Little Shrew - by Akiko Miyakoshi (Hardcover)

About the Book

"This collection of three interconnected stories follows the life of Little Shrew as he goes about his everyday activities of commuting to work to reflecting on his hopes and dreams to welcoming his friends for a visit. Little Shrew is diligent in all parts of life. He's a hard worker and follows a strict schedule from morning to night. But even a life that runs like clockwork can be filled with unexpected pockets of joy, such as solving a puzzle for the very first time, enjoying the scent of freshly baked bread, seeing the vast beauty of a shimmering blue ocean or delighting in a visit with friends."--

Book Synopsis

A New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Book, 2024 - Kirkus Best Book of 2024 - Starred reviews from Kirkus, The Horn Book, Publishers Weekly - Kids Indie Next Pick

Akiko Miyakoshi returns with a beguiling, quietly magical appreciation of life's little pleasures.

Little Shrew is diligent in all parts of life. He's a hard worker and follows a strict schedule from morning to night. But even a life that runs like clockwork can be filled with unexpected pockets of joy, such as solving a puzzle for the very first time, enjoying the scent of freshly baked bread, seeing the vast beauty of a shimmering blue ocean or delighting in a visit with friends.

This collection of three short stories -- perfect for emerging readers -- is illustrated in Miyakoshi's signature soft monochrome palette with pops of color. The charming tales celebrate enduring friendships, dreams for the future and the little pleasures that make everyday life more meaningful.

Review Quotes

It just makes me so happy every time I pick it up and every time I read it, which I have done many times. The stories are just so precious, they will touch you deeply. It's gorgeous. --- Becky Toyne, CBC Day 6 book columnist--CBC Day 6

... a DELIGHTFUL and cozy little book about appreciating life's little pleasures ... a cozy, comforting art style perfect for readers young and old.--She Does the City

"I bought Little Shrew for my daughter, and honestly? ... I am reading [to myself] for my own well being." --- Jenny Slate, Elle Magazine--Elle Magazine

We read [Little Shrew] as a way to calm ourselves down and to feel good about our own small lives. --- Jenny Slate in L'Officiel USA magazine--L'Officiel USA Magazine

... a delightful look at the daily doings of a shrew, with tasks at hand and friends coming to call ... charming and beautifully drawn.--Parade Magazine

... children who are drawn to quiet, spare worlds ... will easily get pulled in by its unusual charm.--Booklist

A validation that we all have stories worth telling and a quiet life is a very worthy one.--Kirkus's Fully Booked podcast

Equally uncanny and endearing, this is a strange slice of an extraordinary and fascinating tiny life.--The Horn Book, starred review

... a calming naptime or bedtime read for families to share.--Youth Services Book Review

... he's both a stand-in for young readers and a role model whom they may wish to emulate someday ... Charm incarnate.--Kirkus Reviews, starred review

... simultaneously winsome and melancholy ... renderings of quiet, precisely completed routines and the occasional celebration bring security and contentment to this intimate here-and-now portrait.--Publishers Weekly, starred review

... the detailed beauty of each illustration and its accompanying text will charm older children as well as adult readers. Highly Recommended.--CM Magazine

Charming in so many ways.--School Library Journal

... offers young minds ample space to wonder and wander on their own.--New York Times (Praise for I Dream of a Journey)

A web of enchantment draws readers into this affecting story.--Publishers Weekly, starred review (Praise for Way Home in the Night)

The graceful proportions, atmospheric detail, and quiet, bewitching light of Miyakoshi's charcoals distinguish this small gem.--Publishers Weekly, starred review (Praise for Tea Party in the Woods)

About the Author

Akiko Miyakoshi is the award-winning creator of several books for young readers that have been translated around the world. The Way Home in the Night won the 2017 New York Times/New York Public Library Best Illustrated Children's Book Award and a 2016 BolognaRagazzi Award Special Mention, and The Tea Party in the Woods was named a Kirkus Reviews Best Picture Book of 2015. The Storm, her first children's book, won the Nissan Children's Storybook and Picture Book Grand Prix. Akiko lives, writes, draws and dreams at the foot of beautiful mountains in Japan.