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"Sunny Seki's bilingual retelling of the folktale and his heartwarming watercolor illustrations bring new life and depth to this ancient story.  Rather than simply regurgitating the flat retelling of an old legend, Seki gives Tokuzo and the other characters a sense of humanity that draws readers in, whether young or old ... A welcome departure from so many stories that deliver instant gratification."   --www.PaperTigers.org  

"Sunny is the reason I came to this book fair.  I enjoy hearing his explanations, and I learn a lot about Japanese history through his books.  I'm looking forward to more great books in the future.  Ganbatte kudasai."    --Mary Kashi

"A rich cultural experience...A beautifully illustrated story from Japan to enrich our literature programs."    --MultiCultural Review
"Watercolor-and-pencil illustrations of deep blues, greens, and earth tones accent this delightful story. The design, architectural details, and depiction of the Japanese landscape give the work an authentic flavor; and the clear translation adequately captures the English text.  Highly recommended for school and public library collections."    
--Cristi Jenkins, Fort Vancouver Regional Library, WA

"The Tale of the Lucky Cat is a bilingual English/Japanese picture book retelling an ancient Japanese legend, about a humble toymaker who cared for an injured cat before its tragic death, and in turn was saved from lightning by the cat's beckoning spirit. To remember his friend, he worked hard to create clay statues of a cat with a raised paw. Today these lucky cat statues, known as "maneki neko," are popular throughout Japan for spreading good fortune. The appealing color illustrations add the perfect touch to this wonderful picture book, highly recommended for children's library collections." 
 -- Midwest Book Review

"I am looking for books that can showcase the Japanese culture and this is an excellent book to illustrate what life in ancient Japan looks like. This book is extremely well-illustrated and there's a lot of depth in each of the images as each image reflects life in ancient Japan. Sunny Seki has done a thorough research and brought the story to life. Not only can children learn about this simple tale of kindness and how maneki neko came about, they can also learn about homes, village organization, transport, markets, etc. in the past. This is no doubt an excellent resource for both social studies and English language arts teachers."  
 --Crimson X, Amazon  

"The appealing color illustrations add the perfect touch to this wonderful picture book, highly recommended for children's library collections."  

--Children's Bookwatch, Sept. 2007

 

     "In heart-warming traditional folklore style, Sunny Seki  weaves a story of the fundamental affinity between all creatures, real and mythical, and the sanctity of our interaction with the physical environment which sustains us.
     It is beautifully written and  illustrated as a children's book, but has universal appeal for all ages and cultures for the many lessons it imparts, ---some directly, some by inference. Yet, in its basic simplicity, it follows the age-old principle of "doing more, with less".
    The Last Kappa of Old Japan is essentially a beautiful love story,---without the fluff.
--Yosh, March 2010
A small investment with a huge return!!!
"The Last Kappa teaches us all about humanity, friendship, responsibility, loyalty, love and life. It is for ALL to read! Very well written and beautifully illustrated by the author himself! Sunny's previous book The Tale of the Lucky Cat is also a MUST buy!  I am definitely looking forward to all of Sunny Seki's future releases!!!"           

 --M. Koike, March 2010  Pasadena, California

 
"I personally did not know what a kappa was until I read this story. It's very well written showing life in early Japan. The Kappa character ironically enhances the reality of trials and tribulations of the main character. This includes growing up, showing respect for nature, life, and the development of core values such as working hard, as well as building friendships and a family. I enjoyed this story as much as my son!"

--Black Cat Nov. 2010 Seattle, WA
Written and Illustrated by Sunny Seki, Yuko-Chan and the Daruma Doll: The Adventures of a Blind Japanese Girl Who Saves Her Village is a gentle story about an adventurous little girl who wouldn't let others' perception of disability shape her world. In stores March 10, 2012, this charming 32-page hardcover storybook introduces a determined girl, Yuko-Chan, and a society with which many children are not familiar. The book is printed in both English and Japanese. Following the story, Seki offers "Cultural Notes" that help the reader understand customs described in the book.

The story begins with the eruption of Mount Asama 200 years ago. The volcano did not destroy Takasaki, Yuko-Chan's home, it did cover the village in ash and damaged all the crops. Yuko-Chan lived at the Daruma Temple and, although she wasn't permitted to attend school, she sat outside the classroom every day absorbing the lessons being taught. Being blind did not stop her from being a contributing member of her community; she caught a burglar who was stealing from the Temple's offering box and she helped deliver food to those in need. She also taught herself to play the taiko.

After a mercy mission, she and her guide dog get lost and disoriented in a snowstorm. It is during the storm that she is inspired to create a doll that will honor Daruma and help her village earn money, saving it from ruin.

Following her rescue, Yuko-Chan fabricates the doll, presents it to the head monk, and soon has the entire town involved in the manufacture of the dolls, which did, indeed, save the town. The dolls continue to be made to this day.

Yuko-Chan and the Daruma Doll emphasizes cooperation, altruism, and the importance of community. Through her studies, Yuko-Chan learns the value of not giving up as taught by Daruma. Her optimism and inventiveness are inspiring. She represents a positive role model for children, and illustrates the idea that people are valuable no matter what their different abilities.

Entertaining as a story, Yuko-Chan and the Daruma Doll also offers adults opportunities for positive interaction with kids, discussing ideas in the book and how they relate to everyone's life. --Kathryn E. Etier "Miss Bob"  (Beautiful Maggie Valley)