisement board drops! And the fumes eventually reach the moon. What happens next....? A funny nonsense pic-ture book extends the limit of imagination.

4 years and up / 20×27 cm / 28 pages / 4-color print / ¥800.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8171-8

THE BOOK OF RICEby Eriko HiranoLet’s enjoy the array of rice dishes. Which one do you fancy? Rice cooked and seasoned with various ingredients or perhaps rice dishes de-rived from foreign cuisines? And of course the all mighty rice balls or the simple tea poured over rice is always nice, isn’t it? We shouldn’t forget SUSHI. Rice porridge is good when you’re under the weather. Aren’t we lucky to have such a variety of rice dishes?3 years and up / 26×27 cm / 36 pages / 4-color print / ¥ 1,400.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8166-4

MY FAVORITE UMBRELLA IN SKY BLUEby Kimiko Amanillustrated by Mako TaruishiWith her new umbrella, a girl is walking in the rain merrily. She sings, “My brand new umbrella is sky blue, it seems as if the skies are blue, too.” On hearing this, small animals and friends gather to join in. It was as if the umbrella had stretched out and beneath it was fi ne weather. After the rain, a big bright rainbow was shin-ing!4 years and up / 27×20 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥800.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8165-7

A LITTLE MONSTER, MOTTA by Yvonne JagtenbergJapanese text by Etsuko NozakaMotta was a little monster, the youngest of seven brothers. He always longed to be like his big brothers. He would yell at the top of his voice and stamp his feet saying, “I’m a strong scary monster! I can chew you up with my pointed teeth!” But nobody took him seriously. Motta was sick of be-ing a cutie-pie. Upset, he went into the woods alone and met some animals who gave him a hint to scare his big brothers. Will it work?

3 years and up / 26×27 cm / 40 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,600.- ISBN 978-4-8340-8204-3

HUG ME!by Yumiko Kamijoillustrated by 100% ORANGEA baby monkey goes around asking “hug me!” Papa monkey gives a powerful one armed hug. Elder sister gently gives a tender hug... Enjoy the repetition of “hug me!” and various answers. Simple and unique illustrations add warmth and happiness to the joy of being loved and hugged.10 months and up / 21×20 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8138-1

HEY, TAXI, PLEASE COME BACK!by Toshio NishimuraMr. Hat was about to open his front door when he realized he had forgot-ten something! He ran after his cab yelling, “Hey taxi, please come back!” He was frantic to retrieve his belong-ing. He rode a cow, ran up a hill and even rolled down one. Th en encoun-tering numerous cabs, he was totally at a loss! Poor Mr. Hat returned dis-appointedly when he spotted some-body standing in front of his house.


GOOD DAY FOR A LUNCH-BOXby AzumimushiThere is nothing like a packed lunchbox that will make one happy. You could enjoy it alone but they are even better when you share it with someone. Seasonal lunchboxes are being pre-pared along with rhythmical passages. Let’s take a good look at the ever so yummy ingredi-ents created from cut and colored aluminum plates. How lively they seem, bon appetite!3 years and up / 25×25 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,200.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8158-9

FANGFANG THE PANDA BEARby Sekai SakuraFang Fang the panda bear has a stomachache. Mr. Eng, his foster father rides a bicycle over mountains and takes him to see a doctor. On the way home, Mr. Eng sings a song for Fang Fang.... Th e combination of a thin man and a round panda bear on the cover is really attrac-tive, and once you open the book, rhythmical repetition of the text will make you want to read it aloud. Enjoy the wonderfully unique il-lustrations and heartwarming story.


CHANGING COLORFUL CIRCLESby Etsuko NakatsujiColorful circles standing in line, bunching up close together, expanding and shrinking; this is a marvelous world of circles, a world beyond imagination to an adult. How would little ones see it? Crisp bright circles seem to sing out to us. Simple but rhythmical words accompany the illustrations apt for each scene which makes the book a page turner.10 months and up / 21×20 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8136-7

FLY FLY BUTTERFLYby Mitsuhiko ImamoriA long tailed butterfl y is resting. Isn’t it beautiful? A brown butterfly is on a leaf. Look! On flying away, it reveals bright colors on the wings. Sometimes butterfl ies have unexpected patterns or colors on the other side of their wings. Make friends with various butterfl ies, and marvel at the beautiful and de-tailed paper cut work illustrations!1 year and up / 21×20 cm / 28 pages / 4-color print / ¥800.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8159-6

15

ちいさな　ちいさな

ちょうが　いる

ちらり　ちらり

とんだ　とんだ

hard

cove

r PIC

TURE

BO

OK

S

7

CHILDREN ENJOY THE CUSTOMS OF THE NEW YEAR FESTIVALby Noriko SagesakaA happy new year! Many people are at the shrine to pray for their luck and health, but some children are busy preparing for their performance to dedicate to gods. Let’s peep into the dressing room and see what they put on and what part they play. Enjoy the traditional celebration of Japanese New Year, with brilliant illustrations that let you “hear” the happy conversations and laughter in the shrine!5 years and up / 24×20 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,200.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8208-1

THE STORY OF LITTLE TWIN GORILLASby Nojiko FushiharaTh ere lived a family of gorillas in Afri-can woods. Th e youngest of the family happened to be twin. One day, the twin gorillas got lost and had to spend a night surrounded by scary sounds and unfamiliar smells.... Th e fi rst adventure of the twin gorillas narrated in a simple text, and depicted in accurate, dynamic and expressive illustrations!4 years and up / 26×30 cm / 40 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,500.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8167-1

THE NAPELEON FAMILYby Ryo Kisakaillustrated by Koshiro HataMr. Napeleon the Cat is a distinguished president of NIS (National Institute of Scratchers). When his wife Ankoinette gave birth to three kittens, it was the end of his dignity, well ordered life and peace of mind. Enjoy the lively illustrations and nar-rative with dry humor, and also fi nd out and grin at the many (respectful) parodies of famous names and stories!5 years and up / 24×20 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,200.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8134-3

BLACKSMITH KAWA AND HIS SEVEN SONS A Story of Kurdistanby Amanj Shakely & Etsuko Nozakaillustrated by Makoto OboKawa is a hardworking blacksmith and a proud father of seven sons. Together they lived happily until the king of Kurdistan was possessed by an evil spirit. Kawa and villag-ers sent children safely away into the moun-tains, and then got together and waited for the New Year’s Day. No winter lasts forev-er...! Enjoy the Kurdistan folktale in simple narrative decorated with exotically colored illustrations.

