What do you think?
Rate this book
Kokeshi
AOKI
Meet Aoki! She may be the smallest Kokeshi, but Aoki’s infectious enthusiasm can make anyone laugh. On her whirlwind trip to Tokyo, she will ride a high-speed train, dance under cherry blossom trees, and visit a zen garden. With sneak-peek flaps, fun die-cuts, and lavish gatefolds, this interactive exploration will enchant Kokeshi fans of all sizes!
48 pages, Hardcover
First published February 22, 2012
45 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
June 7, 2012
My husband and I visited a sweet independent bookshop yesterday on our anniversary outing and when he found me cooing over this book, he very kindly bought it for me as a sweet memento of our day. It is truly an absolutely darling, sweet and "kawaii" ("super-cute") book! The writing is nothing remarkable, but the design and artistry of the book easily skyrocket the story to five stars in my view. Little Aoki (who happens to be a kokeshi, the little wooden Japanese dolls you may be acquainted with) goes with her pet panda to visit her friend Yoko in Tokyo. Once there, they experience many sights, sounds tastes and smells such as seeing something cute (an adorable shop), the fragrance of cherry blossoms, eating a bento lunch, visiting friends and gazing at the stars. As if the illustrations themselves were not cute enough, this is all set up as a "lift-the-flap" book so you have all these charming little extra-fun things to do like open doors, look through shop windows, etc. Just an utter delight! You have to temper my review with the fact that I love Japanese kawaii-style work, and I also love pop-ups and lift-the-flap books, so I was pretty much on board to love this book the minute I laid eyes on it ;-) If you share similar tastes, do check out this charming book. It was originally published in France and I am so glad Chronicle Books brought it to the US (and that my wonderful husband brought it to me!)
December 20, 2025
A childhood favourite of mine. Such a fun, colourful, and kawaii book.
June 15, 2020
"I would like to see something kawaii, smell the sakura, meet your tomodachi (friends), have a bento, look at koi, gaze at the hoshi (stars)"
And those were exactly the things that Aoki did when she visited her friend Yoko in Tokyo. This book is super kawaiiii. It highlights all things Japanese, from shinkansen, sakura, bento, to cosplay culture (anime costume dress-up). Through the illustration, it also shows the colourful kimonos, Japanese traditional houses, and other little cultural details. So it's good (and cute) early book to expose young readers to Japanese culture.
Most importantly, the book is very interactive with super fun prompts and lift-the-flaps, making this one of the looongest bedtime book despite the short text. My daughter would take her time to help Aoki choose the things to pack, match the patterns of Shinkansen passengers' outfits with the patterns of the luggage, open every 'cupboard' to find missing Popo the panda, 'eat' the bento, 'shop' and trinket store, and help Popo take pictures for Aoki and Yoko 😶😶😶 On top of that, there are these little black birds that appear on every page that K just had to count at every flip of a page.
.
It is certainly a delightful and engaging book. Maybe just try not to choose this book for bedtime story when you are exhausted and desperately need a quick 5-minute read. You have been warned.
.
The lift-the-flaps are made of normal semi-glossy paper, the same type as the book pages, not thick board page type. So it's safer (for the book 🤭) to be handled by kids who can already be rather gentle with books. It's safe in the hands of my then 2-year-ish old daughter, with lots of reminders and guidance.
And those were exactly the things that Aoki did when she visited her friend Yoko in Tokyo. This book is super kawaiiii. It highlights all things Japanese, from shinkansen, sakura, bento, to cosplay culture (anime costume dress-up). Through the illustration, it also shows the colourful kimonos, Japanese traditional houses, and other little cultural details. So it's good (and cute) early book to expose young readers to Japanese culture.
Most importantly, the book is very interactive with super fun prompts and lift-the-flaps, making this one of the looongest bedtime book despite the short text. My daughter would take her time to help Aoki choose the things to pack, match the patterns of Shinkansen passengers' outfits with the patterns of the luggage, open every 'cupboard' to find missing Popo the panda, 'eat' the bento, 'shop' and trinket store, and help Popo take pictures for Aoki and Yoko 😶😶😶 On top of that, there are these little black birds that appear on every page that K just had to count at every flip of a page.
.
It is certainly a delightful and engaging book. Maybe just try not to choose this book for bedtime story when you are exhausted and desperately need a quick 5-minute read. You have been warned.
.
The lift-the-flaps are made of normal semi-glossy paper, the same type as the book pages, not thick board page type. So it's safer (for the book 🤭) to be handled by kids who can already be rather gentle with books. It's safe in the hands of my then 2-year-ish old daughter, with lots of reminders and guidance.
June 28, 2022
This is one of my all time favorite Childress books perhaps ever. If you need a reason if ever to pick this up as an adult wondering if this is just another kids book that will offer you no value, please do. I mean it references anime for peeps sake at one point.
This is a truly unique book with gorgeous artwork and entertaining scrapbook like pop outs, cutouts and flip aspects, that feel very woven into the style. Not only that but it teaches a lot of basic Japanese words to kids or audiences of any age heck i learned some Japanese from this and I’m 18! Not to mention it’s a great introductory to Japanese culture. I honestly wish there was a series of these books done about all the cultures of the world to teach young and old alike about them in style but alas there is not.
