Full of Disney Characters! Start Reading Comprehension, Word Problems, and School Preparation with Disney! 4 New Titles in the "Disney/W Start Drill" Series for Elementary School Students Launching in June 2026!

©Disney ©Disney/Pixar ©Disney.Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard.

Shinko Shuppansha Keirinkan Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Tennoji-ku, Osaka; President & Representative Director: Satoshi Sato) will release 4 new titles in the "Disney/W Start Drill" series, designed to help elementary school students start learning enjoyably, under the "Shinko Shuppansha" brand at bookstores and online bookstores nationwide from early June 2026.

"My child can't seem to start studying," "They struggle with word problems," "It's hard to keep up with drills every day" – Do you have any of these concerns about home learning?

This series features numerous Disney characters beloved worldwide, maximizing children's motivation to learn. The June 2026 new releases include the much-requested "Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems" series (Grades 1-3). Additionally, "Hiragana, Katakana & Numbers, Life Skills" has been added to prepare for school and solidify the basics for new first graders, strongly supporting children's sense of achievement and desire to learn.

■ Revolutionary "W Start" System! Learn Two Subjects from Both Sides in One Book

W Start Drill "Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems Grade 1" ©Disney ©Disney/Pixar ©Disney.Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard.

The biggest feature of this series is the "W Start" system, which allows children to work on two learning areas in a single drill book. For example, the new "Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems" book has a double-sided design: you start "Reading Comprehension" (Japanese) from the front cover side and "Word Problems" (Math) from the back cover side. Children can freely choose which subject to tackle based on their condition or mood that day, allowing them to continue learning without getting bored and fostering well-balanced academic ability.

■ Common Features of the "Disney/W Start Drill" Series

● Full of Disney Characters! Characters from a wide variety of works appear on every page, including Disney Animation films like 'Frozen', 'Zootopia', 'Winnie the Pooh', and Disney & Pixar films like 'Toy Story'. Especially in "Reading Comprehension," the drills feature reading comprehension problems using Disney stories, making learning fun as you read along.

©Disney ©Disney/Pixar ©Disney.Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard. W Start Drill "Hiragana, Katakana & Numbers, Life Skills" Disney Character Guide

● 3-Step Structure for Solidifying Basics: A step-by-step learning flow of "Basic Drill" → "Summary Test" → "Review Quiz" helps children solidify their foundational academic skills without pressure.

Structure of W Start Drill

● Learn Enjoyably in 10 Minutes Per Page! Designed for short periods to maintain concentration. Pages can be torn off one by one along perforations, making it easy to feel a sense of accomplishment and convenient for carrying around.

■ "Evolved 5 Great Goods" to Boost Children's Motivation

Each volume comes with luxurious goods that support learning and enhance the sense of achievement.

● Puzzle Stickers: By placing a sticker after completing each page, a large illustration is completed when the book is finished, providing great motivation to continue learning.

● Sugoroku (Board Game) & Cards: A variety of sugoroku games themed around the new titles, such as "Seasons," "Stories," "Exploration," and "School Events," are included. Children can review the learning content while playing.

● Rule Board: By setting learning goals together with parents, it fosters independence and communication skills.

● Character Guide: Introduces the characters appearing in the drill and their respective works in a list format.

Puzzle Stickers, Sugoroku & Cards

©Disney ©Disney/Pixar

©Disney.Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard.

■ Development Background: Addressing "Declining Reading Comprehension" and Creating a Learning Environment

● Recent national assessments of academic ability and learning conditions show a declining trend in Japanese language scores, with particular challenges in "reading" and "organizing/reconstructing information." Furthermore, due to the prevalence of SNS, today's children lack experience in reading and understanding coherent texts. The new 2026 titles 'Reading Comprehension & Word Problems' directly address these educational challenges. The "Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems" series builds a foundation for reading comprehension skills gradually, starting from "reading short passages."

● Survey results suggest that "conversations about studying between children and parents at home play a crucial role in building study habits." The "Rule Board" included with this drill allows families to clarify roles and goals, creating a learning environment and fostering more active communication at home.

■ Concept Aligned with the Next Course of Study:

W Start System Cultivating "Versatile Language Skills"

The next Course of Study, expected to be reported on by fiscal year 2026, emphasizes language skills as the "foundation supporting learning activities in all subjects," not just Japanese but also math and science. The "Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems" series, with its structure of learning "Japanese (Reading Comprehension)" from the front and "Math (Word Problems)" from the back, aims to cultivate reading comprehension and thinking skills applicable across subjects.

The Power of Characters to Activate "Independent Learning"

The powerful hook of Disney characters lowers the barrier to learning, stimulating children's curiosity to engage with the material on their own, making it easier to start learning. The discussions for the next Course of Study indicate a direction towards using each child's "likes (interests)" and nurturing their "strengths" as a driving force for motivation towards overall learning.

■ "Disney/W Start Drill" New Title Lineup (4 Books Total)

The new titles arriving in June 2026 cover everything from school preparation to middle grades, including the following 4 books.

©Disney ©Disney/Pixar ©Disney.Based on the "Winnie the Pooh" works by A.A.Milne and E.H.Shepard.

Disney/W Start Drill Japanese Reading Comprehension & Math Word Problems Grade 1

○ Learning Content: Basics of Japanese reading comprehension and math word problems for first graders.
○ Content: Learn Japanese reading comprehension from the front and math word problems from the back. Solidify basics enjoyably with the "Basic Drill" → "Summary Test" → "Review Quiz" format, full of Disney characters.
○ 5 Great Goods: Puzzle Stickers, Seasons Sugoroku, Number/Word Cards, Rule Board, Character Guide