2025.06.11 Shinsuke Yoshitake books I recommend for adults
The Shinsuke Yoshitake exhibition in Tokyo ended the other day. I went early on and was quite inspired, which led me to read Shinsuke Yoshitake's books intensively. Many people have probably seen his illustrations. I was drawn to them and started reading his books, only to find that the content wasn't actually aimed at children. So, I'd like to introduce four Shinsuke Yoshitake picture books that are suitable for adults.
The fun is hidden in the handwritten text, which can make you chuckle or smile wryly!
If You're Hot, Just Take It Off
I think the concept of this book is to be natural and not push yourself too hard (this is my personal opinion). Just as the title says. Here are some lines that really struck a chord with me.
If you find yourself wishing for someone else's misfortune,
you can just write it down on the shoreline.
If you're tired of being an adult,
you can just lift your feet off the ground.
If you don't have a place where you belong,
you can just spread out a mat in a field.
If the conversation isn't interesting,
you can just imagine a tiny version of yourself and play with that.
If you haven't accomplished anything all day,
you can just think about the 13.6 billion-year history of the universe.
Even Though This Paper Is All Crumpled Up
I think the concept of this book is that life has its ups and downs, so let's go at our own pace! (this is my personal opinion).
I managed to peel a hard-boiled egg perfectly,
even though the meeting went back to square one today.
I can finally do it by myself,
even though it's not at the same speed as everyone else.
I got what I wanted,
even though it wasn't my first choice.
I made a container to hold good ideas,
even though there's nothing in it yet.
What Should I Do After This?
This one is definitely for adults. The delusions about the world after death are endless. I don't think young children understand what it means to die, so it wasn't suitable for reading aloud to them.
The grandfather is the main character. The range of his delusions is wide and the ideas are amazing. I really want you to read it carefully. I feel like this makes death seem not so scary!
So Much So Much
Various aspects of raising children are depicted in many scenes, and I felt a bit sentimental while reading it. It's like the images are soaking deep, deep into my heart.
Even though they were so ◯◯, now they are like this
It follows that pattern, but since it progresses based on Shinsuke Yoshitake's illustrations, I take my time looking at the pictures before turning the page.
Children grow up so fast before you know it, and since we are usually dealing with what's right in front of us, we tend to forget that. When you read it with that in mind, it hits you in a good way. My husband also read this book many times.
My husband mentioned that the father doesn't appear from beginning to end (I hadn't even noticed that myself 💦), and when I looked at the illustrations carefully from that perspective, I thought maybe the father passed away from an illness midway through... maybe it's a story based on a single mother raising a child? Once he said that and I re-read it a few times, I also thought that must be the case.
Anyway, it is recommended for parents working hard at raising children.
There are several other books that seem aimed at adults, but I haven't read them yet, so I will read them and write an article about the good ones. I also felt that Shinsuke Yoshitake's books would make good gifts for acquaintances. I want to read another book soon!