5 years and up / 28×23 cm / 40 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,400.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8169-5

PAPA WORKS IN THE HELLby Yoko Tomiyasuillustrated by Taeko OhshimaI’m a red skinned ogre and I work in the hell. I work for Th e Hell Co., to be precise. Every morning I get dressed in a suit and tie, take a crowded bus to the hell, and then get assigned the day’s work... Th is wonderful nonsense book is humorous in itself, but the narrative in Kansai dialect and dynamic il-lustrations make it even more enjoyable! Brace yourself to meet ogres; they are wait-ing to make you laugh!


hard

cove

r PIC

TURE

BO

OK

S

HUMAN LETTERSby Ryohei Kondodesigned by Masahiro Kakinokiharaphotographs by Naoaki YamamotoHave you ever heard of the word “human letters”? Th ey are letters created by the hu-man body. See how the men do these. Some hiragana characters can be done by one person but some need four! Some are in a standing position whereas others can be created only by lying down. Let’s rediscover the fun shapes of our alphabet and the versatile positions our bodies can compose.5 years and up / 27×20 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥900.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8199-2

CHA-CHANby Kazushi Hosakaillustrated by Sakae OzawaHello there! I’m a cat, and I’m dead. Yes, I am dead in your view, but I rather think I’m dancing. I’m dancing and running and flying with everybody else... This amazing book is narrated by a dead cat, who describes what it is like to be dead. Whatever age the reader is at, this beauti-fully colored book will give a new approach to the over-whelming questions about life and death.8 years and up / 29×22 cm / 40 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,400.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8203-6

てか、踊ってます。

THE SPIT OF OGRESby Masako NumanoLong time ago, there lived an honest and devout man. One night when he was walk-ing home, he was caught up by ogres and spat at, and that made him invisible and in-audible! Based on the old collection of Japa-nese tales, this book is full of mysterious ele-ments as ogres, being invisible, asking for divine oracle and many others. Retold in modern language along with powerful illus-trations, an ancient tale still fascinates us!5 years and up / 26×24 cm / 44 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,400.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8196-1

PIETER GOES TO A FLOWER MARKETby Takako HironoPieter is rowing his boat with a box safely set beside him. His daddy at the flower market needs the coins in the box. He can recognize the signs and buildings along the canal, because he has been to the market with daddy. But now, he is not sure which way to go... When bad things come one after an-other, what can make you smile? Enjoy the heartwarming story, beautifully painted scenery along the canal and fi nd yourself smiling!5 years and up / 26×31 cm / 36 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,500.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8177-0

8

BEFORE THE PICNICby Yoriko Tsutsuiillustrated by Akiko HayashiIt’s Sunday and Ayako’s family is going on a picnic. Many things have to be done first: making lunch, getting dressed, and packing the bag. But Ayako just can’t wait to go out. What messy situations an excited little girl can get into!

2 years and up / 22×21 cm / 24 pages / 4-color print / ¥800.- ISBN 978-4-8340-0854-8

THE HOUSE OF LEAVESby Kiyoshi Soyaillustrated by Akiko HayashiIt begins to rain, and Sachi hurries to a corner of the yard sheltered by leaves. A grasshop-per, a butterfl y, and other insect f riends join her. A tenderly wrought description of a child communing with nature in her own special world.


I’LL WIPE IT OFF!by Akiko HayashiBabies love animals. Babies also show inter-ests in babies like them-selves. The main char-acter is again a baby, and other characters are babies’ favorite animals. When they sit together to eat soup, one after another, the animals spill the soup. Can you guess who has spilled at last and who has wiped it off ?

10 months and up / 18×19 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.- ISBN 978-4-8340-0684-1

TODDLE, MY SHOES!by Akiko HayashiThere are many books designed especially for babies who have just begun to recognize things. Among such books, this is of the best quality. Concentrating on a pair of baby’s shoes, it will attract babies’ at-tentions by showing their motions clearly.

10 months and up / 18×19 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.- ISBN 978-4-8340-0682-7

WHERE’S MY HAND?by Akiko HayashiFrom the big shirt he is wearing, the baby stretches out his head, his hands, his feet... We meet diff erent parts of body on each page which has a similar eff ect as “peek-a-boo” has.

10 months and up / 18×19 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.-ISBN 978-4-8340-0683-4

HELLO, MOON!by Akiko HayashiBabies gaze at the moon as if they are deeply absorbed. Th e beautiful moon is ris-ing from behind the roof. Th e warm colors add tenderness. When the big black cloud fi nishes crossing in front of the moon and we see the smiling moon again, we say, “Hello, Moon!”

10 months and up / 18×19 cm / 20 pages / 4-color print / ¥700.-ISBN 978-4-8340-0687-2

THE RABBIT’S CHRISTMAS PRESENTby Akiko HayashiKasumi-chan goes out to look for the straw-berries to put on the Christmas cake Mum-my has baked. She comes across a rabbit’s f a m i l y w h e r e t h e mother rabbit is also making a cake with strawberries on it. What’s more, she sees some strawberries are left over...


GOOD NIGHT, SANTA CLAUSby Akiko HayashiRei-chan can’t wait for Santa to br ing her Teddy, so goes out to fi nd him. She fi nds him and plods on after him. Finding that his sack is ripped and the toys are falling out one by one, she goes on picking them up and tries to give them back to Santa but...


THE CHRISTMAS TROUSERSby Akiko HayashiTh e whole family is off to grandpa and grandma’s for a Christmas party. Well... the whole family ex-cept Mokkun. Mokkun is so busy playing with his red fi re engine that he lets the other leave without him. Th en his blue trousers begin to run and run to join the party... with Mokkun running after him!


I WANT TO GO, TOO!by Yoriko Tsutsuiillustrated by Akiko HayashiLittle Ayako doesn’t want to be left inside all by herself. But big brother wants to play baseball and does not want to take her along. Watch as this charm-ing little girl finally gets her way!


9

MII-CHAN’S FIRST ERRANDby Yoriko Tsutsuiillustrated by Akiko HayashiBursting with importance, the little heroine sets out on her first errand alone. The text and charming illustra-tions convey well the gamut of emotions the young child experiences in confronting what are for her enormous chal-lenges.


