[New Publication Info] We want kids to love vegetables! Over 140,000 copies sold! 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' (Story/Art by Ai Iwagami), a spin-off of the popular series, collaborates with Takii & Co.'s home gardening brand 'UETE'!
Key facts
- [New Publication Info] We want kids to love vegetables! Over 140,000 copies sold! 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' (Story/Art by Ai Iwagami), a spin-off of the popular series, collaborates with Takii & Co.'s home gardening brand 'UETE'!
- Iwasaki Shoten will release the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' on April 15, 2026. In collaboration with Takii's gardening brand 'UETE', it offers a new food education experience combining reading and vegetable growing.
- Source: PR Times
- Date: April 13, 2026
Direct answer
Iwasaki Shoten will release the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' on April 15, 2026. In collaboration with Takii's gardening brand 'UETE', it offers a new food education experience combining reading and vegetable growing.
- Citation
- [New Publication Info] We want kids to love vegetables! Over 140,000 copies sold! 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' (Story/Art by Ai Iwagami), a spin-off of the popular series, collaborates with Takii & Co.'s home gardening brand 'UETE'! (April 13, 2026), PR Times
- Source
- PR Times
- Date
- April 13, 2026
Iwasaki Shoten will release the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' on April 15, 2026. In collaboration with Takii's gardening brand 'UETE', it offers a new food education experience combining reading and vegetable growing.
📋 Article Processing Timeline
- 📰 Published: April 13, 2026 at 19:00
- 🔍 Collected: April 13, 2026 at 16:35
- 🤖 AI Analyzed: April 19, 2026 at 20:17 (147h 41m after Collected)
Over 140,000 copies sold cumulatively! A spin-off of the highly popular 'Yasai no Naritai' picture book series!
Vegetables like green peppers, carrots, eggplants, and tomatoes that children dislike.
Told things like 'I hate green peppers! I like snacks' and 'I hate carrots! I love toys', they work hard to somehow make children like vegetables.
The latest volume in the popular picture book series, featuring the endearing and adorable appearances of these vegetables, is now available.
A collaboration project with Takii & Co.'s home gardening brand 'UETE'!
An experience of 'reading' x 'growing' for parents and children.
In the latest picture book, various vegetables appear and hold a festival, trying their best to become friends with Yuta-kun, who hates vegetables.
This work started as a collaboration project with 'UETE', a home gardening brand from Takii & Co.
By reading the 'picture book' to become familiar with vegetables, and linking it to the experience of actually growing, harvesting, and eating them with the 'vegetable growing kit for parents and children', you can enjoy a food education experience together!
● Introduction to the contents of the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival'
'Kids love fruits, but they really don't like vegetables,' say the vegetables. We want kids to love vegetables just like they love fruits! So, they decided to hold a 'Vegetable and Friends Festival'.
Opening food stalls using vegetables and workshops, the festival is a great success.
Then, Yuta-kun, who hates vegetables, arrives with his mom.
'I hate vegetables. I don't want to be friends with you at all!' Yuta-kun refuses to accept the vegetables easily.
Can Yuta-kun and the vegetables ever become friends?
● Bibliographic Information
Title: Yasai to Tomodachi Festival
Author: Ai Iwagami (Story and Art)
Publisher: Iwasaki Shoten Co., Ltd.
Price: 1,540 yen (Base price 1,400 yen + tax)
Format: A4 variation, 27 pages
Distribution Date: April 13, 2026
Release Date: April 15, 2026
ISBN: 978-4-265-15012-0
Iwasaki Shoten Product Page: https://www.iwasakishoten.co.jp/book/b10159934.html
Product Introduction Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QpvvzeEzNDc
● New Publication Commemorative Giveaway Campaign!
We will give away the 'Yasai to Tomodachi' vegetable growing kit for parents and children, which allows you to start growing vegetables in your garden or balcony, to 10 winners.
Application Deadline: Until 23:59 on Friday, July 31, 2026
For details of the giveaway campaign, please see the campaign band on the product or the URL below.
(Scheduled to open at 0:00 on April 13)
https://www.iwasakishoten.co.jp/special/naritai/15012/
● 'Yasai no Naritai Picture Book' Series Lineup
Story and Art by Ai Iwagami
- Green Pepper That Wants to be a Snack
- Carrot That Wants to be a Toy
- Eggplant That Wants to be a Ghost
- Tomato That Wants to be a Friend
*Click on each title to go to the bibliographic page!
● Author Profile
Ai Iwagami
She continues to create works utilizing her experience interacting with children while working as a painting and crafts instructor at an early childhood classroom. Her picture books include 'Ao-oni and the Mysterious Red Thread' (PHP Institute), 'World-Fixing Tengu Squad of 5: Tengururin!', 'Green Pepper That Wants to be a Snack', 'Carrot That Wants to be a Toy', 'Eggplant That Wants to be a Ghost', and 'Chelsea Who Wants to be a Princess' (all from Iwasaki Shoten).
