How to Draw Cute Mochi Animals Review

ABOUT THE BOOK 

Kawaii, chibi, now mochi! How to Draw Cute Mochi Animals teaches readers to transform simple mochi shapes into adorable animals with just a few strokes of a pencil or marker. This beginner-friendly guide features over 500 step-by-step illustrations to create more than 100 super cute animals—from lovable beasties like hippos, pandas, armadillos,and tigers to charming critters like koalas, sloths, puppies, kittens, and baby bears. The book kicks off with a quick tutorial on the mochi drawing technique, then guides young artists through a menagerie of creatures to master. Each animal includes a final coloring step to up the cuteness factor. Printed on quality paper with a durable sewn binding and decorative spot varnish on the cover, this book is perfect for creative expression without screen time.

Available on Amazon, Mixed Media Resources, Bookshop.org and Barnes and Noble.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR 

Christopher Hart is the world's leading author of art instruction books. Based in Westport, CT, he has written over 100 books translated into 20 languages, selling more than 8 million copies worldwide. His highly illustrated books offer clearly written, step-by-step instructions on a wide variety of learn-how-to-draw subjects, including animals, cartoons, and manga and anime, making them perfect for beginners and younger readers. His Master Guide to Drawing Anime series has sold over 900,000 copies, and his Drawing Shape by Shape series has sold over 300,000 copies. His latest book, How to Draw Cute Mochi Animals, brings the trending world of mochi squishies to aspiring young artists everywhere.

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - Why do you think drawing books are important for young artists?

Christopher Hart - It may be counterintuitive, but in my experience, younger artists are more interested in "getting it right" than adult artists. You see, adults often want a creative experience, but younger artists are fans of whatever subject they want to draw, whether it's anime or cartoons, for example. And they look at it as almost a magic trick! They love to learn the secret so they can do it.

Life Is What It's Called - What do you think kids will like most about the How to Draw Cute Mochi Animals book?

Christopher Hart - The characters are tremendously cute. Everything about them is crying out for a hug, and to be able to draw something that conveys that much personality gives you the feeling that you can really do it. Also, the characters are drawn in the popular manga genre, but it's also something different and new that they can discover.

Life Is What It's Called - What other drawing books have you created?

Christopher Hart - "The Master Guide to Drawing Anime," and "Drawing Cute Animals Shape by Shape," to name a few. I've had over 100 drawing books published.

Life Is What It's Called - What's your favorite mochi animal?

Christopher Hart - Dogs and cats. I love to draw them in poses with human expressions.

Life Is What It's Called - What can you tell us about yourself?

Christopher Hart - I've got a dog named Spencer who is very cute, but under the impression that he runs the household. Unfortunately, he's right!

BOOK REVIEW

How to Draw Cute Mochi Animals shares step-by-step instructions on how to draw cute mochi animals. This kid-friendly drawing book provides easy to follow instructions and examples that help children gain confidence and master a new drawing technique. The subjects are easy for beginning artists to draw and follow along. My daughter tried out this book and loved following along with the steps and drawing the animals. She daughter found it easy to do, relaxing and fun. Learning to draw can help stimulate creativity, improve pencil control for writing, provide stress relief and more. It also helps that learning to draw (especially with this cute book) is a screen free activity. This book also has many different options of animals to draw. This book would be a great addition for your home library.

Please note this post is in cooperation with the author. I received a free copy of this book, however all opinions are my own.

Mr. Eastwood's Match Book Review

About the Book

Lady Emily has no idea how to play her part.

Lyness Eastwood has always been content to be second.

When Lyness Eastwood's elder brother, Lord Hartwell, begins a sensible courtship with the charming Lady Emily Sterling, Lyness’s quiet contentment shatters. Ever since their brief meeting in London, Lady Emily’s smile has haunted him. How can a man with a stutter and no title compete with a lord? He must settle for watching her from the shadows.

Lady Emily is determined to solidify her family’s place in Society. Lord Hartwell is a perfect match: respectable, stable, and acceptable. Yet every time she speaks with the quiet, insightful Lyness, she feels a spark and a genuine connection that Lord Hartwell cannot ignite.

As the season progresses, the pressure mounts for Emily to accept the sensible match. But Lyness can no longer stand idly by and lose the woman who makes him want to be braver. A devastating public scandal will throw their lives into chaos, forcing them to choose between stability and the courage to claim a true, imperfect love.

About the Author

Sally Britton is an author of elegant and charming historical romance. With a passion for bringing Regency-era settings to life, she crafts stories with kind characters, sparkling wit, and heartfelt emotion. Her novels weave love and connection seamlessly with period authenticity, drawing readers into worlds where every glance and word carries meaning.