I LOVE TO TAKE BATHS!by Kyoko Matsuokaillustrated by Akiko HayashiI love to take baths. You know why? It’s because I have lots of friends in the tub. There’re my f riends the duck, and the hippo, and Mr. Turtle, and many, many more. I love to take baths. How about you?


ASAE AND HER LITTLE SISTERby Yoriko Tsutsuiillustrated by Akiko HayashiMother goes to the bank leaving Asae to take care of her little sister. They start out playing trains but Aya-chan suddenly disap-pears. Asae must fi nd her before Mother returns. Where could she have gone?


KON AND AKI — Grandma, Please Heal Kon’s Wounds!by Akiko HayashiKon is a toy fox that Grandma made so that he might look af-ter Aki. Th ey have been together ever since Aki was born. One day, Kon’s arm burst open, so they set out on a train trip to Grandma’s to get Kon’s arm fi xed.


SACHI’S ADVENTURE IN MT. RAINBOWby Kaoru Soyaillustrated by Akiko HayashiSachi loved Mt. Rainbow. She would visit her grandma on the mountainside everyday in order to listen to various stories of the mountain. One day Sachi spots a strange red glow from the summit. She rushes to grandma’s to see what is wrong. Grandma sends her to the Old Man Fox who would know what to do. She was told that there was some sort of special secret. Will she solve the mystery? Fast-paced story un-folds with beautiful illustrations.


No one could portray children more vividly than she does. Everyone find him/herself or their children in her book – they live in the book actually! Every move of children in her book attracts readers and the fabulous magic last decades as her fi rst book which was published in 1972 and still one of our bestsellers.

THE WORLD OFAKIKO HAYASHI

LITTLE SISTER GOES TO HOSPITALby Yoriko Tsutsuiillustrated by Akiko HayashiAsae has a favorite doll, and her little sister Aya is always taking it without permission. But when Aya gets sick and has to go to the hospital, Asae learns the meaning of generosity and sharing. Th is is a truly lovely book for little girls.


I’M GOING CAMPINGby Akiko HayashiNaho, a little girl, goes camping for the fi rst time along with some older children. She feels excited to be a member of them while worrying if she could do well. When they got to the campsite, the children get busy setting up camp, and Naho tries her best, though not perfectly... Excitement, uneasiness and courage of a little girl who for the first time spends a night in camp with older children are narrated with warm eyes towards her, with very expressive illus-trations by the author herself.


10 10

11

ワンワン！　ワンワン！　いぬの　なきごえが　きこえると、

ハッピーは、くさを　かじるのを　やめて、ピンと　みみを　たて

ます。

そして、じっと　うごかなくなります。

「ハッピーは　いぬや　ねこが　こわいんだね」と、さくらが　い

うと、

おとうさんが　いいました。

「そりゃ、そうだよ。いぬは　オオカミ、ねこは　トラの　なかま

。

どちらも　ほかの　どうぶつを　たべる　にくしょくどうぶつだ。

うさぎを　みると、

ガブリと　かみつきたくなってしまうのさ。ハッピーも　うまれた

ときから　

そのことを　しっている。だから、みつからないように　じっとし

ているんだ」

ねこの　すがたが　

みえたときも　おなじです。

hard

cove

r N

ON

-FIC

TIO

N B

OO

KS THE LITTLE RED CAR RUNS

WITH THE LITTLE GREEN TRAINby Toshihiko AndoReddy, the red car was waiting in front of a railroad crossing when Greeny, the train passed by. Wait, wait up for me! Let’s go together, shall we? Reddy caught up at a station where Greeny had made his final stop. Reddy followed Greeny on a parallel street to the tracks. Th ey went through a tunnel and enjoyed a happy ride together.


OXALIS Looking for Heart-shaped Leavesby Taeko Tadaillustrated by Takako HironoAn oxalis is a plant that blooms yellow fl owers be-tween spring and summer. Three heart-shapes are put together, making the characteristic form of its leaves. It is such a common plant but the behavior of it, such as it closes its leaves at night, is not really known. How the seeds pop out is illustrated in detail which encourages children to do their own observa-tion on plants nearby. An exquisite piece on oxalis.


WAKE UP, LET’S EAT!by Mitsuaki IwagoA family of hippos is sleeping. On waking up, every-body eats grass. Baby penguins are asleep. On wak-ing up, they eat fi sh. Spread by spread, cute baby ani-mals wake up from sleep and eat. Th ey sleep, they eat and they grow up. Just the same as human babies do. A lion cub eats and grows stronger, a baby seal bigger and monkeys cleverer. World famous M. Iwago took, as usual, wonderful photographs!


LET’S GO OUT FOR A RIDEby Tatsuro KiuchiDad and I are going out today! Dad says we will take three diff erent rides including a ride on rope-way! Introducing other vehicles along, this book de-picts three different rides they took to go up the mountain, where they could see all the way from home. Feel the excitement of the boy and enjoy the scenery of beautiful wood-cut illustrations. Then guess what a wonderful ride the boy took on the way home!


WHEN IT GETS DARKby Tatsuhide MatsuokaWhen it gets dark in the park, pill bugs and bats come out and look for food. When it gets dark in the field, locusts lay eggs and bugs hunt for food. Th e book shows various places (park, fi eld, stream, or pond) both in the daylight and in the dark, one spread for day time and another spread for night time. Compare two spreads and you will be surprised how diff erent familiar sites look when it gets dark!


HAPPY, MY DEAR RABBITby Chizu Natoribased on the text by Sakurako MizushimaSakura took a fluffy white rabbit with blue eyes home and named it Happy. One day several dogs passed by barking loudly. Startled, Happy gave out a shriek and kept still inside its hole. Sakura picked Happy up in her arms and that was when she no-ticed that something was wrong with its hind leg! Sakura took Happy to the vet where she learned about its broken leg and how to take care of it. A scientifi c picture book on behaviors of rabbits.


YOUR MOST BEAUTIFUL “AH”by Etsuko Onoderaillustrated by Rimako HorikawaOpen your mouth and say “ah.” How does it sound? Do it again, facing up this time. Try saying “ah” while beating your chest, touch your throat and feel your “ah”.... Enjoy the variety of ways to say “ah” and try them to fi nd your most beautiful “ah.” Repetition in the text and vivid visualization of various “ah” make up the most enjoyable book about saying “ah.”


