Nuts and Mountain Cat どんぐりと山ねこ

宮沢賢治は、小学校の時に出会って、大好きになった。片っ端から全集を借りて、読んだ。当時、どんな挿絵が描いてあったか、具体的には思い出せない。でも、色や風やにおいを感じさせる世界観で、私の中で、「ものがたり」と言われると、ふとその世界の事を思い出させるぐらい、大きな読書体験だったように思う。
「読んでおきたい名作　小学３年生」で宮沢賢治の「どんぐりと山ねこ」の挿絵の依頼を受けた時、ちょっと緊張してしまった。でも、やっぱり、好きな話の仕事はうれしい。比較的、明るくて、おおらかな、お話なので、その気持ちいい雰囲気は崩さないよう、（他の作品が持つ幻想的な感じとは一線を画して）ポップに仕上げた。
Kenji Miyazawa, is an author of books for children. I first read his work when I was around 7 and I became big fan of him. I read up all his complete works in the library. His story had some kinds of image of color, wind and smell. When I hear the word "story" it reminds his world. His works were so big parts of my childhood reading experience. I got the chance to illustrate his story as a part of a short stories book for school kids. I was narvous but happy. This story, "Nuts and Mountain cat" is light funny story, so I tried to keep light pop image for kids to enjoy the story.

ハガキが届きます。
Ichiro, the boy, received the invitation letter from Mountain cat to the court.

きのこの楽隊　重要な場面ではないのだけど、ページの都合上、きのこが半ページ独占。
On his way, he met the mashroom band.

山ねこ、登場。
Mountain cat is rather funny cat who acted like old businessperson. He is suffering from giving judge to the complicated trial.

どんぐりのせいくらべ　みんな「自分が一番！」と言い争いしています。
The trial is about "who is the best nuts" and they each insist on "Size!""Hight""Roundness""Sharpness!" How would Ichiro give them final judge?