felishino

Book Readings Around the Bay!

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:52:45 +0000

February 25th – Saturday – 2pm – Books Inc. – Alameda read more…

March 13th – Tuesday – 10am – Copperfields – Petaluma read more…

March 18th – Sunday – 11am – The Reading Bug – San Carlos read more…

Book Reading – The Reading Bug – San Carlos

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:40:27 +0000

Sunday - March 18, 2012
11:00 am

The Reading Bug
785 Laurel Street
San Carlos, CA
(650) 591-0100
www.thereadingbug.com

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For friends on the Peninsula, catch a reading of Sora and the Cloud at The Reading Bug!

Book Reading – Copperfield’s Books – Petaluma

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:32:03 +0000

Tuesday – March 13, 2012
10:00 am

Copperfield’s Books
140 Kentucky Street, Petaluma, CA
(707) 762-0563

copperfieldsbooks.com

Map

For those up in Sonoma County, I’ll be heading to Petaluma to read Sora and the Cloud at Copperfield’s Books!

Hope to see you there and tell your friends!

Book Reading – Books Inc. – Alameda

felicia — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 16:23:02 +0000

Saturday – February 25, 2012
2:00 pm

Books Inc.
1344 Park Street
Alameda, CA
(510) 522-2226
www.booksinc.net

Map

For our East Bay friends, please join us at Books Inc. Alameda as both Oliver Chin and I will be reading from our new books, The Year of the Dragon and Sora and the Cloud!

Celebrate the Lunar New Year with authors OLIVER CHIN and FELICIA HOSHINO, who will each read their picture books for this very special storytime! Learn all about the year of the Dragon and take a trip into the clouds with your favorite neighborhood bookstore. For ages 3-8

“Sora” Review – The New York Times

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:33:23 +0000

Review – The New York Times

“… Miyazaki-like …”

(What …? Still catching my breath about this one.)

“An Ode to Flying”

By Pamela Paul

Published: January 4, 2012

Read online at: The New York Times

The classic Japanese children’s song “Tako no uta” (or “Song of Kites”) is a cheerful ode to flying. It is also one of many Japanese cultural references embedded in “Sora and the Cloud,” Felicia Hoshino’s rich, clever and appealing book. Offering both English and Japanese text, it is itself a lovely tribute to the joys of soaring high.

We meet Sora as an infant on his way from crawling to climbing. “As he grows, he climbs over everything in this path” — even his mother’s back while she cleans under the table, and his father’s shoulder as he chopsticks up his breakfast.

The characters’ brief exclamations as Sora clambers and explores appear only in Japanese and so provide an opportunity, for those who don’t know the language, to ad lib their own admonishments and exhortations as little Sora climbs atop a jungle gym and tackles a large tree. (The phrases are translated in an endnote, which also explains some of the cultural references in the text – a lion-faced airplane, takoyaki balls and Kintaro, a boy painted on many Japanese kites.)

It is tempting to label “Miyazaki-like” anything appealing to children and Japanese in origin. But in this instance the analogy fits. The nameless cloud is a benign yet mysterious and uncontrollable presence as it lifts Sora, Totoro style, into the sky. There he views a skyscraper mid-construction, an amusement park, a festival of kites and other boyish marvels. Hoshino’s intricate and delicate drawings deliver this parade of sightseeing pleasures in a way that is at once dreamlike and visceral.

But even as Sora relishes his experiences aloft he finds himself longing for the pleasures down below on earth: “As rain clouds clear and sea gulls fly by … Sora dreams of digging in wet sand.” He thinks of napping in a bed of grass. And when he lands, he looks forward to telling his little sister about his new friend, the Cloud. She’ll want to hear all about it.

Release Party Photos

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:26:33 +0000

Just wanted to share some photos from the Book Release Party. Akiko-san, it was wonderful to have you by my side and dressed in such a stylish kimono! Thank you to JCCCNC and staff, Jennifer Hamamoto, Ryan Kimura, and Kim Nakamura for publicizing, organizing, and hosting yet another book release! Oliver Chin of Immedium for insuring that the books arrived in time for the event! To family, Mom, Dad, Terry, SooMee, Yoshi, Sora, Yume, relatives, friends both big and small, old and new (one still baking in the oven!), those who couldn’t make it, but expressed their well-wishes, and the entire community who came out to support Sora and the Cloud… ARIGATOU GOZAIMASHITA~!!!