THE SOWTHISTLE AND THE SUNby Nobue Kai“Oh how I wish I could move about like them,” grieves the sowthistle, as a frog, butterfl ies and lady-bugs come and go around her. Th e sun kindly tells her, “Of course you can. Just bathe in me.” But how could it be possible for a sowthistle to move about just by bathing in the sun? Heartwarming story and delicate illustrations will let you see this rather hum-ble sowthistle in a diff erent light.


LAUGHTER BRINGS HAPPINESSby Keiko HamadaWhenever my brother makes a funny face, I cannot help laughing. Is there any way not to laugh? I said a little prayer last night, and today my brother couldn’t make me laugh. Amazing! I’m so happy but every-body asks me what’s wrong with me. Why do they ask? K. Hamada’s powerful illustrations will surely make you smile and you will fi nd some new aspects of laughter in this wonderful book.


A TOFU MAKERby Maki IinoWow! What are all these beans for? A curious little boy peeps into a huge tub in a tofu shop. Soy beans are being soaked, waiting to be cooked into tofu. How can these hard round soy beans turn into soft white tofu? Let’s visit the shop ear-ly in the morning and find out about soy bean foods. Th e shop owner is kind enough to let you in and explain all about his work, with the help of vivid water color illustrations.4 years and up / 26×24 cm / 28 pages / 4-color print / ¥900.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8201-2

LET’S GROW AND FIND OUT ABOUT ‘POTATO’by Fumie Makiphotographs & illustrations by Hiroyuki IshikuraHave you ever grown your own potatoes? Potatoes are main staples in many countries because they are quite nutritious. To grow potatoes we use something called a seed potato, not seeds or seedlings. Let’s fol-low the book to study how they grow. How do the leaves grow, how about the stem? Did you know that the flower colors were different depending on the variety? Plenty of photographs show in details the secret of potatoes.

5 years and up / 27×22 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥1.200.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8145-9

11

hard

cove

r N

ON

-FIC

TIO

N B

OO

KS

HI, I'M PHYSARUM, A SINGLE-CELLED INTELLIGENT AMOEBA!by Toshiyuki Nakagakiillustrated by Toshiyuki SaitoThe author of this book, Dr. Nakagaki, has won the Ig Nobel Prize twice on this study about fungi, called myxo-mycete. Th e stated aim of this prize is to "fi rst make peo-ple laugh, and then make them think." Th e book is about a physarum, an amoeboid organism that is maze-solving and can even draw railway maps. Did you just say "What?" Yes, these single-celled slime molds are actually quite intelligent! Let's look into their performances.


RICE PLANTS AND THE JAPANESEby Nobue KaiTh e history of rice plants and people goes back tens of thousands of years when our ancestors found wild rice near the Chang Jiang. Th e cultivation of rice was introduced to Japan two thousand and some hun-dreds of years ago. Ever since that, we have struggled to yield as much rice as possible. Rice is not merely a staple to the Japanese people but a partner which they have survived together with.


SPIDERS MEET INSECTS Ecological Web in the Grasslandby Tomoji Endoillustrated by Yoshiro OkamotoYou know very well that spiders web is for catching in-sects, but do you know how often insects are caught? You will be surprised to know how seldom spiders enjoy a catch on its web. Clever insects can avoid being caught or break free from webs. There are also chances that the hunter becomes the hunted. Th anks to the extended re-search of T. Endo, we can see the ecological web is as beautiful and intriguing as spider web itself.


WHEN I WAS A FOREIGNERby Shunsuke Tsurumiillustrated by Maki SasakiTh e author who studied abroad talks about his experience as a foreigner. Even during World War II, he never hated America, since he knew kind people in the country. From his tough experi-ences under two cultures, we can read a message that a self-cen-tered view from one country alone is not suffi cient.


THESE ARE A FEW OF THE THINGS YOU CAN COUNT WITH “HON”by Asako Iidaillustrated by Bunpei YorifujiJapanese counter suffi x is both curious and diffi cult. For example, a counter suffi x “hon” can be used to count pens, trains, points in Judo and packs of milk. Why totally dif-ferent things are in the same group counted with “hon?” A. Iida’s step by step explanations are fun to follow, especially when they are with humorous illustrations by B. Yorifuji!


MY NOTES OF THE BORNEO JUNGLE SCHOOL AND ORANGUTANSby Akira Takahashiillustrated by Yasuo OhtomoKenta is eleven and loves orang-utans. He always longed to see a real one in a jungle. So he was thrilled to spot the recruitment for the Borneo Jungle School on the school bulletin board. Kenta joins this tour meeting seven new friends. Th e story folds out from the viewpoint of a young

boy who learns about the links of Mother Nature from the jungle. Will he meet his beloved orangutans?


DAYS OF JAPANESE GIANT SALAMANDERSby Kanto Nishikawaillustrated by Asami AokiJapanese Giant Salamander is the largest Amphibia in the world. For a long time, they were regarded as mysterious creatures. Th anks to the long and hard work of K. Nishikawa, we now know a great deal about them. Open the book and make friends with this fascinating creature; the beautifully colored illustrations help you understand how and how long they live in the river.5 years and up / 31×22 cm / 40 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,400.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8202-9

CAESAR TELLS THE HISTORY OF CODEXby Shunichi Ikegami illustrated by Yoshimi SekiguchiHave you ever scrolled something on your tablet? Yes, of course. Th en, have you ever stopped to think what “scroll” or “tablet” used to mean? If not, open this book and meet beloved “little” Caesar and his mates. Th ey tell you the history of paper, parchment, scroll and books in the easy text and expressive il-lustrations!


LET'S LISTEN TO THE SONGS OF A JAPANESE GREY THRUSHby Toru Ishizukaillustrated by Kyusoku IwamotoA Japanese Grey Th rush is well known for its pretty songs. But can you actually describe its voice? Unlike the Japa-nese Bush Warbler with that distinctive twitter, the thrush is known to have various tunes. Dr. Ishizuka decides to do some research to classify them and discovers interesting behaviors of each individual. Th orough and patient study introduces us to the magical songs of thrushes.


