"Yonaka no Koen" and "Geppetto" | June 2026 Issue

Every month, I introduce two picture books, one from Japan and one from overseas.
As someone who feels that "picture books are interesting" and "I want to be friends with picture books," I write this hoping that those who read it will "want to read the picture books I introduced" and "if you have already read them, I want to hear your thoughts."

Last month's article is below.

You can also view the picture books I have covered so far from the link below.

▼ This month's picture books

"Yonaka no Koen" (The Park in the Middle of the Night)

"Geppetto"

▼ My thoughts

"Yonaka no Koen" is a picture book that uses text by rapper Tamaki Roy and illustrations by illustrator MISSISSIPPI. It's not just night, but the middle of the night—the witching hour. The true nature of the things that appear in the park is unknown. They look like ghosts, and they also look like unknown creatures. These things play around in the park in the middle of the night and disappear at dawn. There are bolded parts in the text, and since it's said that reading these parts with emphasis creates a rhythm, I tried reading it that way. It certainly felt like it created more of a rhythm than just reading it normally, and it left a different impression than how I usually read picture books.

"Geppetto" is a story about an old man named Geppetto and a boy doll he created. I'm not sure how to interpret the ending depicted. The boy doll is very loved and cherished as if he were a human. However, the doll did not wish for that. It wasn't because Geppetto was a pervert; he just didn't wish for it. When Geppetto eventually faces death, his wish is realized within himself, but it seems separate from the doll's will. I thought about living honestly, loving and being loved, facing death, and being present for someone who is facing death.