New Picture Book 'Tonda' Released: A Celebration of the Joy of Living by Saiko Shiiki

## Release of the Picture Book 'Tonda'

This book depicts the vibrancy of the moment living beings 'leap' and the brilliance of the world through poetic language and beautiful stencil colors.

### Overview

When happy, when having fun, animals and children all leap!

Cats leap high into the sky towards butterflies,
Rabbits leap in fields of flowers under the moonlight,
Children leap over puddles after the rain.

This work depicts the dynamic姿 of creatures in the moment they 'leap.' Through the 'blessings of nature' and a series of 'leaps,' it directly expresses the joy of living. Every page overflows with the brilliance of the world and the energy of life.

### Background of Production

One afternoon, while getting my hair cut at a salon, I was looking out the window and saw children on their way home from school happily leaping as they walked. When I whispered, 'Children are so energetic,' the hairdresser replied, 'Children and dogs jump up and down when they're happy, don't they? Maybe that's the boundary between adults and children.'

Although I haven't jumped in a long time, I want to cherish that happy feeling of leaping with all my might at any time. For adults who have forgotten how to leap amidst the business of daily life, and for children who are currently expressing joy with their whole bodies, this is a story that can share the 'joy of living' across generations.

### Bibliographic Information

- Title: Tonda
- Author/Illustrator: Saiko Shiiki
- Publisher: Iwasaki Shoten Co., Ltd.
- Price: 1,760 JPY (1,600 JPY + tax)
- Size: A4 variant
- Pages: 32 pages
- Target Age: 3 years old to adults
- Release Date: June 10, 2026
- ISBN: 978-4-265-83261-3
- Product Page: https://www.iwasakishoten.co.jp/book/b10168770.html

### Author Profile

Saiko Shiiki: Painter and picture book author. While exploring the expression of pictures and words, in recent years, she has developed workshops for collecting people's words and creating works. Her picture book works include 'A-chan wa Nakayoshi' (Fukuinkan Shoten) and 'Kiiroi Karasu' (private edition).