This is a truly unique book with gorgeous artwork and entertaining scrapbook like pop outs, cutouts and flip aspects, that feel very woven into the style. Not only that but it teaches a lot of basic Japanese words to kids or audiences of any age heck i learned some Japanese from this and I’m 18! Not to mention it’s a great introductory to Japanese culture. I honestly wish there was a series of these books done about all the cultures of the world to teach young and old alike about them in style but alas there is not.
January 17, 2020
A Beautiful and Engaging flip book, for 3yo+, with two friends having a lovely time in Tokyo. Children learn common words in Japanese and have a lovely introduction to Japanese Culture. Wonderful images as well.
September 13, 2017
My kids get such a kick out of these mini glimpses into Japanese culture. Taking a trip through Tokyo with Aoki and her friend Yoko was an eye opening journey.
October 17, 2017
It was pretty good
July 26, 2021
Hauskasti toteutettu kurkistus- ja luukkukirja! Kuvakirja kertoo japanilaisista kokeshinukeista.
December 7, 2024
Found on a whim at a used bookstore. Was so cute I couldn’t leave it behind. So glad I brought this little unique book home with me!
December 30, 2016
Me encanta, me encanta, me encanta!
November 25, 2013
(reviewed w/ 'Kimonos')
I love these interactive books. And well, I do love pretty things. Kimonos is pretty. Annelore Parot, is not afraid of color and patterns. Her choices alone recommend a lingering look, but most of the activities require an attention to details.
There are games of differentiation and matching and memory. There are lifting flaps and turning of pages that engage the reader/listener interact in the layering of the story. The educational quality includes translations of Japanese words as well as an introduction/exploration of cultural dress and relationships. Playing dress up usually involves a scenario that reflect social/cultural scripts and Parot optimizes this.
We meet different Kokeshi characters in Kimonos, but French author/illustrator Annelore Parot has a series of Kokeshi books and products, Aoki (below) is just one I happened to find on the shelf. There is also a Kokeshi club site. These would have been dangerous for me when Natalya was young.
There are even more flaps, memory games, translations, and ways to keep the reader/listener on every page. While Parot constructs a story to follow, it is not so tight that the book couldn’t be picked up or set aside depending on time or interest. It could easily work as a quiet activity book, but I think, like Kimonos, this is one to play with together–because one, it is fun; and two, there is no answer key. This one is good for early grade school. It is doll-play. But even so, use this as an excuse to interact with that lovely child in your life.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
I love these interactive books. And well, I do love pretty things. Kimonos is pretty. Annelore Parot, is not afraid of color and patterns. Her choices alone recommend a lingering look, but most of the activities require an attention to details.
There are games of differentiation and matching and memory. There are lifting flaps and turning of pages that engage the reader/listener interact in the layering of the story. The educational quality includes translations of Japanese words as well as an introduction/exploration of cultural dress and relationships. Playing dress up usually involves a scenario that reflect social/cultural scripts and Parot optimizes this.
We meet different Kokeshi characters in Kimonos, but French author/illustrator Annelore Parot has a series of Kokeshi books and products, Aoki (below) is just one I happened to find on the shelf. There is also a Kokeshi club site. These would have been dangerous for me when Natalya was young.
There are even more flaps, memory games, translations, and ways to keep the reader/listener on every page. While Parot constructs a story to follow, it is not so tight that the book couldn’t be picked up or set aside depending on time or interest. It could easily work as a quiet activity book, but I think, like Kimonos, this is one to play with together–because one, it is fun; and two, there is no answer key. This one is good for early grade school. It is doll-play. But even so, use this as an excuse to interact with that lovely child in your life.
L (omphaloskepsis)
http://contemplatrix.wordpress.com/20...
May 8, 2012
From the review at [url=http://www.perogiesandgyoza.com/2012/... & Gyoza[/url].
Originally published in France in 2010, it was published in English by Chronicle Books along with companion books Yumi, Amigos, and Kimono.
This picture book is aimed at young children but could easily do double duty as a coffee table book. The texture is fantastic. The cover features a pleather print kokeshi (wooden bridal gift doll) and that is just the start. My daughter loved the flaps to lift and adorable bentos. My son loved the fold-out Shinkansen (marked Kyoto on one side and Tokyo on the other!).
The design is modern and magnificent. If only Japan was really this beautiful!
This isn't just beautiful, it's educational! There are kanji characters woven in through the text and the background. It has a lot of geographic information as well, and even the famous Asahi Beer Building, normally known as the Golden Turd, makes an appearance during a taxi ride.
I have only one complaint, and that is that there is an oven in the kitchen of one of the kitchens, and that's not at all common! Of course there are crazy people like me who have regular-sized ovens so I guess it gets a pass.
Originally published in France in 2010, it was published in English by Chronicle Books along with companion books Yumi, Amigos, and Kimono.
