published by Little Gestalten
EU / UK / US
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About the Book
Sun and his white-tailed dog Shiro love spending their days outdoors, exploring nature together. Every year, they look forward to early fall, when shiny red apples start to grow in the orchard near their house. While on their latest adventure, they meet a curious little creature called Polka-Dot Snake—a slithering friend who happens to love apples even more than they do.
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Paper cut illustration
Every illustration is cut & pasted by hand. I work with Japanese washi paper for its natural colour palette & texture. My illustrations are made in a simple form and composition - no perfect lines nor digital effects, all hand made work.
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How it started
Growing up in Japan, where food plays an essential role in our culture, and having a child with various food allergies, I’m fascinated with what we eat and how we eat differently. By combining my art and food/life experiences, I created a book series to introduce children to different perspectives on food, navigated by unusual, lovable characters.
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Creative process
My family had been my original inspiration and essential force in making this book. We worked closely together on developing stories and concepts. Keeping our cultural backgrounds, love for food, nature, arts & crafts always in mind, we included these elements in the story.
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Interview x Gestalten
Read more about the process of making the book > HERE
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Key elements
The original story line contains elements of: Sense / Taste / Flavor / Craving / Obsession / Seasonality / Biodiversity / Gardening / Farming / Arts & Crafts / Nature play / Cooking / Gentle Living / Curiosity / Imagination / Observant / Friendship / Japanese culture
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The Kite
Here is a fun craft activity to enjoy together with the book. You can download the instruction how to make your own Polka-Dot Snake kite: LINK HERE
what you need: Papers / Thread or String / Scissors / Glue / Pencils
