Noriko Matsubara

Author / illustrator

Noriko Matsubara was born in Japan and Bocchi and Pocchi : A Tale of Two Socks was her first picture book. The inspiration for the story came from Noriko’s childhood, when she watched her grandmother regularly darning socks and wondered what might happen to them.

Much of Noriko’s childhood was spent daydreaming about imaginary worlds and doodling in notebooks. While art was her passion, she became a Japanese language teacher and taught Japanese in Lebanon, Canada and the UK. While travelling, she decided to follow her passion and went on to study visual arts at Memorial University of Newfoundland in Canada. She then completed an MA in Fine Art at Central St Martin’s College of Art and Design in London.

Noriko currently lives in Consett, County Durham with her husband and two children.

Media

Noriko signing copies of Bocchi and Pocchi and the Bird at Harlow Library (left) and at a workshop at the Leaf Cafe and Bookshop in Hertford (right).

Discover more

Noriko’s website is at norikoart.com

Books