● UETE's Growing Kit for Parents and Children 'Yasai to Tomodachi'
We also have a set product consisting of the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' and a growing kit.
*Sales start from 10:00 on Wednesday, April 15
For details, please visit the following site.
★ UETE 'Yasai to Tomodachi' Special Page
https://uete.jp/pages/yasai-to-tomodachi
★ Picture Book Set Product Sales Page
Vegetables like green peppers, carrots, eggplants, and tomatoes that children dislike.
Told things like 'I hate green peppers! I like snacks' and 'I hate carrots! I love toys', they work hard to somehow make children like vegetables.
The latest volume in the popular picture book series, featuring the endearing and adorable appearances of these vegetables, is now available.
A collaboration project with Takii & Co.'s home gardening brand 'UETE'!
An experience of 'reading' x 'growing' for parents and children.
In the latest picture book, various vegetables appear and hold a festival, trying their best to become friends with Yuta-kun, who hates vegetables.
This work started as a collaboration project with 'UETE', a home gardening brand from Takii & Co.
By reading the 'picture book' to become familiar with vegetables, and linking it to the experience of actually growing, harvesting, and eating them with the 'vegetable growing kit for parents and children', you can enjoy a food education experience together!
● Introduction to the contents of the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival'
'Kids love fruits, but they really don't like vegetables,' say the vegetables. We want kids to love vegetables just like they love fruits! So, they decided to hold a 'Vegetable and Friends Festival'.
Opening food stalls using vegetables and workshops, the festival is a great success.
Then, Yuta-kun, who hates vegetables, arrives with his mom.
'I hate vegetables. I don't want to be friends with you at all!' Yuta-kun refuses to accept the vegetables easily.
Can Yuta-kun and the vegetables ever become friends?
● Bibliographic Information
Title: Yasai to Tomodachi Festival
Author: Ai Iwagami (Story and Art)
Publisher: Iwasaki Shoten Co., Ltd.
Price: 1,540 yen (Base price 1,400 yen + tax)
Format: A4 variation, 27 pages
Distribution Date: April 13, 2026
Release Date: April 15, 2026
ISBN: 978-4-265-15012-0
Iwasaki Shoten Product Page: https://www.iwasakishoten.co.jp/book/b10159934.html
Product Introduction Video: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/QpvvzeEzNDc
● New Publication Commemorative Giveaway Campaign!
We will give away the 'Yasai to Tomodachi' vegetable growing kit for parents and children, which allows you to start growing vegetables in your garden or balcony, to 10 winners.
Application Deadline: Until 23:59 on Friday, July 31, 2026
For details of the giveaway campaign, please see the campaign band on the product or the URL below.
(Scheduled to open at 0:00 on April 13)
https://www.iwasakishoten.co.jp/special/naritai/15012/
● 'Yasai no Naritai Picture Book' Series Lineup
Story and Art by Ai Iwagami
- Green Pepper That Wants to be a Snack
- Carrot That Wants to be a Toy
- Eggplant That Wants to be a Ghost
- Tomato That Wants to be a Friend
*Click on each title to go to the bibliographic page!
● Author Profile
Ai Iwagami
She continues to create works utilizing her experience interacting with children while working as a painting and crafts instructor at an early childhood classroom. Her picture books include 'Ao-oni and the Mysterious Red Thread' (PHP Institute), 'World-Fixing Tengu Squad of 5: Tengururin!', 'Green Pepper That Wants to be a Snack', 'Carrot That Wants to be a Toy', 'Eggplant That Wants to be a Ghost', and 'Chelsea Who Wants to be a Princess' (all from Iwasaki Shoten).
● UETE's Growing Kit for Parents and Children 'Yasai to Tomodachi'
We also have a set product consisting of the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' and a growing kit.
*Sales start from 10:00 on Wednesday, April 15
For details, please visit the following site.
★ UETE 'Yasai to Tomodachi' Special Page
https://uete.jp/pages/yasai-to-tomodachi
★ Picture Book Set Product Sales Page
FAQ
How many copies of the picture book 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' have been sold cumulatively?
Over 140,000 copies have been sold cumulatively of the picture book to date.
Who created the story and artwork for the spin‑off picture book titled 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival'?
Ai Iwagami is credited as both the story writer and illustrator for the book.
Which home gardening brand from Takii & Co. partnered in the collaboration for the 'Yasai to Tomodachi Festival' project?
The partnership was formed with Takii & Co.’s home gardening brand named UETE for the project.
What types of vegetables are portrayed as characters that express dislike for children in the storyline of the festival?
Green peppers, carrots, eggplants and tomatoes appear as vegetables complaining about being disliked by children.
How does the 'vegetable growing kit for parents and children' integrate reading and gardening in the educational experience offered with the book?
The kit lets families read the book while simultaneously planting, harvesting and eating the featured vegetables together.