Have you ever dreamed of golden fluffy castella made in a large frying pan?
Yuriko Yamawaki, who is known for the "Guri and Gura" series, has passed away, and many posts of gratitude have been received on SNS, such as "Thank you for letting me meet you."
She was loved across generations and countries because her author's kind personality permeated her work.
Castella in a frying pan is everyone's dream
Yuriko Yamawaki, a painter and picture book author who passed away last month at the age of 80, released her representative work "Guri to Gura" series in 1963. To date, it has been published in 13 countries and regions around the world, and the number of books related to the series has reached 21.5 million copies. It is a very popular work.
On SNS, people who learned of Yamawaki's death tweeted memories of themselves and their families related to her work, and posted words of gratitude to Yamawaki.
Among them, there were people who recreated a scene from "Guri to Gura" using pressed flowers, and posted photos related to the castella that appears in the picture book.
"Frying pan castella is everyone's dream"
"I've read it hundreds of times, read it myself, and read it to my children"
"I want to read it carefully forever"
"Ms. Yuriko Yamawaki, together." Thank you for raising our children in
Parents and children enjoyed singing out loud
Aya Ito, who lives in Chofu City, Tokyo, posted, "A picture book that I enjoyed as a parent and child for two generations."
It seems that he borrowed all kinds of "Guri and Gura" series from the library and purchased them for home use, and read them to the children many times.
Aya Ito
: There are many phrases that make me want to say them out loud. The three of us read aloud the part where our names are guri to gura and what we like the most in this world is to eat and eat guri guri gura.” My second son, who is now 20 years old, still uses this phrase. I remember. I want to say thank you for making a wonderful picture book."
With memories of fluffy castella
Many cute and delicious-looking dishes and sweets appear in the picture books that Mr. Yamawaki worked on.
Ms. Hiroko Kono from Tsuno Town, Miyazaki Prefecture, who knew about "Guri and Gura" when she could remember, likes the scene where she shares a large sponge cake made in a frying pan with all the animals in the forest.
Hiroko Kono:
“I remember being surprised that I could make it in a frying pan, and I remember wondering how to open the lid. There are sandwiches and pumpkin dishes, and I want to try making them. It is said that
Kono-san read the story to his three children over and over again. He said he sent me a photo.
Hiroko Kono
"It's sad to think that Mr. Yamawaki is gone. But every time I see your work, it brings back a lot of memories and makes me feel warm, so I'm grateful."
To be read from parents to children and grandchildren
Mr. Hisanao Takagi, who has worked at a major bookstore for more than 20 years and runs his own bookstore in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka Prefecture, says that Mr. Yamawaki's work is "an indispensable presence on the shelves of children's books."
One of the picture books his mother bought for him when he was in kindergarten was Guri and Gura, which he also bought for his own two sons.
Takagi's greatest attraction is the synergistic effect between the story and the pictures.
He feels a sense of familiarity with the not-too-realistic touch, and is drawn into the story as if he were drawn to the painting.
Seasonal events related to children's lives, such as beach bathing and Christmas, are depicted in a warm worldview, and the fact that you can choose a work according to the season is said to be a major reason why it is read from parents to children and grandchildren. increase.
高木久直さん
「大人は子どもにいい本を読ませたいという思いから、自分が子どもの時に読んでいい思い出がある本を選ぶんです。山脇さんの存在をとても身近に感じていたので、思い出のThere is a sense of loss, as if a page is missing, but there have been cases in which parents and children came to buy picture books after the news of his death came out, and it will continue to be read by generations 3, 4, and 5. I think"
Readers can also share the happiness What is drawn is "kindness"
Kumiko Ito, who was in charge of Mr. Yamawaki and the editor of a magazine that introduces picture books, says that the charm of the "Guri and Gura" series, which is loved by people of all ages, is "kindness."
You can see it in the scene where the animals eat delicious food prepared by Guri and Gura.
Not only lively animals, but also small grasses and flowers are carefully drawn.
(Monthly MOE Editorial Department Producer Kumiko Ito)
“Mr. Yamawaki was conscious of how to draw delicious food for everyone, no matter how small the animals. By looking at them carefully, they can see that even small creatures have lives, which expands their imagination, and I think that leads to the enjoyment of reading picture books.”
A work full of simple and warm personality
Mr. Rie Sekine, who was in charge of Mr. Yamawaki at the publishing company Fukunkan Shoten, which has been working on the "Guri and Gura" series announced in 1963, told me the secret of the birth of "Guri and Gura".
“I thought, ‘I need to know more about mice,’ so I went to the National Museum of Nature and Science to see specimens of mice.
”I carefully sketched it. I looked at the real thing one by one, and gradually tried to make it a simple shape by trial and error
. Rieko Nakagawa, the older sister who was in charge of the project, experienced a food shortage during her childhood in Hokkaido.
Even so, the mother has memories of making various things and feeding them delicious food, and that she loves cooking and eating, which is connected to the setting of "Guri and Gura".
In addition, the drawings are drawn and erased with a pencil, and repeatedly written and erased, and while carefully drawing the atmosphere of everyday life that children can feel close to, there are fashionable furniture in the room that can only be found overseas. It is said that the appearance of is typical of Mr. Yamawaki, who liked France.
When asked why the "Guri Togura" series continues to be loved by fans so much, Mr. Sekine said that with the "Aun no Breath" that only Mr. Yamawaki and Ms. Nakagawa can do, they create a warm and happy world that attracts children all over the world. He told me that it was because it was drawn.
(Editor-in-Chief Rie Sekine, Kodomo no Tomo First Editorial Department, Fukunkan Shoten)
“Yamawaki-san is a simple, humble, humorous, and warm-hearted person who makes everyone fall in love with her. I think it's loved across borders because it's shaped like the archetype of happiness."