Moko-Maki is a graphic design/kawaii, find-it book for pre-k and up

What’s a Moko-Maki? It’s perhaps simpler to explain what is kawaii. Kawaii is one of the under currents of Japanese culture. At its simplest kawaii is cute, but it has sub-genres that break it out to those beyond a normal adjective. Kawaii can also mean cute, with a very creative and fun bent. That is the angle that Moko-Maki by Satu Kontinen pursues and nails the definition of kawaii to the floor.

The crux behind Moko-Maki! begins on the cover of the book. There’s a very kawaii fox who is looking from some help from the Moko-Maki to find her little fox. What follows is a much more ‘kawaii’ version of Where’s Waldo. Children will be asked by the Moko-Maki, a small white bird that looks like a Puffin or a Porg from Star Wars The Last Jedi to help look for various cute animals.

When the book starts we see a Birch forest where the Moko-Maki live as they quest for kawaii. There is a giraffe, one of whom is looking for the smallest one. A hungry reindeer, sleepy lion and zebra without stripes are just a couple of the animals that need the help of the small, white birds that guide readers through the book.

It’s a simple book on the surface, but is incredibly detailed and takes detailed attention to find the animals that Moko-Maki is trying to help. Much like little fox who we see on the cover, guiding us through the book; there are some animals who are seeking help that don’t receive that help on the same page. Through all of this, the multiple MokoMakis are happily flittering across the page like Billy from The Family Circus on his way back home.

The graphics in Moko-Maki are sharp, playful and distinctly Japanese. They’re very kawaii. Moko-Maki is a book that will appeal to elementary schools and younger who like books where they’re looking for something, but need it just left of center. Realistically, younger kids, like those in pre-K and K are the ones who will enjoy Moko-Maki the most. They’ll love the colors and laugh along as someone reads what each animal is looking for. From an educator’s perspective, it’s also a great chance to reinforce subtle differences, as well as, counting things of various colors.