Aya and Her Magic Cat - by Sam Ita (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

What happens when origami paper models magically spring to life?

This exciting graphic novel tells the story of Aya Wada, a teenage girl who visits her relatives in Japan and unknowingly adopts a powerful feline Kami spirit named Neko, who follows her home to America. Each chapter tells an amusing story about how Neko brings Aya's folded origami paper models to life--literally!

Follow along as Aya and Neko create magic, memories and a little mayhem wherever they go:

• Neko reveals her existence on the return trip from Japan, helping Aya conjure up her first enchanted origami
• Aya folds a paper cockroach that scuttles across the floor of the school cafeteria, creating utter chaos!
• A paper dove pulled from a magician's hat during a talent show becomes an attacking bird demon!
• An origami fortune-teller model projects weird and wonderful images on Aya's bedroom ceiling
• Neko produces an animated paper puppet to illustrate how the spirit world can intersect with origami
• Aya and Neko team up to use their magical-origami talents to comfort a distraught preschooler at the playground

Each chapter includes instructions for a simple origami model that readers can fold using the illustrated tear-out folding papers that are included at the back of the book.

About the Author

Sam Ita studied graphic design at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn and has developed a successful career as a paper engineer and author. He worked with Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart, collaborating on many bestselling pop-up books including America the Beautiful and Encyclopedia Prehistorica, and has produced Christmas cards for the Museum of Modern Art. Sam draws inspiration from comics, origami and machines, applying his craft to publishing, advertising, animation, display and toy design. His creations include Christmas Tree In-a-Box and Flying Dragons Paper Airplane Kit. He lives in Brooklyn, New York.