This picture book is aimed at young children but could easily do double duty as a coffee table book. The texture is fantastic. The cover features a pleather print kokeshi (wooden bridal gift doll) and that is just the start. My daughter loved the flaps to lift and adorable bentos. My son loved the fold-out Shinkansen (marked Kyoto on one side and Tokyo on the other!).
The design is modern and magnificent. If only Japan was really this beautiful!
This isn't just beautiful, it's educational! There are kanji characters woven in through the text and the background. It has a lot of geographic information as well, and even the famous Asahi Beer Building, normally known as the Golden Turd, makes an appearance during a taxi ride.
I have only one complaint, and that is that there is an oven in the kitchen of one of the kitchens, and that's not at all common! Of course there are crazy people like me who have regular-sized ovens so I guess it gets a pass.
July 5, 2012
Annelore Parot, Kokeshi: Aoki (Chronicle Books, 2012)
Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by Amazon Vine.
This showed up on my doorstep last week, and after I pulled it out and looked at it, I figured I'd probably put it away until my kid (six months old as of this writing) was a little older; while it's kind of silly to discuss reading level for the preliterate set (after all, I read the kid poems and the like), I wasn't sure he'd be into it until he could grasp some of the concepts. Boy, was I wrong—he took one look at it and was utterly fascinated. I gave it to him to look at and he wouldn't let go for about ten minutes. Which is pretty amazing given that it's an oversized hardback and I didn't think the kid had that much hand strength yet. The text itself is kind of shallow; the book relies more on its ties to the dolls and its interactive bits to keep the kiddies' attention than it does its exploration of Japanese language and culture. But I'll tell you, we have no book in our house the kid is as fond of as this one, and that's saying something. ****
Full disclosure: this book was provided to me free of charge by Amazon Vine.
This showed up on my doorstep last week, and after I pulled it out and looked at it, I figured I'd probably put it away until my kid (six months old as of this writing) was a little older; while it's kind of silly to discuss reading level for the preliterate set (after all, I read the kid poems and the like), I wasn't sure he'd be into it until he could grasp some of the concepts. Boy, was I wrong—he took one look at it and was utterly fascinated. I gave it to him to look at and he wouldn't let go for about ten minutes. Which is pretty amazing given that it's an oversized hardback and I didn't think the kid had that much hand strength yet. The text itself is kind of shallow; the book relies more on its ties to the dolls and its interactive bits to keep the kiddies' attention than it does its exploration of Japanese language and culture. But I'll tell you, we have no book in our house the kid is as fond of as this one, and that's saying something. ****
December 9, 2019
Kokeshi, mała drewniana laleczka o imieniu Aoki, mieszka w Japonii. Wybiera się w odwiedziny do swojej przyjaciółki Yoko i razem spacerują po Tokio, podziwiając pejzaże miasta przetykanego kapsułkowymi ogrodami. Mimochodem poznajemy z nimi japońskie słowa i elementy kultury japońskiej w pigułce.
Książeczka opiera się na prostym tekście i obrazkach z odkrywanymi okienkami, za którymi czekają kolejne niespodzianki.
Książeczka opiera się na prostym tekście i obrazkach z odkrywanymi okienkami, za którymi czekają kolejne niespodzianki.
August 16, 2014
Lovely book! The artwork is just as lovely as the first book and it still has those interactive elements and language/cultural teaching as well. This book had more of a story plot then the first which was a nice change.
May 21, 2012
My granddaughter loves these books by Annelore Parot
October 9, 2012
Beautiful book. Pages fold out. Kids loved it and easy to read out loud. The main character visits Japan.
August 29, 2018
Lovely illustrations; very stylized, clothing all kinds of amazing patterns; lots of lift-flaps; die-cut holes; cute story, short enough for a pre-school crowd.
August 18, 2013
Giving myself something fun to read as a break from the horrible Haruki Murakami book I'm reading. This one and Yumi and Kimonos were a nice distraction.
April 1, 2014
This was a really cute, interactive book. There was lots to look at, and of course it was all kawaii ;) I think kids would love this book!
December 12, 2014
I totally loved this book! It was the first book I tried to read in Finnish! Loved it and it helped me want to learn the words in Finnish.
Read
June 4, 2016I like this better than Yumi. A little less cluttered.
June 22, 2016
Tosi hieno kurkistuskirja, jossa japanilaista kuvitusta mielenkiintoisella tavalla. Poitsu tykkäsi paljon ja aikuisellekin hienolla tavalla erilainen.
May 14, 2012
Kokeshi doll Aoki tours Tokyo. Cute and fun with lots of flaps and gatefolds.
Read
October 18, 2018Sturdy pages support young readers as they answer Aoki's questions and seek what's hidden behind the flaps. I love the hide-and-seek elements of the book and expect preschoolers will, too. The cutouts that show Aoki's face are sweet surprises, too.
See our note about the potential impact of patterned pages on sensory sensitive kids in the review at the Reading Tub.
See our note about the potential impact of patterned pages on sensory sensitive kids in the review at the Reading Tub.
Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews