Great-Grandpa Fussy and the Little Puckerdoodles

About The Illustrator: Yukiko Mishima

Mardo & Yukiko

"The author is 94 and the illustrator is 24, but the stories are timeless." - BOOKVIEWS, Alan Caruba

Yukiko Mishima, formerly of Hiroshima, Japan, was a recent graduate of the School of Visual Arts in New York City when she created the illustrations for Great-Grandpa Fussy, her first children’s book. She moved back to Japan, where she lived in Tokyo with her husband and her daughter Yukuri, and went on to design greeting cards, calendars, puzzles and her own line of dinner ware. This multi-talented artist died prematurely at the age of 36.

The Little Puckerdoodles
Mardo's Great-Grandchildren
(left to right), Katie (Toodlebug), Daniel (Weenie), Holly (Teenie), Christopher (Waddles)

Below is a description of Yukiko’s visit in 2000 to meet Mardo and the Ohio family that was his inspiration.

Yukiko wrote about the visit: "If there was a place to call heaven, it was there. For months while working on the book based on the Puckerdoodle family, I imagined what they were actually like. When I finally met them, it was amazing! The Puckerdoodles were so kind to me. They were exactly how I pictured them in my mind. Katie (Toodlebug) took me to the kid's playroom. I almost cried. All the stories told in the book were playing in my head."

She added, "It was very challenging for me to finish a sixty-four page children's book. This many illustrations is a feat in itself especially due to the fact it was my first book."

Her second children's book, Hayaoki No Okurimono (A Present From Early Spring) won the Fine Prize for illustration from the International Institute for Children's Literature in Osaka.

Mardo's great-grandchild Holly

A book party honoring Mardo and Yukiko was held May 2000 in New York City at Hayato Gallery and Salon. Yukiko's original illustrations for Great-Grandpa Fussy were on display, along with autographed copies of the book. Mardo brought his oldest great-grandchild Holly (Teenie Puckerdoodle) to the event. She also was asked to autograph books.

The goal of Yukiko’s charming illustrations was to make people happy and to give them a little moment of rest. She succeeded brilliantly.


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