Event, YouTube & Freebies! – September Newsletter 2025
Welcome to my latest newsletter!If you missed any past issues, feel free to browse them all here. Celebration of Imagination in Newcastle 🎉I had a surprisingly sunny summer here in…
🧦 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. Bocchi & Pocchi on the move!Originally published in English by Troika Books, the…
Are Tigers Yellow or Orange?
In a recent social media post, I questioned whether tigers are yellow or orange as part of my work on a picture book about colors. Surprisingly, most people said ‘orange,’…
Interview: Destynee Onwochei & Noriko Matsubara
I worked with BBC Children’s for their new Storytime App earlier this year. I illustrated one of their stories called "Olanna's Super Senses" written by Destynee Onwochei. Prior to the…
Coloured Pencil Illustration Work in Progress
I'm working on my next picture book "Bocchi and Pocchi and Baby Sock." I just finished this illustration, a chaotic living room where Baby Sock paints everywhere!This illustration took me…
Newspaper Article ‘Creator’s Desk’
A Japanese newspaper reporter got in touch with me a while ago and told me about their new column called 'Creator's Desk @ Artist's Workplace.’ This column is aimed at…
Reunion with my Year 1 teacher
Noriko Matsubara at Hachinohe Book Center, August 2019
Last August, I was giving a talk at Hachinohe Book Center in Japan, promoting my newly published book.When it was time for Q&A, an elderly lady stood up from the…
Behind the Scene – How I came to do what I do
Noriko Matsubara at home
I want to talk about why I do what I do - creating children’s books. Before I started writing and illustrating children’s books, I was doing an art project that focused…
Interview with Children’s Author Pippa Goodhart
I’m curious about how longstanding children’s authors work. How do they get so many ideas? What do they do if they get stuck? Because I have gone through stagnant periods…
Interview with Children’s Author/Illustrator Gillian McClure
Illustration by Gillian McClure
I love what I do - working as an artist, children’s book author and illustrator. But I have challenges. How can I find more time to work while raising a…