You are currently viewing 🧦 Bocchi & Pocchi + Arigato Magic 🌸 – June Newsletter 2025

🧦 Bocchi & Pocchi + Arigato Magic 🌸 – June Newsletter 2025

Welcome to my latest newsletter!
If you missed any past issues, feel free to browse them all here.

Noriko Matsubara

Bocchi & Pocchi on the move!

Originally published in English by Troika Books, the Bocchi & Pocchi series has been translated into six languages—bringing these cosy sock adventures to children around the world.

I’m delighted to share that foreign rights (excluding existing contracts) are now represented by Japan Uni Agency.

If you’re a publisher—or know someone who is—interested in sharing Bocchi & Pocchi with young readers in your country, we’d love to hear from you!

šŸ“© Contact details for my agent are below. ā¬‡ļø

Literary Agent

For foreign rights inquiries related to the “Bocchi & Pocchi” series, please contact my literary agent:

Michiko Urata
Japan UNI Agency (JUA)
šŸ“§ michiko.urata@japanuni.co.jp

"Bocchi & Pocchi" Series by Noriko Matsubara

New Video šŸŽ„

My new Arigato Magic video is live on YouTube!

Learn how to say ā€œThank you, teeth!ā€ in Japanese—a fun and simple way to introduce children (and grown-ups!) to the joy of everyday gratitude.

Just after I uploaded the video, another one of my daughter’s baby teeth fell out—looks like the Tooth Fairy has been extra busy at our house! 😊

Hope you enjoy it! 🦷✨

Bocchi & Pocchi Featured in Kodomo Challenge!

Bocchi & Pocchi: A Tale of Two Socks is featured in the June issue of Kodomo ChallengeĀ (ć“ć©ć‚‚ć”ć‚ƒć‚Œć‚“ć˜) by Benesse — one of Japan’s most beloved early childhood education programmes, with 1.8 million members in Japan and beyond! šŸ§¦šŸ“š

If you’re a ā€œKodomo Challengeā€ subscriber, you can download the digital version until June 24!

And if you and your little ones enjoyed the book, I’d be truly grateful for a short Amazon review — even a few words can go a long way in helping more families discover Bocchi & Pocchi. 🄰

Beginner’s Japanese Online Course

Here’s a special review for my Udemy course, Learn Japanese with Bocchi & Pocchi’s Creator — from none other than my wonderful mother-in-law!Ā šŸ’–

šŸ’¬
ā€œI thoroughly enjoyed this course, although it’s been some time since I’ve done any studying (I’m 75). It is an excellent introduction to Japanese, and will be particularly useful to anyone visiting Japan for the first time. Being able to go at my own pace was especially helpful as I found some of the words difficult to pronounce: I had to keep going back until I got it more or less right. I concentrated on the spoken aspect of the course, but will be revising it to think more about the written aspect. All in all the course was practical, interesting and fun.ā€ – K. Brilus

Not only did she enrol, but she completed the entire course and even spotted a few typos along the way (thank you!! 😊).

If her experience inspires you, why not start your own Japanese learning journey today? šŸ‡ÆšŸ‡µ

♦ Buy My Books (from me!) ♦

My picture books (signed & personalised) are available here!

Enjoyed this post? Share it with your friends on social media! ā¬‡ļø

Missed any of my past newsletters? Browse them all here.

Join my mailing list

Would you like to learn about upcoming events, see my latest artwork, and receive insight into the process of making art?

Sign up my mailing list below to receive my newsletters.