Rising sun / Coffee / Warm shower / Baking cookies for someone / Hug / New learning / New words / Applause / 11:11 appointment / First snow / Painted eggs / A cup of tea / Cockscomb / Old song / Wildflower seeds / Flock of birds / Dog / Rain / Rainbow / Unopened gift box / Moon / Wedding / Baby / Swimming / Glasses / Sewing / Pebble / Sea / Old book / Laundry / Moving furniture / Retrieved items / Tidying up / Dinner / Museum / Finishing up / Love / Letters to send / Letters to receive / Bird feed / Exercise / A sip of water / Nap / Tax return / Voting / Growing vegetables / Map / Cemetery / Travel / Home / My own list / Carpe diem

Sophie Blackall, a writer who looks at life warmly,
Writing and Drawing the Ordinary, yet Dazzling Miracles of Everyday Life

“Cherish life” is easy to say, but it is not easy to translate that into a real-life attitude.
Most of us live today not much different from yesterday and face tomorrow without much expectation.
There are many times when I feel that the repetitive days are boring and dull.
Then, I get hurt by the big and small events that suddenly come into my life, and I end up sinking down or hiding in thick dark clouds.
Sometimes, massive events that affect not just me but everyone in common suddenly take over the world's daily lives.
Only then do we realize that today is not something that is given to us for granted.
But even though I painfully realized it, I still don't know how to do it.
How can I love this life that feels so insignificant? How can I look forward to the present day and the tomorrow that will come?

Sophie Blackall, a picture book author who has garnered attention from readers and critics around the world, has published a picture essay for everyone, "Names of Joy I Know," as a kind of answer to that question.
The author has captured and woven together 52 joys, both small and large, ordinary and special, that fill our daily lives, through words and pictures.
Previously, he spoke of life's hope and loss through his Caldecott Medal-winning work, "Hello, My Lighthouse," and delivered a message of understanding, coexistence, and faith through "To You Who Came to Earth."
The author's delicate touch, always observing people and life with a thoughtful eye and asking about their well-being, is fully reflected in this work, and has undoubtedly drawn praise from many international media outlets and readers.

When you look closely rather than passing by without paying attention
The possibilities of my life becoming clearer

In his essay “Small Joys,” Hermann Hesse said, “We create our lives by stringing together the countless little things we experience each day and the little joys we gain from them.”
Sophie Blackall seems to think the same.
He carefully selects the big and small joys that fill his life, like collecting sparkling pebbles on the beach, and unfolds them one by one before the readers.
The names of those joys are the nature that surrounds us, such as the rising sun, the first snow, or a rainbow, or small, everyday actions, such as a warm shower, a hug with a friend, or petting a dog.
Or it may be a time that comes unexpectedly, like finding a lost item or discovering an impressive piece of art in a museum.

As you read the 52 essays, filled with the author's signature lovely and warm watercolor illustrations and gentle vitality, you will find yourself experiencing glimpses of everyday life that you had only felt ordinary in a new light.
Not only will you discover a joy you've already experienced but never knew existed, but you'll also find yourself wanting to put into practice the small, everyday ideas the author suggests.
And following the author, I will come to the point where I want to find the names of the joys I know.
In this way, this book awakens us to explore the joys that brighten our hearts and take root in our daily lives, and to draw inspiration from them to breathe life into our own world.
I hope that readers who encounter this book will not miss the sparkle of life they previously overlooked, and that they will discover new possibilities in life, and instead of simply enduring each day, they will joyfully embrace it.

To my dear, to my day, to my life
And another heart to convey to someone else

“I gave this book to my daughter as a gift and ordered 10 more as holiday gifts.” In the numerous overseas reader reviews of this book, phrases like “I gave it as a gift” and “I want to give it as a gift” are frequently seen.
Sophie Blackall has stated in an interview that she wrote this book to bring hope, comfort, and warmth to people going through dark times.
Readers who have encountered this book have not only felt the author's affectionate heart, but also wanted to share it with others.
Because it contains a message that will encourage anyone who is going through a difficult time, grieving, preparing for a new beginning, or celebrating something.

The composition and build of the book are also reminiscent of a pleasant gift.
Each chapter is poetically and beautifully presented, resembling a picture postcard, and each turn of the page brings the thrill of unwrapping another box hidden within a small gift box.
When you want to vividly sense the passing of today as usual, when you want to look forward to the life ahead, when you want to share the beauty of everyday life with someone, I recommend opening this gift.