LET’S RIDE ON KUROBE GORGE RAILWAY TRAINby Eiichi YokomizoThe Kurobe Gorge Railway is situated in the deep mountains of the Northern Japan Alps. It is known as a tourist attraction to-day but was initially built for an-other purpose. Due to the severe environment it runs through the railway uses unique methods for maintenance and is made in a special size. A detailed descrip-tion on the popular gorge train.


GORILLA DRUMMING Why Do Gorillas Drum on Th eir Chests?by Juichi Yamagiwaillustrated by Chisato AbeOnly a hundred years ago or so, gorilla drumming was thought to be an act of anger. Th e Europeans, who fi rst discovered gorillas, misunderstood the drumming as a threat or warning. Stories like King Kong promoted the misconception, too. After studying their behaviors, we found out that in fact the drumming was done for exactly the opposite! Gorillas drum their chests in order to avoid confl ict. Let's see how.


12

pape

rbac

k /

20×

23 c

m /

24 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥38

9.-

A

ges

3-5

N

ON

-FIC

TIO

N B

OO

KS SURFACE RUBBING IS FUN!

by Nobuo FukuchiGuess what this pattern is? It’s a paper clip! You cover something with a sheet of paper and rub it with your crayon. Now you have unex-pected pretty patterns coming up. You will nev-er know what sort of pattern appears until you actually try surface rubbing. Enjoy the repeti-tive rhythm of the text, try guessing what pro-duced each pattern, and create your own surface rubbing artworks!

IS THERE ANYBODY UNDER THE POT?by Rimako HorikawaIs that where you live? A curious little girl sees an ant going underneath a pot in her garden. She lifts the pot and finds more ants there. What about other pots? Hello there, is there anybody? Th e repeated question and many un-expected meetings depicted in cute illustrations will surely make you wonder: “Is there anybody under my pot?” Make friends with little lives in your garden!

WELCOME TO MY BALCO-NY, SWALLOW CHICKSby Noriko Ochiillustrated by Mari OtaguroOne morning, an unfamiliar noise woke the girl: what’s that? Little birds were perched on her balcony. Where did they come from? What are they doing? Join the little girl and make friends with the little birds; swallows making the first flight from the nest. The text is both explanatory and heartwarming, and the illustra-

tions are so cute that you want to feel the fl uff y feather and down of the little birds!

THE LITTLE RED CAR RUNS ON AN EXPRESSWAYby Toshihiko AndoTh e beloved Little Red Car is back! Th is time he runs on an expressway. Spread after spread, you see many diff erent cars, various signs along the road, drive through a tunnel and see beautiful sights. Let’s go on an exciting drive with Little Red Car through the dynamic drawing and sensitive paint-ings!

AIRY STROLLby Susumu ShinguLet’s go out into the air. Be a little paper plane and float over colorful flowers, past a frog in a pond and follow the red balloon. With beautifully col-ored illustrations, this book will take you to the airy stroll, and enable you to “see” the air in various forms. You will fi nd your heart fi lled with fresh air!

HOLD A LEAF IN THE SUN-SHINE!by Taeko Tadaphotographs by Naoaki YamamotoPick any leaf and hold it in the sunshine. You see unexpectedly fi ne lines all over the leaf; some are straight, some interwoven. You may find “stars” shining in the leaf. Two similar leaves may have completely different patterns. Discover a new beauty through the beautiful photographs, then let’s go out and see for yourself; nature’s beauty is everywhere around us!

LITTLE THINGS CAN DO BIG THINGS!by Setsuko Itoillustrated by Keiko ShindoIn a small box in the corner, even smaller things were neatly put away. Th ere don’t seem to be many things these little things can do, but.... A unique book from the little things’ point of view with detailed illustra-tions. This little book can open our eyes to a great many things!

MY UMBRELLAby Hiromi SugitaIt’s raining today, so I open my umbrella. I walk in the rain and rain drops pitter-patter on my umbrella. Sometimes they splish-splash on my umbrella. Wind blows and I hang on to my umbrella... Clear cut illustrations show us vari-ous aspects of umbrella. Find out what fun you can have with your umbrella, and you will be looking forward to the next rainy day!

COME TO ME, RED DRAGONFLIESby Tamami Sawaguchiillustrated by Masamitsu SaitoWalking through tall grasses, a girl fi nds many red dragonfl ies around her; some are brownish, some are red from head to tail, some have marks on wings… Dynamic illustrations from low angle in-vite us to see the world from the girl's point of view. So join the little girl and make friends with red dragonflies. The rhythmic text also adds the fun to your encounter with red dragonfl ies!

HERON, THE FISHERby Narisa TogoSplash! A heron suddenly stretches its neck and now it has fish between its beaks. Amazing! But isn't the fish too big? Can the heron swallow it whole when gulls are trying to steal it? Observe the heron's fi shing in this beautiful book with unique stencil illustrations. Then let's go out and find a heron in the shallow waters near your house!

THE WINTER NEST OF FLYING SQUIRRELSby Nobuko AkashiWinter is coming. A flying squirrel left a tall tree and went fl ying into woods; he is looking for a winter nest. Let’s bring moss and bark strips into this hollow and keep the nest warm, but the best way to stay warm is to be with friends! Look into the nest and look into the winter life of fl ying squirrels. Th e text is simple and illustrations are cute, dynamic and precise!

HOLES ON THE SANDY BEACHby Mitsuru ArakawaWhat are these holes in the beach? Let’s try digging into one of the holes. How can we dig into loose sands? What’s the clever way to keep the trace of the deep hole? What’s on the end of the hole? Be a curious little boy and dig into the mystery of the holes in the sand! Th rough the cute illustrations, you can feel and smell the hot sand in the beach!

13

pape

rbac

k /

25×

23 c

m /

28 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥38

9.-

A

ges

5-6

N

ON

-FIC

TIO

N B

OO

KSLET’S PLAY MORE EXCITING

TRICKSby Toshio SaekiPlaying tricks is fun! Seeing others play tricks is also fun, especially if you can learn how to do it. So open the book and enjoy each trick and learn how to do them. You don’t need anything special, just ordinary things like rubber band, a pack of cards or glass. Th e expressive illustrations make smile and eager to do the tricks yourself!

