Soft, chewy, stretchy — pink, white, or green — I love mochi!

Whenever I bite into a Japanese rice cake, it takes me back to my childhood in Hawaiʻi. While we often enjoyed store-bought mochi as an everyday treat, it was most delicious when the extended family gathered on New Year’s Day to make a homemade batch.

My uncle (whose wife was Japanese) was in charge of cooking and pounding the rice with a wooden mallet. At first he did this by hand, but in later years he acquired a mochi machine that largely did the work for him. When the mochi dough was ready, my aunts coated their hands with potato starch and twisted off pieces to form small round cakes. Each family took home a good share. How I loved fresh, oh-so-soft mochi dipped in a little honey!

You can see why I was excited to read Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson’s debut picture book, The Mochi Makers (Beach Lane Books, 2024). In this gentle, heartwarming story, a little girl makes mochi with her grandmother, learns about her family’s heirloom recipe, and then shares trays of mochi with family, friends and neighbors.

Told from Emi’s point of view, the story outlines the steps she and Obaachan follow to make this special treat.

First, Emi and Obaachan wash sweet mochi rice — “Obaachan with her strong, wrinkled hands and me with my small, quick ones.” It doesn’t matter if Emi spills a few grains; Obaachan reminds her “we only need clean hands and whole hearts to make mochi.”

While the rice is cooking, Obaachan tells Emi that the recipe originated from Emi’s great-great grandmother. When Obaachan emigrated to America to marry Emi’s grandfather (Ojiichan), she brought the mochi recipe with her “in her heart and hands.”

When the rice is done, Emi and Obaachan transfer the steaming mass into a stand mixer, where it’s pounded into a sticky mound. Next, they coat their hands with potato starch, twist off pieces and make small round cakes.

Some of these cakes are filled with sweet red bean paste, while others are coated with nutty soybean powder. They tuck fresh strawberries inside the next batch before sprinkling it with powdered sugar. They also keep some of their cakes plain, just the way Ojiichan liked it. When Emi’s hands get tired, they take a break and tell stories, fondly recalling the time Ojiichan dropped mochi on the floor.

After Emi and Obaachan count out their mochi to give loved ones, they sit at the table to enjoy plain mochi together, with soy sauce for dipping and crispy sheets of seaweed for wrapping. Making mochi is much more than making mochi: it’s a way to show love, pass on family traditions, and express gratitude.

Fujimoto-Johnson paired her spare lyrical text with pastel soft textured digital collages created by layering pencil sketches, digital paintings, hand-painted papers, family photographs, heirloom kimono fabrics and kitchen cloths embroidered by her grandmother. She describes her chosen color palette in a “Behind the Book” online interview:

I wanted the color palette for this book to reflect the hues and color combinations of Japanese art and textiles, which hum with a slightly different energy from Western color palettes. I brought together the colors of traditional mochi, like cherry blossom pink and mugwort green, with crimson red from a kimono obi that I inherited from my mother and golden saffron from a baby dress crochet by my grandmother . . . Adding this layer of color and texture from family fabrics was probably my favorite part of the illustration process.

I love the coziness of Obaachan’s kitchen and the overall feeling of harmony and serenity throughout the book. Though Emi and Obaachan are busy making mochi, they never rush, with time in between to look through Obaachan’s old photo album, remember lost loved ones, drink green tea, play cards, and relish the simple joy of being together.

Sharon has added many lovely touches to her spreads: I especially like seeing Emi and Obaachan through a picture window framed by an overhanging branch of cherry blossoms. The soft, gauzy texture of the blossoms is just beautiful, as is the ray of sunlight streaming in through another window, a light breeze whispering through the curtains. Or what about potato starch sprinkling everywhere like snowflakes? Fun and magical!

The special bond between grandmother and grandchild is touching and relatable. I like how Sharon honors real people in her book by not only featuring personal family photos in one spread, but by also creating another spread with all the mochi gifts tagged with names of real-life recipients (editors, book designer, agent, friends, relatives). All lend authenticity and depth to her story. After all, the most important ingredient in any recipe or story is love.

Finally, kids will enjoy following a cuddly black kitty from spread to spread, as it watches all the action, stretches, naps, and even sits at the table. Just the right touch of sweetness and whimsy.

Back matter includes an Author’s Note with info about mochi’s cultural significance, Sharon’s personal connection to the story, and a family mochi recipe.

Don’t miss this lovingly crafted, comforting celebration of family, cultural heritage, and making new memories. No doubt you will crave some mochi on the spot. I’m not picky — I’ll take mine plain, filled with sweet red bean paste, rolled in kinako, fried/toasted with honey, in zenzai or with ice cream. More, please. It’s all sooooooo good!

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THE MOCHI MAKERS
written and illustrated by Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson
published by Beach Lane Books/S&S, March 2024
Picture Book for ages Baby-8 years, 40 pp.
*Includes Authors Note and Mochi Recipe
**Starred Review** from Kirkus

♥️ Check out these Activity Sheets from the publisher’s website.

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 *Interior spreads, text and illustrations copyright © 2024 Sharon Fujimoto-Johnson, published by Beach Lane Books/An Imprint of Simon & Schuster. All rights reserved.

**Copyright © 2024 Jama Rattigan of Jama’s Alphabet Soup. All rights reserved.