The Bread Thief series, a bestseller with 1.8 million copies sold in Japan
1st place in the Tsutaya Picture Book Award
Moe Picture Book Award and Libro Picture Book Award Winner
Keiko Shibata's hot new picture book, "Pumpkin Bathhouse"

Readers' Praise for "Pumpkin Bathhouse"

“The unexpected twists and turns make me want to watch it again and again.” _[Honto] Reader Review
“A warm and cozy yet incredibly funny story.”_[Ehonnabi] Reader Review
“My child asks me to read to him every day.”_[Shogakukan] Reader’s Review
"A picture book perfect for the cold season! I want to go into every bathhouse." _[Rakuten] Booklog Reader Review
“Every time I turned the page, the fun grew, and I laughed out loud at the unexpected twists and turns.” _[Amazon] Reader Review

Hot and sweet!
A delicious and delightful winter bathhouse bustle

The bear, the alpaca, and the cat are good friends who play together every day.
The white body color is also similar.
One cold day, the three of them were walking along a forest path when a very delicious smell wafted in.
I followed the scent and found a huge pumpkin there.
The pumpkin is filled with sweet and delicious soup.
I looked closely at the sign that said [Pumpkin Soup Bathhouse] and it said this.


It's a very cold day today.
Enjoy a relaxing soak in a warm bath.
But never eat the soup.


The three of them go into the warm bath and warm up their bodies.
The three hungry friends, despite being told not to, cannot resist and end up gulping down the sweet soup.
Then, the once pure white body turned the color of pumpkin soup.
No matter how much I wiped it with a towel, it was no use.
I had no choice but to trudge along the road again, and this time I came across a white stew bathhouse.
Although it says not to eat it, I feel like if I eat the stew, my body will return to its original color.
Will the three friends be able to resist the temptation of a delicious stew? Each new bathhouse they visit promises a different taste and adventure.


If you tell me not to, I want to do it more!
A story so absurdly weird and unbearably funny

Author Keiko Shibata, who captivated many readers with the witty yet lovable [Bread Thief] series, presents a very special bathhouse story this time, combining delicious food with delightful imagination.
A sensory-stimulating bathhouse adventure begins thanks to a clever comparison of soup, a delicious dish with a warm broth, to a 'bathhouse'.
The more we see these unruly protagonists, who want to do something more when told not to, and whose curiosity overrides reason, they resemble our lovable children.
The story of three friends lightly overcoming taboos and facing unpredictable twists each time they meet at three bathhouses draws readers deeper into the book.
The repetitive structure makes it fun to turn the pages and imagine what will happen next.
The three friends' various facial expressions and the unique shapes of the bathhouse, such as pumpkins, pots, and cups, also add to the fun.
This is a delightful and warm winter picture book that will make you laugh out loud at the ending that pleasantly betrays expectations, and you wonder what kind of bathhouse will appear this time, and whether the three friends can resist the delicious temptation.