Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi is an absolutely charming picture book that takes readers into the everyday life of a resourceful and endearing little shrew. The book is divided into three delightful short stories: Little Shrew’s Day, Little Shrew’s Dream, and Little Shrew’s Friends. Each story is simple yet full of warmth, making it perfect for young children, especially at bedtime or during quiet moments.

One of the most captivating aspects of this book is its illustrations. The hand-drawn images, with a nostalgic feel and soft pencil lines, alternate between black and white and color, creating a beautiful visual rhythm that complements the gentle tone of the stories. The artwork has an old-school charm that is rare in today’s digital age, making it a true delight to behold. Although the switch between color and black-and-white illustrations seems somewhat random, it adds a unique character to the book that I found endearing.

Little Shrew teaches readers to appreciate the small joys in life—whether it’s the pleasure of a simple treat, the excitement of finding a special item, or the happiness brought by a visit from friends. This book is a reminder of how the little things can bring immense joy, and it’s a message that resonates with both children and adults alike. The stories are calming and soothing, making them perfect for winding down at the end of a busy day. In fact, I found reading this book to be a comforting experience, proving that children’s books can be a source of peace for readers of all ages.

This book is an excellent choice for bedtime reading, as its calming narrative and gentle illustrations create a serene atmosphere that helps little ones settle down. I would love to see Little Shrew become part of a series, as the character is so likeable and relatable, with a charm that could easily fill many more books.

Thank you to NetGalley, Akiko Miyakoshi, and Kids Can Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Little Shrew is a delightful treasure, perfect for any child’s bookshelf.

Thank you to the author, Kids Can Press and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My apologies for the delay in posting this review, I am well behind - this is in no way a reflection of my enjoyment of this title!

This children's book with three short stories about Little Shrew and his life is gorgeously illustrated and focuses on the little things that bring us joy in our daily life. Nothing much happens, but reading this leaves you with a peaceful feeling and a smile on your face.

I loved this sweet little book, but a part of me thinks I loved it because I am an adult. After all, it was a book about going to work and then coming home to do chores, and then occasionally having time to see your friends. Would a younger reader find this fun? Relatable? I'm not sure. But a part of me wants to buy a copy for all of my friends.
I will say, the illustrations are absolutely darling - classic but not dated. This feels like the kind of cozy book you'd want on your shelf to flip through occasionally and smile at.

A delightful little book about a little shrew and a look into his life; at work, on a day off, and with friends. He is a delightful, resourceful creature and it was just so lovely to read this sweet story.

Filled with lovely illustrations, both black & white and color, you get a front-row view into Little Shrew's world and it's really captivating.
This, to me, is a "quiet" book, and I think littles will love this when they need to be quiet [bedtimes etc] as it will help them settle down [I found this book to be very soothing, and as it was a rough day for me, it was much needed, which just shows children's books can be for adults too!] in the most delightful way.

Very well done!!

Thank you to NetGalley, Akiko Miyakoshi, and Kids Can Press for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advance reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

Little Shrew is an adorable children's picture book containing three short stories about Little Shrew: Little Shrews Day, Little Shrews Dream, and Little Shrews Friends.
The illustrations are just adorable and nostalgic, too. I'd love a series about Liitle Shrew as he's just so sweet, and I hope this turns into one.
Little Shrew is so likeable and relatable. He shows us his daily life and how such small things like a small treat, a found item, or even a rare visit from friends can bring so much joy no matter how simple these things are. He teaches us to look for the little things and enjoy them when they occur. The illustrations alternate between black and white and colour, which works perfectly with the art and style of the book. The second and third stories left me with a smile on my face and made me fall in love with this little character. A beautiful little collection.I'm so glad I had the opportunity to read and review this little gem.

This is a cute story, but ultimately not especially engaging for my kids or for me. The illustrations are cute, but there's something about it I just don't care for. Thank you to Kids Can Press and NetGalley for an e-arc to read and voluntarily review.

A child's idea of what it's like to be an adult. I love the sensibility of this quietly charming story and protagonist.

