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IPA Author: Kelly Tokuhama’s Penelope at Bloomingdale’s

Just in time for Bloomingdale’s opening in Hawaii at Honolulu’s Ala Moana Shopping Center in November, Island Pacific Academy grade three teacher, Kelly Tokuhama, is now an author of a new children’s book: Penelope at Bloomingdale’s.   

Book Cover and Kelly
The photo above shows Kelly Tokuhama in New York City‘s Central Park in 2012.  On her shoulder is a handbag version of Bloomingdale’s medium brown bag.  Inset: cover of Tokuhama’s book Penelope at Bloomingdale’s

Tokuhama is writer and illustrator of this delightful softcover book about a fun shopping day and adventure at New York City’s famous department store, Bloomingdale’s, as seen through the eyes of a precocious little girl.  “I’ve wanted to publish a book  forever,” laughs Tokuhama. “Starting when I was a little girl, I would write, draw pictures, and give handmade little books to my family as gifts.”

Inspiration for her book came from many sources. “I’ve always loved New York City and Bloomingdale’s,” says Tokuhama.  “I took those two elements and combined that with what I know about kids from teaching and my observations of children and their behaviors in stores.  When I read my third grade students my book out loud and showed them the illustrations, they reacted and laughed in all the right places.”

Tokuhama Illustrations
Samples of Tokuhama’s watercolor and sharpie illustrations in Penelope at Bloomingdale’s.

Each page of the book is a watercolor painting done by Tokuhama. “I really wanted this to be a picture book with words so my illustrations take up the entire page.  I drew each one, did a watercolor over that, and then redid all the lines again with a sharpie marker.”  Asked whether Penelope was based on a real child, Tokuhama explained, “No. But I wanted an interesting name, an uncommon one that started with a less-used first letter.  I even googled names and didn’t find a Penelope as a main character. So there she was.”

Tokuhama will have a book signing event in the elementary lobby on Thursday, November 19, from 3:30 – 4:30 pm as part of IPA’s annual fall Book Fair.  Pre-orders and payments for her book are being taken now to ensure that the school will have enough copies on hand. Tokuhama will be donating 50{ecf245a61dbeb35a782c86c44f242cdc7d98fa7632a752b76c5afca81a7454ba} of the proceeds from sales of her book sold at IPA back to the school to support the Arts programs.  

Exterior Bloomingdale's and Tokuhama illustration
Tokuhama’s illustrations capture the hustle and bustle, excitement and fast pace of New York City from a child’s perspective.

CLICK HERE for a printable pre-order form.  Pre-orders and payment are due back to the Elementary Office by Friday, November 6. (Elementary students received a pre-order form in the their Friday folders at the end of the week.)  Kelly Tokuhama’s Penelope at Bloomingdale’s sells for $14.95 per copy.  Only copies purchased through IPA will have a portion of proceeds donated to the school.