JAPANESE GRASS LIZARDby Sen Takenaka illustrated by Yoshihiko IshimoriGood morning! A Japanese grass lizard comes out to drink morning dew. It has been sleeping under leafs. Now it is getting ready for the day in the warmth of the sun. Let’s look into the life of Japa-nese grass lizard; what they eat, where they sleep, how they escape from danger. With this detailed picture book with accurate illustrations, go out into the nearby park to meet and greet to them!

THE RULES OF MALE FIGHTS IN THE JAPANESE HORNED BEETLEby Yoshihito Hongoillustrated by Fumihiko KoboriJapanese Horned Beetles are very popular among children; black gleam of the body, powerful horn and the fi ght with the horn... they are all fascinat-ing. But why do they fi ght? What are the rules of the fight? Open the book and visit the night woods depicted in the dynamic and powerful il-lustrations. Th en be amazed at the wisdom of the wildlife that prevents unnecessary deaths.

SCREWby Shinsaku SumiWhat are these? Can you recognize a screw seen very close up? Screws are very common tool but we don't usually stop to think how great they are. From a tiny screw in a watch to huge one holding a bridge, screws are every-where around you, keeping your world from falling apart. Enjoy the revelation in simple text and accurate pencil work illustrations, and be amazed at the power of the screw!

HOW WAS MS. “HANAKO”?by Taku FurukawaA boy and his little sister are back from some-where. Mommy affectionately asks them; “How was Ms. Hanako?” Th e boy’s answer is like a rid-dle. She was round. She was wrinkled. She had long eyelashes.... With his explanations and the detailed, close up illustrations of Ms. Hanako on each spread, can you guess who Ms. Hanako is? Enjoy the book and now let’s visit her and observe her with your own eyes!

GOLDFISH NAMED KINCHANby Yuichi KasanoTh is is Kinchan, a goldfi sh, swimming peacefully in a glass aquarium. Now, where do you think he came from? Let’s go back to the very beginning, when he came out of a tiny egg. Explanatory text in easy words along with cute and expressive illus-trations show us around the places the goldfish came from. When you see a goldfi sh in an aquari-um, think of the long journey he has made and you will fi nd him more lovable!

LET’S PLAY WITH BALLOONSby Jun Takahashiillustrated by Philip GiordanoLet’s play with balloons! Blow your breath into a balloon and make it big! What’s the easier way to make a large balloon? Show off a magic trick with a balloon and orange. Th e more you know about balloons, the more ways you will fi nd to have fun with balloons! With unique print illustrations by award winning P. Giordano, this fun fi lled book opens your eyes to the wonderful world of bal-loons!

CHARby Yo YokouchiChar is a kind of fi sh that live in cool streams up in mountains. Wild char has become so few that they are now treated as legendary or even mythical fi sh, but they are real, living creatures. So, let’s fi nd out more about char in this book, where, among the beautifully illustrated pages, they swim around and jump up to catch bugs, and reveal the way they live.

PINECONEby Hisao Sugawaraillustrated by Kanako OhshimaPinecones are attractive; children just can’t resist picking them up, but what exactly are pinecones? Where on a pine tree do they grow? How long does it take a pinecone to get ready? What secret do they hide beneath each scale of pinecones? Find out the unfamiliar facts about familiar pine-cones, depicted with accurate and beautiful illus-trations!

POT & STRAWBERRY CLASSby Fumie Maki illustrated by Hiroyuki IshikuraBeloved Pot is back! In this book, Pot meets some strawberries growing in a large box, namely “Strawberry Class.” Pot was asked to find some-thing good for younger strawberries to grow in, and did his best to help them. Enjoy the heart-warming story in simple narrative and cute, ex-pressive illustrations!

A VOICE HAS BEEN HEARD. WHO IS SPEAKING WHERE?by Masahiko Sato + EUPHRATESOn the cover you see a photograph of crowded crossing. You will be surprised to see the same photograph again and again. Now listen, there is a voice cited on each spread; “You dropped this.” “Oh, thank you very much.” Can you fi nd the per-son in the photo who said that? Th e latest book by the unique creative group EUPHRATES and Professor Sato!

LET’S FIND SPIDERSby Toshiki Kobayashi illustrated by Makiko IshibashiLook, it’s gone! Young brothers fi nd a spider web on return-ing home, but it’s gone on the next morning. Will it come back in the evening? Are there other kinds of spiders near their house? Let’s join the curious young broth-ers and fi nd spiders, and fi nd more about them. Lively illustrations help you make friends with spiders!

14

SPIDERS AND SPIDER’S SILKby Hiroyoshi Ikedaillustrated by Mitsuru ArakawaDo you like spiders? Not really? Then, make friends with them with this book as a guide; you will be sur-prised to know the various ways spiders use their silk. You may have seen spider webs for catching preys, but that is just one of the many ways! Thanks to the ex-planatory text and detailed lithograph illustrations, you will soon be looking for your neighbor spiders and checking what way they make use of their silk!

GLOWWORM Angler in the Darkby Yoshiaki Obaraillustrated by Yoshihiko IshimoriWelcome to Waitomo Caves. Take a boat, go into the caves, and there in the darkness, you can see the starlit sky… Why is it possible? Th e “stars” are actually worms, namely “glow” worms. Professor Obara looks into the secrets of glowworms and generously shares each step he acquired his knowledge. Familiarize yourselves with the mysterious worms and their secret!

FIREFLIES AT THE RIVER SIDE, AT THE WOODSby Takehito Miyatake“I’ve always thought fi refl ies live and glow near rivers.” Th e author-photographer was surprised to learn about fi refl ies in woods. To learn more about both kinds of fi refl ies, he goes out both to riverside and to woods to take photographs - the visual records of lights. Now take a deep breath before you open the book, for you are to hold your breath more than once!

HUNTERS AND THE HUNTED Wasps versus Spiders in the Fields of Hokkaidoby Tomoji Endoillustrated by Yoshiro OkamotoWasps are known to hunt spiders to lay eggs in them. Does one wasp always hunt in the same way? Do they adjust their hunting method to be more eff ective? To answer many questions, the author T. Endo hunts the wasps hunting spiders, and thanks to his painstaking (including pains from thorny twigs), we now know much more about wasps. Join the hunt among the beautifully illustrated fi elds of Hokkaido!