Sally’s stories are as enchanting as they are tender, driven by engaging dialogue and the deeply emotional journeys of her characters. When she’s not writing, Sally enjoys exploring museums, reading voraciously, and spending time with her family. She believes in the timeless power of love and is dedicated to sharing stories that resonate with the heart.

Review

Mr. Eastwood's Match tells the story of Lyness Eastwood and Lady Emily. Lyness is captivated by Lady Emily from their very first meeting. When Lyness's elder brother begins to court Lady Emily, Lyness despairs. Lyness doesn't feel like as a man with a stutter and without a title can compete against a Lord. A devasting scandal adds more chaos into the story.

This story started off slow, but as the plot thickens the story turns into a fast-paced page turner. The dynamic characters evolve as they learn from their mistakes and react to the plot. The overall messaging in this story is universal - accepting your imperfections and not letting them stop you, everyone deserves joy and love and learning to be brave. I really enjoyed this story. I can't wait to read the next one. Learn more about Mr. Eastwood's Match here.

Please note this post is in cooperation with the author. This post contains affiliate links.

Kloe's New Friendship Virtual Book Tour, Author Interview and Giveaway

ABOUT THE BOOK

Kloe’s New Friendship
Written by K.M. Selvidge
Ages: 13-18 | 66 Pages
Publisher: Hope Kelley Book Publishing (2025) | ISBN: 979-8218824587

Publisher’s Book Summary: K.M. Selvidge brings back her characters in her second book of the Kloe book series. It’s the second semester, and Main St High is swirling with secrets. Kloe discovers that her brother is not always what he seems, and a new friendship gives her the courage to take matters into her own hands.

Available for purchase on Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Bookshop.org.


ABOUT THE AUTHOR

K.M. Selvidge is an author and talented storyteller. She was a dancer, actress, non-profit fundraiser, and animal lover. Watching her three cats inspired her to tell the stories that shaped her life growing up, in the hope that they will help others see that they are never alone.

Learn more about the author on Instagram or Facebook. 


AUTHOR INTERVIEW

Life Is What It's Called - What inspired you to write Kloe's New Friendship? 

K.M. Selvidge - I spent thirty years of carrying a blueprint of my stories that inevitably molded who I was and who I became.  I finally felt that I was at a safe place and that the timing was right for telling my experiences.  I want to de-stigmatize mental illness and other mental health issues.  I feel that it is crucial for our children to be helped for a stronger and better tomorrow.

Life Is What It's Called - What challenges did you find when writing Kloe's New Friendship? 

K.M. Selvidge - One key challenge was to determine how much of my own realities should I put forth.  Even though we are technically a "forward thinking society", I was concerned that it might still be an unfriendly time to discuss mental health issues with and for children.  Can I truly create characters with such troubled flaws?  I hope that what I write will aim in the direction of helping and strengthening those that are affected by these situations. 

Life Is What It's Called - What would you like the reader to learn from Kloe?   

K.M. Selvidge - Readers should learn that they are not alone. There are circumstances beyond their control that can cause them internal distress and anxiety. They don't need to fix every problem that surrounds their lives. Sometimes the best answer is to trust oneself.   

Life Is What It's Called - What sets this book apart from others on the market? 

K.M. Selvidge - I am telling stories that I've been through personally. I know the feeling of thinking that you are not heard or that your feelings don't matter. I want to give children what I wished I had growing up, someone who hears them, truly understands, and most of all, cares. That these stories are reflections of ALL of us in society. Mental health issues can affect anyone.

Life Is What It's Called - What is your favorite line in the Kloe's New Friendship?

K.M. Selvidge - Chapter 16, the last page, Page 62. Kloe remembers her conversation with Mrs. Adams where she told her, "His actions don't reflect who you are...You are a strong resilient young girl who makes wonderful things happen." As an adult you realize the importance of those sentences. You have the ability and the right to create your own story. You are more than enough as you are.

Life Is What It's Called - What would you like readers to know about you?

K.M. Selvidge - I've learned that through these tough times, I developed a resilience that brought me peace of mind.   That it's important in choosing friends who are supportive and accepting of all of who you are, not just the good times. That learning to trust and accept your own instincts and values is critical for becoming your best self. YOU are worth living your own story and not being in the shadow of someone else's.


GIVEAWAY

Enter for a chance to win a signed paperback copy of Kloe’s New Friendship!

Kloe's New Friendship: Book Giveaway 

This post is sponsored by K.M. Selvidge. The review and opinions expressed in this post are based on my personal views.