Chirri & Chirra, Among the Cherry Blossoms

Born in Tokyo, Japan, Kaya Doi graduated with a degree in design from Tokyo Zokei University. She got her start in picture books by attending the Atosaki Juku workshop, held at a Tokyo bookshop specializing in children’s books. Since then, she has created many picture books featuring her delicate color-pencil drawings. She lives in Chiba Prefecture and maintains a strong interest in environmental and animal welfare issues. David Boyd is assistant professor of Japanese at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. His translations have appeared in Monkey Business International, Granta, and Words Without Borders, among other publications.

“Can we just stop and take a moment to appreciate just how popular this little Japanese import series has become around America today? That’s the kind of thing that I think is actually worth celebrating... One of the books in this series was even chosen as a best book of the 21st century by Kirkus.”