Mari the Unwonderful Witch

Full Cover Illustration by Yuuki Jia

I was specially commissioned by Penguin Random House to create a new full cover illustration for this edition of Mari the Unwonderful Witch, the magical new children’s novel by Asako Yuzuki, bestselling author of Butter and Hooked, translated by Ecre Karadag.

Penguin Random House introduced the release with a special emphasis on the artwork, describing my contribution as the book’s “gorgeous cover illustrations.” The cover has also received an especially warm response from readers, with many highlighting the artwork as one of the things that immediately drew them to the book.

For the illustration, I wanted to capture Mari’s playful confidence, magical world, and mischievous, unconventional spirit, while creating a distinctive visual identity for a story about breaking the mould and being unapologetically yourself.

Mari is an eleven year old witch who has little interest in becoming the kind of “wonderful witch” everyone expects her to be. Filled with magic, friendship, fashion, delicious food, and plenty of mischief, the story celebrates the courage to question expectations and embrace being wonderfully unconventional.

The release also includes an exclusive Waterstones edition featuring sprayed and stencilled edges, pairing the illustrated cover with a special physical edition created exclusively for Waterstones.

Mari the Unwonderful Witch is available now in hardcover.

Waterstones Exclusive Edition

Buy on Amazon UK

Buy on Amazon Japan

Find it at Shakespeare and Company, Paris, France

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