This was so sweet! The simple writing style and the cozy, warm illustrations made for a very gentle book. I think this would also be a great introduction to the idea of a chapter book, since it's split up into chapters but still isn't too long for a younger reader. This is definitely more of a sleepy picture book than a "fun" one, so it probably wouldn't work in a Storytime or performance setting, but it would be a perfect bedtime story. I love having translated works to offer to readers at my library, both young and old, and this would be a perfect addition!

Our friend, and main character "Little Shrew" lives a life of regimented schedules. Every minute of his life is the same as every other day and he takes comfort in the sameness. A visit by friends shakes up his world for a day. They play games and music and enjoy each other's company. Shrew is content to return to his scheduled life after his friends leave. The illustrations are soft and dreamy in muted tones and the environment feels foreign.

A rather adorable little tale about a shrew and it's everyday life. The meaning of the book is to appreciate the little things in life and show appreciation for the simple life.
I did find the mix between colored and black-white illustrations a little confusing and messy.

This book is so cute I want to eat it.

I loved the illustrations in it. They're clearly hand drawn and they have that pencil feel to them, which makes them feel unique and original and sort of old school, rather than the crisp lines we see nowadays with digital art and AI generated images. I guess my only confusion is some of them are black and white and some are full color and there doesn't seem to be a rhyme or reason to it. It changes page to page.

It's surprisingly long for a children's book, but it contains multiple stories of the Little Shrew so you'll really get your money's worth if you buy this for a child.

Little Shrew is introduced to the reader with three short tales. In the first tale, we are introduced to Little Shrew who is a hard worker living according to a set routine. In the second tale, Little Shrew gets a television and dreams of a tropical place. In the final tale, Little Shrew prepares for an annual visit from friends who live far away. All three stories are heartwarming and brought to life with gentle illustrations.

This beautifully illustrated book contains three short stories about Little Shrew. We meet his friends and colleagues, learn about his daily routine and find out his hopes for the future. I really enjoyed the incredible detail in the illustrations.

This was a lovely book and I hope there will be more Little Shrew stories in the future.

Charming. This sweet book will delight children with its everyday kind of stories but through the life of a shrew. This book reminds me of Frog & Toad stories from my younger days. A book made magical and memorable.

This is such a sweet story. I loved the quiet illustrations and text. I can't wait to get this one for our library. I know it will be a fun readaloud.

A truly delightful book with adorable images and an utterly charming story.

This is a simple but beautiful book all about the magic and importance of the little things in life and how valuable it is to see the beauty in the everyday.

I cant express how perfectly the imagery matches the vibes of the story and the nature of the prose. The introduction of colour into the images was also stunning and so cleverly done

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an E-ARC

It is a simple story, the daily life of a little shrew. But so interestingly told. What he does daily, on his day-off, even his annual meeting with his friends. A mundane life, and one like everyone is living right now, however, it is so neatly told . With some illustration to support the story, this is an interesting read, finished the 78 pages in a whiff.

Little Shrew by Akiko Miyakoshi is a collection of 3 short stories, originally published in Japan, where the title character is a charming creature of habit who lives in a small but tidy apartment and works in a finance job. He finds pleasure in small things, like solving his Rubik's cube and stopping at the bakery. Each story is accompanied by black and white sketches and warm muted color illustrations. The whole effect is dream-like. It is a quirky picture book but one that readers will find inviting. I would love to read more about Shrew and his small adventures in future books.

Some of the illustrations are haunting, fuzzy, and dark. This book gives the vibe of being appealing to adults, but accessible for young readers. Shrew and his friends are lovely, but there is not a ton of character exploration (which is okay!) and the plots are simple. There is something cozy to each story, but also touches of sadness. I will need to reflect more on how to suggest and market this book to readers.

This was pretty cute! I enjoy Akiko Miyakoshi's writing and calm storytelling. It was a little odd that some illustrations were in black and white and some were in color. I would have preferred if they were all in color, but it was still a nice story.