I Can Open It for You

Baby-Toddler–One day while home, Akira goes to open a chocolate package. He has a hard time opening it. He feels defeated and goes to his mom to open it for him. Akira in thought begins envisioning getting older one day, where he will be able to open anything he wants. He begins imagining becoming a special person who can open anything for anyone. The illustrations depict Akira opening safes, a sewer grate to retrieve a lost key, stone age rocks; he finds dinosaur bones, stops robberies, and even opens things in space with his magical star opener. This quirky, inspiring book teaches children that they can do anything as they grow up; it also shows a beautiful loving interaction between parents and child. Yoshitake has great sense for kid-friendly comedy; in one scene, Akira comes upon a housing complex where people are sleeping or on the toilet, perhaps not expecting their doors to be opened.