Yoshitomo Nara

Yoshitomo Nara’s deceptively simple paintings, sculptures, and drawings draw on the pop culture aesthetics of manga, Walt Disney cartoons, and punk rock. The artist populates his work with alternately adorable and sinister child characters, who run amok in flat backgrounds rendered with simple bold lines and solid hues.

A very very big dog is lonely. He's so big no one notices him. One day a little girl climbs up him and suddenly finds herself looking at the dogs gigantic eyes. First she's startled, but then she starts to smile and sing songs. The girl and the dog become friends and the dog isn't lonely anymore. That last several pages are random pictures of the girl and the dog playing.

It's very well done. The author is Japanese and the pictures have a modern Asian art feel to them. There are some deeper show more thoughts for parents, perhaps even a hint of religious commentary, but not at the level kids will pick up on. show less

I wanted to like this book, but good gracious was it ever terrible. The little girl looks sinister and creepy. The text is clunky and cliched. Stick to adult audiences, Nara.

Somewhat strange...it is either so plain, I don't get the appeal, or it is so deep, I am missing the deeper meaning. Nice illustrations though.