"COMET-Seeing eye puppy," book by Eri Iguchi, 2001, Heart Publishing
with an introduction by Rica Takashima
Introduction:
"Please share your feelings with adults! "
"Hi, what are you drawing? Are you an artist?"
The person who asked me as I was sketching a tricycle on the street was Eri's mama.
She was on her way home from shopping at the grocery store.
I said, "I'm planning to publish a picture book for children, so I'm sketching a lot of stuffs about children." "Why don't you come over to my place right now? There are many toys spread out in my little son and daughter's room."
I was picked up like a kitten on the street by Eri's mama, and then followed her place.
Soon Eri (She was 8 years old, at that time) came back from the elementaly school.
Eri and I enjoyed playing games, drawing and laughing. We had a great time.
She is so delightful and always telling jokes like a comedian.
That was the first time I met The Iguchis (Eri's family).
Such an open door The Iguchis have, I sometimes dropped by their home and enjoyed spending time with them.
Many friends of Eri, her brother Kota, her mother and father's friends, often come and stay their place, they chat about many things freely.
Everybody is welcomed at The Iguchis, I think that's why Eri is able to think and concern herself with volunteer activities and ask many questions about very important issues, such as the protection of animals and handicapped people, to adults without hesitation.
In my childhood, when I saw the adults' world, many many questions used to come to my mind, often I felt the adults' world did'nt make sense, and better ideas came to me. (just as Eri had wondered why there were so few shops and places where seeing eye dogs could come in with blind people. It would be better if dogs could go many places so many people could help handicapped people.)
This feeling is very nice, and telling this feeling to other people is even nicer, I think.
I sometimes think that children could make the world a better place than adults could.
So, please share your feelings and what you find in this world with your mother, father and other adults around you.
I bet many happy things could happen!
Rica Takashima, artist
born in Tokyo
graduated from Tokyo National University of Arts.
organizer of Aozora Art, creating artworks accosiated to the society.
has many art programs for family "Hokoten Sketch Rally," "Creating Picture Book in Samurai Period" and so on.
picture book "Usagi no Gochisou Na-ni?," "Shupo Shupo Nanda?" were published.