Video – Crosswater Media

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:05:31 +0000

As showcased at the Book Release Party, I was extremely fortunate to have Crosswater Media produce a short video about my inspiration for Sora and the Cloud. In the true spirit of the book, there is a Japanese translated version of the video, too! Nice. \(^_^)/ Daisuke and Ryo Arigatou~

A Mother’s Wonder, A Child’s Adventure – Felicia Hoshino

director / camera / editor Ryo Matsumoto

interviewer / producer Daisuke Miyake

graphics Michaela Mitchell

View online at: Crosswater Media

Crosswater Media is an Oakland-based marketing and media production company that specializes in branding and video production. We believe every company – regardless of size or industry – has a unique and compelling story to tell. Our recipe for success includes listening, collaborating and strategy. Oh, and fun.

Little Friends on the Cloud

felicia — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 14:04:15 +0000

At the Book Release Party for Sora and the Cloud guests were invited to take a “ride” upon the Cloud. If you haven’t yet submitted a photo for posting, please email me! To see more photos from the event click here.

photo credit: Oliver Chin

Uta Octavio Gaspard Hisa, son of the book’s Japanese translator, Akiko Hisa. Click here for a little background story on our toothless grinning friend.

photo credit: Yoriko Hayes

Yume with preschool friend and co-pilot Hana-chan. So dreamy…

photo credit: Ari Salomon

Sora with Rena-chan, daughter of Yoriko and Ari, the felishino.com webmaster. Check out his site, fine art photography, and services at: helloari.com

JCCCNC Oshogatsu Matsuri

felicia — Sat, 07 Jan 2012 18:21:29 +0000

Happy New Year Everyone!

Today I’ll be signing copies of Sora and the Cloud and My Dog Teny at JCCCNC

Oshogatsu Matsuri – New Year Celebration

If you’re in the area stop on by and say hello. There will be a lot of activities for the kids!

Saturday, January 7, 2012
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

JCCCNC (2nd floor in the gym)
1840 Sutter Street, Suite 201
San Francisco, CA 94115

Asian Pacific Islander Legal Outreach (APILO) celebrates Japantown’s annual Oshogatsu Matsuri – Year of the Dragon. Activities include arts & crafts for children, a children’s art contest, traditional mochitsuki (New Year rice pounding), food, cultural performances

(including odori, kendo and taiko) and much more! Bring a t-shirt and have it screen printed with the Oshogatsu logo.

http://www.jcccnc.org/events/jan-mar.htm#Oshogatsu

The making of Sora and the Cloud

felicia — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 14:12:40 +0000

Just wanted to share some sketch phases of Sora and the Cloud with you. It’s been 2 long years since I first sat down with the publisher Oliver Chin at Immedium… how the book has transformed since those first sketches! I’ll be presenting a short slideshow presentation about the process at the Book Release Party on December 10, 2011 at the JCCCNC! Please join us!

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Cover:
Before I seriously thought about the cover, I used a quick drawing of the Cloud character as a place filler. To me this simple drawing really captures the Cloud’s personality. Eventually, I decided to use an image of Sora “flying” on the Cloud (taken from the kite festival scene) which conveys the feeling that I hope readers will experience!

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Tree climbing scene:
Originally, the book was going to be a tall vertical format to emphasize height, but it was later decided that a landscape format would also work allowing me to spread out and create a wide scenic view.

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Amusment park scene:
At first, I was planning to show more sky in this scene and less of the amusement park. Sora would be so high that you would only see the tips of the tallest rides. But then I decided to fill the page with color and movement which I think makes this scene very special.

SIDE NOTE: For those of you who have been felishino fans from the beginning, you’ll recognize the people mover or “sky glider” ride from my first logo and website. It was tough to let that flash website go!

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Join me at the Book Release Party to learn more!