Keiko Sena's "I Want to Grow Up" Picture Book Series All 4 Titles to Be Reprinted, Released September 16, 2026

KADOKAWA Corporation (Headquarters: Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo) will reprint all four titles in Keiko Sena's "I Want to Grow Up" picture book series, releasing them on September 16, 2026.

A gift box containing all four books in the series and special postcards will also be released simultaneously.

About the "I Want to Grow Up" Series

This series was first published in 1974 as the next recommended series after the author's representative work, the "No, No, No! Picture Book" series, which includes "Dare ga Neru no Da" (Fukuinkan Shoten). It has long been difficult to obtain, but due to requests from fans and the cooperation of Sena's daughter, picture book author Kaoru Kuroda, it will now be reprinted.

Charm of the Series: The "Truth" of Children is Here

Children's slyness, stubbornness, dreams, and overflowing love – things that modern picture books often hesitate to depict...

Keiko Sena depicted children's struggles and growth in a gentle, humorous, and sharp manner.

These are four titles that will make you pause and reflect upon reading.

Comment from Kaoru Kuroda

"Keiko Sena's picture books might not align with the sensibilities of today, or they might feel strange to adults living in modern society. However, my mother always placed hope in her picture books. And children know this well. Hope never perishes and never grows old. I hope you will read them without viewing them solely from an adult perspective."

Introduction to the Works

*The following comments from Keiko Sena and Kaoru Kuroda are excerpts from the afterwords of the respective works.

"Ruru the Cat-Child"

When Ruru does something bad, she blames it on "Ruru the Cat-Child," an imaginary being only she can see.

"I'm a good child, so it's okay."

But when Ruru runs into the road chasing a ball, a car appears before her eyes...

"Children's days are not always sweet and fun. They grow by experiencing enjoyment, suffering, regret, and swallowing bitter tears. I drew this picture book with empathy for such children, wanting to watch over them gently."

— Keiko Sena

"When my mother first handed me this picture book, I read it and cried. Tears of frustration. I thought, 'Does it have to be depicted to this extent!?' (Omitted) When I read my mother's afterword more carefully, it contained something much deeper than the content of the picture book. I remember my eyes welling up, thinking, 'I'm going to cry for the opposite reason now!'"

— Kaoru Kuroda

"Kaoru-chan, Kaori-chan, and..."

One day, four girls who looked exactly like Kaoru suddenly appeared from the mirror.

They do all the unpleasant and troublesome things for Kaoru.

However, gradually, they start taking away even the fun and happy things.

"Hey! Everyone... Isn't that unfair! Isn't that cruel!"

Angry, Kaoru does "something" to the mirror.

"Even children, after doing what they want to do, feel that they can't just cry to the adults when they face trouble."

— Keiko Sena

"This book was reprinted due to the strong desire of many people. Finally, the reprint has come true. However, contrary to my mother's afterword, I seem to have been Ruru. On every occasion, I greatly utilized this picture book and ended up becoming worse. I'm sorry, Mother (lol)."

— Kaoru Kuroda

"Lion-chan"

The girl loves Lion-chan, displayed in the window of a shop she passes every day.

But one morning, Lion-chan suddenly disappears.

"Lion-chan died—. She went to God's place."

What miraculous event on a happy morning did the feelings of cherishing Lion-chan bring about?

"Children, whether they are dealing with a lion, a stray dog, a tree, or a flower, can respond with extreme detachment or with overflowing affection. In this book, I depicted that aspect of a child's heart."

— Keiko Sena

"In the morning, there was a gift box by my pillow. (Omitted) It was a thoughtful gesture from my mother, which I learned about after becoming an adult."

— Kaoru Kuroda

"I Want to Grow Up"

She perms her hair, puts color on her lips, and wears high heels.

An envious girl who longs to be an adult, one day, with a medicine given by a mysterious bird, she truly becomes an adult.

"Hmph, I've become an adult."

However, everything becomes a problem...

"I created this picture book by interpreting children's 'words that cannot be spoken by children.' I want to add that I did not intend to convey any moral lesson."

— Keiko Sena

"I believe my mother, Keiko Sena, was correct in pointing out that the feeling of 'wanting to be free quickly' was included. My mother was someone who observed children's feelings with detachment."

— Kaoru Kuroda

Stylish Gift Box with Special Postcards Also Released Simultaneously

"Keiko Sena's I Want to Grow Up Picture Book Gift Box: The Four Stories of Stubborn Ruru-chan"

A stylish gift box containing all four books from the "I Want to Grow Up" series and exclusive special postcards is now available! It's also recommended as a gift.

Bibliographic Information

"I Want to Grow Up" Series All 4 Titles ( "Ruru the Cat-Child," "Lion-chan," "Kaoru-chan, Kaori-chan, and...", "I Want to Grow Up" )

Text and Illustrations: Keiko Sena

Target Age: 3 years and up

Release Date: Scheduled for September 16, 2026

Publisher: KADOKAWA Corporation

URLs

"Ruru the Cat-Child"

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322601000635/

"Kaoru-chan, Kaori-chan, and..."

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322601000641/

"Lion-chan"

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322601000639/

"I Want to Grow Up"

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322601000637/

"Keiko Sena's I Want to Grow Up Picture Book Gift Box: The Four Stories of Stubborn Ruru-chan"

https://www.kadokawa.co.jp/product/322601000645/

Author Profile

Keiko Sena

A picture book author born in Tokyo in 1931. After studying painting under the artist Takeo Takei, she debuted in 1969 with the four-book "No, No, No! Picture Book" series, which included "Dare ga Neru no Da." She created numerous works that continue to be read across generations and passed away in 2024.

Kaoru Kuroda (Cooperation)

A picture book author. Her mother was Keiko Sena, and her father was the rakugo performer Yanji Ryutei VI (died 1991). She graduated from Wako University's Faculty of Human Relations. Her rhythmic and unique worldview captivates many readers. Her representative works include the "Yurei Series" and the "Hayaoki Obake Series." She was the model for "Ruru-chan" who appears in Sena's works.

[Announcement] First Essay Collection by Daughter Kaoru Kuroda Scheduled for Release This Winter

The first essay collection by Kaoru Kuroda, a picture book author and the model for the character "Ruru-chan" in Sena's works such as "Dare ga Neru no Da," titled "Kodomo to Obake to Ruru-chan (tentative title)," is scheduled for release this winter. The book will depict the little-known true face of "Mother Keiko Sena" and family stories from a daughter's perspective, including powerful and unusual parenting episodes and her career as a working woman who continued to create while married and raising children. It will include serialized essays from various sources as well as many newly drawn illustrations.