THE GREATEST WORLD TRAVELERS GROW ON TREESby Kazuo Watanabeillustrated by Kazuya YasuikeTrees don’t move. But, they can move only once in their life while they are seeds or acorns. In order to grow into trees, they go toward the destination as far away from the parent tree as possible with various ways. Th e au-thors introduce their travel with accurate and life sized illustrations. Let’s go out with the greatest travelers in the world.

THE LIFE INSIDE YOUby Keiko Nakamuraillustrated by Tatsuhide MatsuokaYou know you are alive, don’t you? Th en, can you ex-plain what it is to be alive? What is life? To (partly) an-swer this overwhelming question, K. Nakamura unfolds the history of life in easy explanations with the help of detailed illustrations. Th ink of “life” inside you. It's the result of more than 3 billion years of history on earth!

LIFE IN THE ANTARCTICby Hiroya MinakuchiLet’s go to the Antarctic! Don’t be deceived by the flat white landscape; there are various lives. Sea birds, penguins, whales and seals… most of them live on Antarctic krill. In the Antarctic sea, algae, sea anemones and starfi sh add colors to blue-green ocean water. Explore the Antarctic world and mar-vel at the beautiful photographs by the author pho-tographer H. Minakuchi.

EASTER ISLAND A Small But Great Placeby Tetsuya NomuraEaster Island may seem small to the modern eyes but people there have always called it “Great Island” in their language. The author photographer T. Nomura was fascinated by this “great” island and visited there several times. Meet many diff erent kinds of Moai stat-ues, hold your breath at fantastic photographs and learn more about the greatness and culture of this island!

LIFE OF A PLANT: EATEN TO LIVE by Seiki Takatsukiillustrated by Utako KikutaniTh is is Kinkazan; also known as “Deer Mountain.” Th e author, animal ecologist S. Takatsuki has studied the deer and ecology of the mountain for over 40 years. He now “hears” the talks of the mountain; he understands how essential lawn and deer are to each other. Follow each step of his study and marvel at the wisdom of wild life, depicted in the accurate and artistic illustrations by U. Kikutani.

TINY SNAIL’S OGASAWARA ISLANDS ADVENTUREby Satoshi Chibaillustrated by Shinya KomatsuBeyond the ocean and to the south, there is a paradise of snails - namely Ogasawara Islands. Th e islands are known as the home of more than 100 kinds of snails. Join the side-by-side adventures on Ogasawara islands, one in human’s point of view and the other in snails’, and make friends with variety of snails in different shapes and sizes. A very informative book with cute and accurate illustrations!

NAMAQUALAND WONDER OF GARDEN OF THE GODSby Shin-ichiro SawanoTh e gods, it seems, made their fl ower garden in South Africa. Every year, according to temperature and the amount of rain, different flowers bloom to cover the land that is usually dry and brown. Th e changes alone are breathtaking, but when you know why they bloom all together, you will be ever more amazed at the beauty of nature. Th e author photographer S. Sawano’s twenty years of hard work is more than beautiful.

OUR TAILS FROM FISH TO MANby Norihisa Inuzukaillustrated by Hiroko OshimaWhat do we have in common? Animal students look at each other; eyes, mouth, bones, red blood, tail... “No, I don’t have a tail,” a Koala and a Human boy spoke up. Why are there animals with a tail and those without? What are tails for? Join the animal school and follow their research on tails. Students illustrated with color pencils will welcome you and share their knowledge in step by step details!

pape

rbac

k /

25×

19 c

m /

40 p

ages

/ 4-

colo

r pr

int

/ ¥66

7.-

A

ges

8 an

d up

N

ON

-FIC

TIO

N B

OO

KS

15

SHURU SHURU PAN A Boy Who Might Beby Chika Oogiyanagiillustrated by Taku FuruyamaKaito was a new kid in Shuru Village. He unwillingly had to move here. After his arrival, many odd things popped up. The villagers, however, simply mumbled the strange term “SHURU SHURU PAN”. It was a local magical rite to please the God of Mt. Shumei as odd incidents were thought to be the mischiefs of him. Kaito was frustrated and skeptical about this, but that suspicion grew when he met a boy who “called” himself “SHURU SHURU PAN”. Who was he? Why was he only visible to Kaito?

10 years and up / 21×16 cm / 232 pages / b & w drawings / ¥1,500.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8207-4

THE ADVENTURES OF A SPACE BOY ”LITTLE T”by Taku FurukawaLittle T was a space boy who lived on a star called Big. One day while viewing his space TV, he spotted a meteorite heading towards Earth. It was going to collide with it! Little T decided to go on a rescue but forgot his shield spray to pass through the warp tunnel safely. Will Little T manage to rescue the Earth? An animation creator introduces an adventurous and witty cartoon.


ALEJANDRO’S JOURNEYby Eri KitamuraAlejandro was the only quiet boy of the Boar family. Everybody else in the family was so talkative that they usually spoke in Alejandro’s stead. To cure him of his quiet-ness, Alejandro was sent on a journey to the Great Mountain. Can he speak for himself thanks to the journey? Heart-warming story, various native animals and cute illustrations are sure to make you smile!


SYNDROMEby Tetsuya Satoillustrated by Tsuchika NishimuraWho could have predicted “that” was the end of our ev-eryday life? Is this really our familiar school, torn and upside down? T. Sato’s version of “The War of the Worlds” is narrated by an introvert boy student’s philo-sophical but sometimes too sensitive words. Enjoy this extraordinary science fi ction and be thoroughly thrilled!12 years and up / 18×12 cm / 320 pages / b & w drawings / ¥1,600.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8137-4

Nanoko the Magical Girl 1NANOKO AND THE DRAGON KIDSby Yoko Tomiyasuillustrated by YUJINanoko was an odd transfer student who had suddenly appeared from nowhere. On an autumn afternoon, Na-noko asks Tokiko if she could keep a secret, a real secret. “I need your help on Sunday, Tokiko. We must rescue a dragon child who has lost its ability to climb the skies.” Tokiko wasn’t sure what that meant but their adventure opens up. Sunday was the night of the Hachidai Ryuou Festival. Will they manage to send the little dragon back?


