Chirri & Chirra - by Kaya Doi (Hardcover)

About the Book

Two young girls take a bicycle ride through the forest where they find a cafe to have tea and coffee, a bakery to enjoy a snack, and a hotel where they join in a concert with forest animals.

Book Synopsis

A Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far) Selection!
A Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children's Books of the Past 20 Years Selection!

The first in a wonderfully imaginative series about two girls that is marked by revealing and lyrical small details.

The first book in a completely charming series by a well-known Japanese author and illustrator, Chirri & Chirra introduces two girl characters who go on wonderful adventures together through the natural world. Vibrant, lively, and astonishingly sweet in a pure, unsentimental way, these pages present us with relatable children, small animals, lots of food, atmosphere, and many mysteries.

Review Quotes

Featured in New York Magazine's 2024 Holiday Gift Guide: Best Books to Gift to Little Kids! "It's simple, and the colored-pencil illustrations are very charming -- the best imaginative treats."--Illustrator Sarah Jacoby "New York Magazine's The Strategist"

One of the Wall Street Journal's "20 Best Children's Books of the Past 20 Years: Most Beguiling Picture-Book Series!" "These enchanting books are like a dream of childhood--full of kindness, adventure and eccentric delights."--Meghan Cox Gurdon "The Wall Street Journal"

STARRED REVIEW! ★ "'What a perfect day, ' says Chirri as this story begins, and she's right. Chirri and her sister Chirra go on a day-long bike ride through a gently rolling pastoral world. Amenities appear just when they need them: the forest café and the bakery, the bridge over the stream, the tree (perfect for napping under), and, finally, the forest hotel, where an animal symphony concert takes place. Adult humans are completely absent, which leaves room for the fox waiter, the raccoon baker, the pig flautist, and all the other animals of this peaceable kingdom... The crayon/ pastel illustrations in gentle, saturated colors on delicious creamy paper are reminiscent of Marie Hall Ets in In the Forest. There's no tension here, no roadblocks, no problems for the girls to solve, just a summer idyll for those kids who cannot resist making acorns into hats for fairies and whose favorite part of any story is the description of what the characters ate. What does the rabbit have for lunch? Carrot buns with lemon jam. Of course."-- "The Horn Book"

• A Kirkus Reviews Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far) Selection
• A Wall Street Journal 20 Best Children's Books of the Past 20 Years Selection
• A New York Magazine 2024 Holiday Gift Guide Selection

One of Kirkus Reviews's Best Books of the 21st Century (So Far)! "Doi creates her illustrations with colored pencil, pastel, and crayon, crafting them to look like mid-20th-century lithographs. A serene, feel-good outing with a cozy, old-fashioned feel."-- "Kirkus Reviews"

"Children who love to imagine inhabiting a parallel animal realm will be enchanted by the mouthwatering concoctions and friendly interactions--drinking acorn coffee from the hollowed nut while conversing with the bee sipping violet tea, or later watching a rabbit select carrot buns with lemon jam at the roadside bakery... Curving compositions and sweeping greenery rendered in colored pencil, combined with the white (negative) space swirling around each image on the page, recall the harmonious designs in Virginia Lee Burton's The Little House. While there's nary an adult in sight, this charming picture book is completely in touch with childhood desires and logic... A sweet and safe selection to nourish children's spirits and fuel fantasies, best shared one-on-one so they can pore over the artwork."-- "School Library Journal"

"Chirri & Chirra is an utterly charming series of children's picture books...low on the angst scale and high on the charm meter. Doi is known for her softly styled drawings on rich creamy paper. She creates the illustrations in these books with colored pencils, pastels, and crayons, crafting them to give an old-world feel, a time of innocence and simplicity. The exquisite art radiates joy and has a dreamy quality to it that reflects how children imagine their ideal world to be. These delightful books are a welcome escape for young children from their anxieties."-- "International Examiner"

"Doi's illustrations are a large part of the appeal of this book. The two girls are matching except for the buttons on their dresses. The illustrations celebrate the different sizes of creatures and also the food and drink that the girls have along the way. Just the acorn coffee and clover tea will have your mouth watering. Expect plenty of tea parties and sandwiches after reading this."--Tasha Saecker "Waking Brain Cells"

"I love a book that is just so clearly written to access the world inside a child's mind... It's an adventure to nowhere and everywhere and is so visually enchanting."--Comedy writer and bestselling author Bess Kalb "New York Magazine's The Strategist"

"We are thrilled to share this utterly delightful book by well-loved Japanese author and illustrator, Kaya Doi. It's an overwhelmingly charming and quirky read, as only the Japanese know how. This beautifully perfect oblong tome contains the most adorable and warm illustrations."--Sarah Yewman "Picture Books Blogger"

"With a sweet story and darling illustrations, softly drawn and softly tinted on creamy paper, Kaya Doi's U.S. debut picture book, Chirri & Chirra, takes 3- to 8-year-olds into a magical forest filled with genial animals and scrumptious things to eat... A day of happy adventure ends with the girls checking into a forest hotel and joining their fellow guests in a starlit serenade in this charming first volume."-- "The Wall Street Journal"

About the Author

Born in Tokyo, 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, a program at a Tokyo bookshop specializing in illustrated books. Since then she has created many picture books with her softly styled, color-pencil drawings. She now lives in Chiba Prefecture and maintains a strong interest in environmental and animal welfare issues. Since the earthquake of March 2011, she has been active in recovery and shelter efforts for abandoned pets.

Yuki Kaneko was born and educated in Japan. She is a sculptor, a translator, an urban naturalist, and a botanist. She works on New York City's High Line and lives in Brooklyn with her family.