Traveling with Ms. Cockroach

Some of you might be surprised by the title.
"A cockroach??" If you look closer, shivering, the creature on the cover, presumably the protagonist in a red dress, is surprisingly delicate and captivating. If you like this art style, please don't be afraid to turn the pages of this picture book.

The protagonist, "Ms. Cockroach," embarks on a journey, encountering dangers along the way, but ultimately finds happiness at her destination. This ancient Iranian folk tale was retold by the late modern poet and children's author Mr. M. Azad, and translated into gentle Japanese by Keiko Aiko. The rhythmic language, like a nursery rhyme, must have been just as captivating in the original Persian.

Needless to say, Iran is at the center of global affairs in 2026. Even if there are long-standing negotiations and distrust surrounding nuclear issues between Iran and Western and Middle Eastern countries, why do leaders so quickly resort to "war"? It is frustrating that it is always the innocent civilians who are caught up in it and whose lives are threatened. Moreover, with news both domestic and international often sounding like conspiracy theories or fiction, it's hard for my simple mind to understand, and if I try to discuss it with anyone, the conversation just gets too broad...

At such times, I feel the need to return to the simple questions of being myself, and how I want to live.

Ms. Cockroach embarks on a journey "to do things properly on her own." The narrative reminds me of Andersen's "Thumbelina," but the crucial difference is that Ms. Cockroach starts her journey by her own will, reaches her destination on her own feet, and seizes happiness. And instead of "marrying a prince and living happily ever after," she lives with great pride in her work.

While it may seem like a simple success story, as it is an unfamiliar Iranian folk tale, several questions arise.

Are the creatures who taunt "Ms. Cockroach!" or "Cockroach, hey!" as she walks alone expressions of misogynistic thinking? These creatures include ladybugs, spiders, tits, crows, and mice. It's interesting that the characters, including the protagonist, are not always pleasant creatures for humans.
Also, Ms. Cockroach, who can firmly express anger at rude remarks, seems admirably cool to me, a Japanese person not accustomed to expressing anger. Are Iranian women generally proud?

And my interest in the soil from which such wonderful expressions, like this picture book, emerge is endless.
The illustrations were done by artist Morteza Zahedi (then 22 years old). The lines, as awkward yet free as a child's drawing, are somehow humorous, and the layered colors and shapes are delicate. I find myself lost in admiration, imagining "how beautifully a rose-colored dress made from onion skins must shine..." It's a charming expression that transcends judgments of good or bad.

If minor curiosities can lead to understanding distant foreign countries, and to familiarity and understanding rather than hostility, then the small door of a picture book might someday become a large entrance to world peace. Even if we don't understand everything, it would be wonderful, like a child, if we could refrain from denying each other's existence, find joy in our differences, coexist, and be friends.

This picture book, originally published in Japan in 2006 by Blues Interactions and long out of print, has now been reissued by "Yamayama-sha," a bookstore/publisher based in Tatsuno Town, Nagano Prefecture. The printing is by Fujiwara Printing in Matsumoto, and the elegant book design is by Asuka Wakita and Aya Sekine.
Blessed by those who deeply love the form of books, "Ms. Cockroach" will surely continue her happy journey.

When you feel like disliking yourself for being timid, or when you forget to be confident.
This is a picture book that seems to remind you of important things.

Where Are You Going, Ms. Cockroach?　

Artwork: Morteza Zahedi (illustrations), Asuka Wakita / Aya Sekine (book design)
Format: hard cover
Product no.(ISBN): 9784991460500

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Text and photos / Fumika Arasawa Designer Freelance ⇄ Company employee, sometimes assisting friends. Moved to Matsumoto in 2024. Instagram: @fumika *Related products available at rovakk musikk are here.

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