Little Shrew

Little Shrew is a delightful collection of three short stories following the titular Little Shrew in the vein of children’s classics like Frog and Toad and Peter Rabbit. Like its literary predecessors, the translated text describes in simple prose the everyday activities in the life of Little Shrew who moves efficiently from his home to his work, completing errands, welcoming visiting friends and completing household projects.

Award-winning children’s book creator Akiko Miyakoshi brings her signature style of deceptively intricate pencil, charcoal and paint illustrations to this story, constructing an incredibly cozy and comforting world where even the mundane events of life are given an enchanting, almost mystical beauty and significance. Alternating between colour and black and white and from full-page spreads to small vignettes or individual objects Miyakoshi shows an artistic reverence for life and an appreciation of simple pleasures and daily routines. Vivid green and red gingham-patterned endpapers complete this delightfully quaint experience.

While the simplicity of storytelling may be too subtle for younger readers, the detailed beauty of each illustration and its accompanying text will charm older children as well as adult readers.