SAKANA GA SUISUI

I picked up this amazing book at Mitsuwa market while I was in Illinois a couple of weekends ago. I always love admiring the Japanese children's book selection they have there but I literally have to judge the books by their covers because they are all wrapped in plastic! So it is always a bit of a crapshoot as to whether the inside illustrations will be just as appealing (although I haven't been let down yet!).

I guessed it would be good because it is a Tupera Tupera book, a fantastic Japanese design duo. I really had no idea just how much I would love it, though. This book was made for me. It features everything I love. Interesting textural/graphic illustrations of unusual sea creatures? Unconventional book size? Accordion fold structure with a beautiful cover sleeve? Sunfish?? Anglerfish?? Made for me, I tell you.

I cannot read it (or rather, I can read it from the hiragana that I have somehow retained from my childhood, I just don't understand it). The repeating syllables lead me to believe that they are some sort of noises?

I'll stop gushing about the book now and let you have a look at just how incredible it is. I have so many ideas for accordion fold narratives of my own swirling around my brain now.