MOE Picture Book Award-Winning Author Maki Kaneko's Latest Work "Hula Hoop!" on Sale April 9, 2026 (Thursday)
Bronze Publishing will release Maki Kaneko's new picture book 'Hula Hoop!' on April 9, 2026. It is Japan's first picture book themed around hula hoops, featuring highly detailed, realistic illustrations of food items playing with hula hoops in a vertically opening format.
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- 📰 Published: April 2, 2026 at 20:20
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Bronze Publishing Inc. (Location: Shibuya-ku, Tokyo, Representative Director: Machiko Wakatsuki) will release the picture book "Hula Hoop!" (written by Maki Kaneko) at bookstores nationwide on Thursday, April 9th.
The author, Maki Kaneko, is a picture book author who attracts attention for her surreal and unique ideas and versatile expression methods, and has won numerous picture book awards for works like "Menbozu" (Alice Kan) and "Ichigorira" (Poplar Publishing).
Her latest work, "Hula Hoop!", is Japan's first picture book themed around the "hula hoop" (according to our research). The characters appearing are foods familiar to children, such as onigiri (rice balls), watermelon, ice cream, pudding, and cake. Spinning and shaking to the chant of "Onigiri, onigiri, hula hoop!"... whimsical developments that will make you laugh out loud unfold one after another.
Due to the bookbinding that opens vertically, the movement of the hula hoop and the sight of the foods transforming into unexpected shapes can be felt more dynamically. With rhythmic words and a simple development, it is perfect for reading aloud to large groups. It's a book that children and adults can enjoy together, making you want to move your body.
## Japan's first! A picture book themed around hula hoops
The "hula hoop" is a piece of play equipment that has been beloved in preschools and schools. Although it is a familiar presence regardless of generation, it had never been drawn as the main theme of a picture book before (according to our research). This book is the first picture book in Japan to put a spotlight on that familiar plaything.
## Highly detailed pictures balancing cuteness and reality
Maki Kaneko values drafting and places importance on drawing subjects accurately. Through delicate and outstanding expressive power—such as an onigiri carefully drawn down to every single grain of rice and the texture of the seaweed, or the expression of the afterimage (trajectory) showing the rotation of the hula hoop—it becomes a work where reality can be felt despite being a nonsense world.
## Inside View
## Bibliographic Information
"Hula Hoop!" written by Maki Kaneko
- Release date: Thursday, April 9, 2026
The author, Maki Kaneko, is a picture book author who attracts attention for her surreal and unique ideas and versatile expression methods, and has won numerous picture book awards for works like "Menbozu" (Alice Kan) and "Ichigorira" (Poplar Publishing).
Her latest work, "Hula Hoop!", is Japan's first picture book themed around the "hula hoop" (according to our research). The characters appearing are foods familiar to children, such as onigiri (rice balls), watermelon, ice cream, pudding, and cake. Spinning and shaking to the chant of "Onigiri, onigiri, hula hoop!"... whimsical developments that will make you laugh out loud unfold one after another.
Due to the bookbinding that opens vertically, the movement of the hula hoop and the sight of the foods transforming into unexpected shapes can be felt more dynamically. With rhythmic words and a simple development, it is perfect for reading aloud to large groups. It's a book that children and adults can enjoy together, making you want to move your body.
## Japan's first! A picture book themed around hula hoops
The "hula hoop" is a piece of play equipment that has been beloved in preschools and schools. Although it is a familiar presence regardless of generation, it had never been drawn as the main theme of a picture book before (according to our research). This book is the first picture book in Japan to put a spotlight on that familiar plaything.
## Highly detailed pictures balancing cuteness and reality
Maki Kaneko values drafting and places importance on drawing subjects accurately. Through delicate and outstanding expressive power—such as an onigiri carefully drawn down to every single grain of rice and the texture of the seaweed, or the expression of the afterimage (trajectory) showing the rotation of the hula hoop—it becomes a work where reality can be felt despite being a nonsense world.
## Inside View
## Bibliographic Information
"Hula Hoop!" written by Maki Kaneko
- Release date: Thursday, April 9, 2026