Line Sheet

Illustrated book cover titled "Grandpa Stogie's Gigantic Goldfish" by Chris Aihara, illustrated by Lisa Aihara. The cover features a cartoon-style grandpa holding a young girl in a kimono, with a large orange goldfish and colorful abstract background.

$9 per copy

$18 suggested retail

Grandpa Stogie has the “special touch.” He can fix anything and he helps living things grow, even a tiny goldfish won at a summer Obon Carnival.

A true story and “a bit of a fish tale,” the book is about a second-generation Japanese American man and a tiny goldfish won at a summer Obon carnival that grew to be the biggest goldfish anyone had ever seen! Born of immigrant parents, Grandpa Stogie embodies the values of so many of his generation.

8.5×8.5 inches
32 pages
Paperback

Grandpa Stogie’s Gigantic Goldfish

Open scrapbook with various photographs, including family portraits and moments. On the right, a grandpa and young girl sit at a table looking at a photo album, with a story about grandpa's childhood and nickname, Stogie.
A two-page children's book illustration and text showing a grandfather holding his granddaughter, smiling with hugs, with toys and treats nearby. The second page shows the grandfather sitting on a sofa with the little girl and her doll, surrounded by toy blocks and a teddy bear, in a cozy living room.
Illustration of people at a Japanese Obon festival with lanterns, a yagura, and traditional clothing, celebrating the memory of loved ones who have passed away.
A young boy looks sad and disappointed beside a fishbowl with a goldfish, with the text "Oh no. Buddy didn’t look so good."
A family gathered around a table with a fishbowl containing a goldfish, an elderly man, a young girl, and a woman holding a bowl of water with a goldfish; another girl waters the fishbowl. The background includes framed pictures and a window showing a night scene with the moon.
A colored illustration of a backyard patio with a black and white cat sitting on a low wall, watching a girl inside a blue shed. The girl is feeding a goldfish in a pond, and nearby shelves hold jars and supplies. There's a garden with orange fruit and a wooden fence surrounding the yard.
A woman and a girl picking oranges from trees in a garden. The girl is holding a photo, and the woman is holding a basket of oranges. There is a brick wall in the background, and various plants, including a potted plant and a large bush. The girl is smiling, wearing a white shirt with the number 25, and the woman is smiling, wearing a blue dress. There is a block of text in the bottom right corner that reads: "Everyone of us can be more like Grandpa Stogie, who took his time, always tried his very best and helped to make things around him grow and live well."
An illustration of a grandfather and a small girl sitting on the grass near an orange tree, eating oranges. The background shows a garden with flowering bushes, potted plants, and hanging pots, with a cat in the top right corner. The scene depicts a garden where the grandfather's work and care have grown large, fragrant, juicy oranges.
A cozy, cluttered garage with a mix of cleaning supplies, tools, and knick-knacks. An elderly man holding a box and a young girl sitting on a chair, holding a doll, with sunlight filtering in.
Illustration of a carnival at an Obon festival with food and games. In the center, a sign reads 'Goldfish' with a price of 3 throws for $1. There are children and adults enjoying goldfish scooping, with a girl holding a red paper fan and children looking at fish in glass bowls. One child has caught a fish, celebrating with a happy expression. The scene depicts traditional festival activities, including goldfish scooping and bingo with ping pong balls.
A family at a farm with a pickup truck and farming tools, and an elderly man with a young girl, the elderly man patient and gentle, the girl holding a fish. The scene is split with a light blue background on the left and an illustration of the elderly man and girl on the right. The elderly man is wearing glasses and a hat, and the girl has a bow on her head, with captions about taking care of a fish and visiting grandparents.
Illustration of three goldfish, with the largest one on the right, and text about their growth and feeding.
Children and adults looking at a large goldfish in a pond with a heart-shaped tail, while family photos and a hand holding a photograph of an elderly man and a young girl are also depicted.
Page from a booklet or poster with illustrations and text about Japanese American cultural traditions, including festivals, clothing, and gardening. Two colorful drawings depict festive scenes with people, lanterns, and food stalls.
Cover of a children's book titled "one musubi for me: Counting Things Japanese," featuring a boy and girl in cartoon style with a yellow background decorated with illustrations of Japanese food and items.

$6.50 per copy

$12.95 suggested retail

One Musubi For Me: Counting Things Japanese

A delightful counting book that celebrates Japanese culture.

  • Early learning — toddlers and preschoolers can practice their first numbers

  • Cultural enrichment — share elements of Japanese American culture and learn about the items highlighted in the book with notes in the back so kids and adults can learn together

  • Perfect size — the 5.5" x 5.5" board book is small, sturdy, and perfect for little grabby hands

Illustration of two children, Lily and Sei, standing next to each other against a light blue background. Lily has brown hair tied in pigtails, and Sei has short brown hair. Lily is wearing a purple top and blue pants with white polka dots, while Sei is wearing a white shirt with a red star and brown shorts. There is a text on the right that reads, "Here's Lily and Sei, counting things they see in their community."
Cartoon of a young boy with brown hair holding chopsticks and looking to the side, wearing a white shirt with a red star on it, with the number 2 and the word 'Hashi' written next to him.
A child with brown hair in pigtails reaching towards four Maneki Neko figures on a table, with the text "4 Maneki Neko" in the background.
Drawing of three children wearing green happi coats, standing in front of a hanger with three matching happi coats hanging on it, with the words '6 Happy' written above.
Four illustrated butterflies with red and white patterned wings and tan bodies, surrounded by colorful, patterned backgrounds and Japanese text in the center.
Children looking up at colorful paper lanterns with Japanese characters hanging in the night sky, celebrating the 10th Chôchin festival.
Colorful cartoon children and adults counting from one to ten in Japanese, with speech bubbles showing numbers and their Japanese words.
A cartoon girl with pigtails eating rice from a bowl, with the number 1 and the word Musubi written beside her.
Three children stand on a wooden floor, each holding a drumstick and a Taiko drum. The background is pink, with the number 3 and the word 'Taiko' written in black.
Children watching colorful fish-shaped flags called Koinobori displayed in the sky, celebrating Children's Day in Japan.
Children holding orange paper lanterns in a celebratory scene against a light green background with the number 1 and the Japanese character for 'Ichi' and the word 'Uchiwa'.
A box of assorted Japanese wagashi confections, including colorful mochi, with a boy peeking over the table in the background.
A cultural notes page explaining Japanese traditions and symbols, including colorful icons of a carp streamer, a coat, a fan, sandals, a rice snack, a manju pastry, and a lantern, with descriptions in text.

About us

Two women, one younger with black hair and a green top, and one older with short gray hair and glasses, sit at a table holding books titled "One MUBi for Me" and smiling at each other. The scene appears warm and friendly, with a mirror and some decorations in the background.

Mother-and-daugher-in-law duo Chris and Lisa

We share a passion for telling our unique Japanese American stories.

Chris Aihara is the author of Nikkei Donburi: A Japanese American Cultural Survival Guide, and a longtime Los Angeles Little Tokyo community worker and volunteer. She’s passionate about passing on Japanese American stories, culture, and values to the next generation.

Lisa Aihara is a freelance illustrator, mom of three, and a professional picture book reader (any parent of voracious readers will understand!) She hopes to tell stories that are a delight to read, start conversations within families, and connect us all.

Ready to order?

Use the form or shoot us an email at: mikanpress@gmail.com