OUR VILLAGE LIBRARY ON THE MOUNTAIN OF LAOSby Kiyoko Yasuiphotographs by Kiyoko Yasui and Shinsaku SuzukiTh e author, Kiyoko Yasui founded a library in a small village in the mountainous regions of Laos where the ethnic minori-ty Hmong reside. She reminisces about the encounters which lead to the idea of building a library in the fi rst place and the process of doing so living in the village herself. She wanted to create a space where children could make contact with picture books. Th e shining smiles on their faces prove the success.20×14 cm / 320 pages / b & w drawings & photos / ¥1,500.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8139-8

YERBY THE LITTLE CREATURE ON THE BANKSby Kaho Nashikiillustrated by Sakae OzawaA teacher at Sunnycliff Free School, a boarding school talks about a little creature who lives on the banks of Madguide Water. He happened to come in contact with it when he was reading on a small boat in this billabong. It had a fl uff y coat and stood up on two feet. With no hair on its face, it looked somewhat like a hedgehog. Ye-rby, so this creature introduced itself, takes us into a world of fantasy.


RUTH S. GANNETT — Th e Woman Who Wrote My Father’s Dragonby Akie MaezawaAre you one of the happier people who had the chance to go on an adventure with “my father” and his dragon? If so, you will just love to know how My Father’s Dragon was born and developed to be a book. If not, read this book and fall in love with this extraordinary woman de-scribed in A. Maezawa’s lively narrative based on several interviews. Ruth Gannet’s eventful life is in itself like an adventure!8 years and up / 22×16 cm / 184 pages / b & w photos / ¥2,000.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8193-0

Mall-Land Story IIHEART OF THE ROCKERby Hiko Tanakaillustrated by Rie Nakajima“That ‘beatles’ thing must have been quite famous in those days…” Th ree twelve year olds, stimulated by the songs of an elderly street singer, start their “research proj-ect” on music half a century ago. In the summer heat, past and present melt together in the burning red hearts of Rockers. Th e second book of H. Tanaka’s Mall Land Story, told in the unique narrative from a girl’s point of view, is sure to rock your heart!


GREAT-GRANDMA’S FANTASTIC STORIESby Hoko Takadonoillustrated by Yura KomineI think my great-grandma may be a witch. Not a scary one; she is very kind, small and quiet, and I love her. But her eyes sometimes have mysterious shade of green and every story she tells has a special power to make me feel “diff erent.” Her story made my toys look livelier, a post-card brighter and.... A heart refresher in the form of a wonderful book with a sensitive narrative and beautifully painted illustrations.


hard

cove

r ST

ORY

BO

OK

S &

REF

EREN

CE

BO

OK

S

PICKLES, THE LITTLE PIGby Sachi Kokazeillustrated by Chisa NatsumePickles is a high-spirited little pig. He is a happy-go-lucky boy, cheerful but full of fl ops, too. Even his fl ops are not really sad. He’s so positive and lifts our spirits. Four epi-sodes are included; “Pickles, Nothing Left Behind” “Pick-les and the Eggs” “Pickles’ Big News” and “Pickles and his swimsuit”. All illustrations come in full color. Now, let’s go out and meet him!5 years and up / 22×19 cm / 120 pages / 4-color print / ¥1,600.-ISBN 978-4-8340-8149-75

International Dept. Tel. +81 3 3942 0032 Fax +81 3 3942 [email protected] http://www.fukuinkan.com/

FUKUINKAN SHOTEN PUBLISHERS, INC.6-6-3, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8686, Japan

TOYA’S MOVINGby Ganbaatar Ichinnorov illustrated by Bolormaa Baasansuren Japanese text by Noriko TsudaA morning on a late spring day, Father announced that it was time to move. Toya starts to help preparing for the move. Th ey fold down their ger, a portable round tent, and gather their belongings. Th en off the cara-van goes! Th ey are going to cross the Gobi Desert and a mountain to get to the grasslands and steppes. Beautiful detailed illustrations enhance the entire fl ow of the moving.


A WISE MOTHER AND A BAD FOX A Mongolian Storyby Ganbaatar Ichinnorov illustrated by Bolormaa Baasansuren Japanese text by Noriko TsudaIn the north of Mongol, where winter is bitter and long, there lived bad, clev-er foxes among deep forests. One of them came out at night and tried to steal a baby. Th e wise mother tries this way and that to protect her baby but one day.... A Mongolian story with dynamic illustrations; though the book is about eventful days in cold climate, it is sure to make you feel happy and warm inside.


BOLORMAA BAASANSURENPick Up!

SENJI’S NEW HOUSEby Ganbaatar Ichinnorov illustrated by Bolormaa Baasansuren Japanese text by Noriko TsudaAt fi rst, Senji did not like his new house. His new room seemed dark and gloomy. He couldn’t find new friends to play with either. He lay back

and absently looked at the dingy walls. That was when Nobnob, the fi rst Woodian emerged. Th en more Woodians jumped out of the walls. Senji raced bicycles and had great fun with them. Senji’s Dad, however, announced about a fresh coat of paint that evening, Senji was worried about his friends.4 years and up / 19×26 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥390.-

LAMB SUCKS ON HER MOTHER’S BREASTby Ganbaatar Ichinnorov illustrated by Bolormaa Baasansuren Japanese text by Noriko TsudaMother ewes are out in the mead-ows munching on the new grass. By the time they finish, they feel their breast full and rush back to milk their off spring. Th e lambs call out to fi nd their own mothers and happily suck on her breast. A

young Mongolian couple teams up to send us a message of spring.10 months and up / 20×19 cm / 22 pages / 4-color print / ¥390.-

Feel the breeze on a vast prairie of Mongolia and you’ll fi nd lovely children on Bolormaa’s detailed pictures. The text of her picture books are written by her husband Ichinnorov Ganbaatar who depicted lives of children in Mongolia beautifully. The Mongolian cou-ple published many books in Japan and all of them showed us that children are the same in any time in any country.

PLAY WITH STONESby Ganbaatar Ichinnorov illustrated by Bolormaa Baasansuren Japanese text by Noriko TsudaLet’s play with stones! This black stone is a dog, and those are sheep. This white

one is my best friend camel… Th e book will take us into the immense broadness of Mongolian field depicted by two Mongolian artists, so run into the fi eld and join the little friends playing with stones. Don’t forget to take your imagination with you!5 years and up / 20×27 cm / 32 pages / 4-color print / ¥390.-

Date post:	13-Feb-2017
Category:	Documents
Upload:	buithien
View:	222 times
Download:	2 times

NEW PUBLICATIONS 2016

Documents