Monday Muses - Picture Books

I would say my favorite picture book is Yoko, 

by Rosemary Wells. This book brings up not 

only my childhood memories, but also the 

building of my brothers.

I’m not sure where we got this book, but 

it has been a favorite in my family. It is 

a sweet story about this Japanese cat 

(or some animal) that goes to school and 

is bullied by her animal peers about her 

food—her bento box for lunch, her red

 bean ice cream. 

So her teacher creates 

National Food Day, where all the kids 

in the class have to bring in a food from 

their nationality, and Yoko brings in a

big sushi platter, but no one touches a 

single piece except for one, very hungry 

raccoon—and the two become great 

friends and start their own restaurant 

with food from booth their nationalities!

It is the cutest, loveliest little story. 

Also, I love Japanese food, and there 

are fantastic illustrations of it all.

When I was younger, my parents 

used to read me stories every night, 

and this book was often on the reading 

“menu.” Sometimes, when my parents 

go out, I read this story to my brother. 

We literally know the story by heart,

but it never gets old and Yoko is like our 

little friend that we know is always there 

with the same story!