Golden A' Design Award Winner 2021
A vibrant cadmium yellow background saturates the visual field with warmth and energy, establishing an immediate sense of optimism and playful invitation as two hands enter from the lower corners to present a square-format picture book, its crisp white cover functioning as a luminous focal point against the saturated chromatic surround. The compositional architecture centers on a magnificently rendered apple occupying approximately two-thirds of the cover's picture plane, its form constructed through layered applications suggesting gouache or watercolor with visible brushwork creating organic textural variation across the fruit's surface, transitioning from deep crimson at the periphery through cadmium red medium tones to warmer vermillion highlights where light appears to strike the rounded form. The apple's stem emerges with naturalistic brown tonality, supporting a single serrated leaf rendered in viridian and sap green with delicate vein details suggesting botanical accuracy within a stylized aesthetic. A semicircular die-cut reveals a darker void within the apple's body, creating dimensional intrigue and suggesting the interactive pop-up mechanism that defines this work's innovative approach to children's literature. Positioned at the upper left of the apple, a small illustrated mouse rendered in cerulean and powder blue peers with endearing curiosity, its simplified form displaying the characteristic economy of line found in distinguished picture book illustration traditions, reminiscent of Eric Carle's textural approach while maintaining distinct stylistic identity. The typography presents the title in bold, rounded sans-serif characters arranged in a gentle arc above the central image, with the author's name in smaller hiragana script below, while a circular blue badge in the lower right corner announces the book's pop-up format. The spatial construction maintains deliberate flatness appropriate to graphic design conventions while the die-cut aperture introduces genuine three-dimensional depth, creating dialogue between surface and penetration that anticipates the tactile engagement within.
This interactive pop-up book follows seven animals enjoying their favorite snacks, each with a 3D pop up fold showcasing their distinct eating style. Each pop up was designed with a single page cut out, and a second backing page revealing the inside of each mouth and adding structural integrity. This simple design, combined with paper collage illustrations, brings life to each animal. The text includes eating sounds via Japanese onomatopoeia, encouraging the reader to open and close the pages as the animals munch away.