Carrying Stars Publishing

Beautiful books, made for you

At Carrying Stars we write, illustrate, and publish picture books that make reading feel like an adventure.

The bedtime listener. The new reader. The parent reading aloud for the hundredth time. Whoever is holding the book, we make one that fits.

All about us

Carrying Stars Publishing was founded in 2024 in Japan, by an author who started writing at 37 and never stopped.

Every title is released in three languages — English, Japanese, and Brazilian Portuguese — so a story can travel as far as its reader.

Our mission

We plant seeds of hope. That's the mission statement, if you can call it that.

We don't simply make books for children. We ignite imagination, awaken kindness, and hand a child something they'll remember when they're grown.

Our Picture Books

The story

A little elephant learns about sharing and kindness through adventures with friends — written for children, and for the parents who journey with them.

Three languages

Every edition is written, not machine-translated: English, 日本語, and Brazilian Portuguese, each set with its own typography.

The illustrations

Warm, hand-finished artwork drawn by the author, printed large enough to be read across a lap.

Read aloud in

About eight minutes — the length of one bedtime, with room for the questions that follow.

English

The original edition. it's Mine! — a picture book about sharing, for ages 3 to 7.

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日本語

『わたしの！』 — the Japanese edition, typeset in Noto Serif and read right at home in Japan.

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Português

É meu! — the Brazilian Portuguese edition, for readers on the other side of the world.

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The Author

"One page can change a life. One story can illuminate a future."

Andy Sonoda

Author & Illustrator

Born in Brazil with Russian, Polish, and Ukrainian roots on his father's side, and Japanese and Italian heritage on his mother's side. Andy began writing at 37 while living in Japan.

He writes, draws, and publishes every title himself — in three languages.

Where to find the books

Instagram

@andysonoda

X (Twitter)

@andysonoda

Publisher

@carrying_stars_publishing

Amazon

Author page

The Sum of Its Parts

What we make

Picture Books: Full-colour stories for ages 3 to 7, written and illustrated in house.
Board Books: Thick pages, short lines, built to survive being chewed on.
Digital Editions: Kindle editions of every title, laid out to keep the art intact on screen.
Author Events: Read-alouds and drawing sessions for schools, libraries, and bookshops.

Formats

Paperback
Kindle
Hardcover
Read-aloud

Every title is produced start to finish by one author-illustrator: manuscript, artwork, translation, layout, and print files.

Coming Soon

Coming soon What If My Gran-Grandpa Was a Warlock?

What If My Gran-Grandpa Was a Warlock?

By Andy Sonoda

My great-grandfather had a secret. Some say he was just an old man with a funny way of speaking, a cane he carved himself, and a glass eye that never left its place. But I know better — he was a warlock. A real one.

Release date: to be announced

Get in touch

Publishing, press, and collaboration

If you'd like to stock the books, request a review copy, or invite Andy to read at your school or shop, write to us here. Every message is read by the author.

One page
can change
a life.

Translation rights for other languages are available. Tell us which language and which title, and we'll reply with what's possible.

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