Debbi Michiko Florence - Jasmine Toguchi

We're excited to welcome Debbi Michiko Florence, author of the bestselling Jasmine Toguchi series for young readers. Debbi will spend the day with students at local schools before joining us at our store at 4pm for a special reading and book signing event. Readers of all ages welcome!

With more than 130,000 copies sold, this award-winning chapter-book series starring a spunky Japanese American heroine returns with four new standalone books set on a family vacation in Japan!

Toothbrush? Check. Her special journal? Check! Eight-year-old Jasmine Toguchi—flamingo fan, tree climber, and top-notch messmaker—can hardly wait for her family vacation to Japan, and by the time their plane finally touches down, she’s ready to dive into their new adventure. There are so many things to see in Tokyo: Ramen Street, which she learns is not a whole street made of ramen; old temples with fancy gates; and Tokyo Tower, where you can even spot Mount Fuji on a good day.

But when they arrive, Jasmine finds herself unable to get away from her older sister Sophie’s crabby attitude. Plus there's so much about Japan she didn't know, and she seems to be getting in trouble right and left. Will Jasmine be able to cheer up her sister AND find her footing in a new country?

With her trademark humor and warmth, Debbi Michiko Florence weaves family drama and a fun introduction of Japanese culture into this delightful next chapter in Jasmine's world.

Accompanied by drawings from Elizabet Vuković, Debbi Michiko Florence writes a beautifully heartfelt and richly humorous eighth book in the Jasmine Toguchi series.

Eight-year-old Jasmine Toguchi is now an expert on travel and doesn't want summer to end! In this final book chronicling her family vacation in Japan, she visits Kyoto. And wowee zowee, on this vacation there is still lots more to see.

This is their last stop, and Jasmine is thrilled to be enjoying the city with her older sister, Sophie, and her Obaachan who teaches her how to live in the moment. Sad to see their trip coming to an end, in true Jasmine fashion, she hatches a plan – involving vegetable seeds, a pink flamingo, and lots of love – to feel connected to her Obaachan even when she’s back in the United States.

Debbi Michiko Florence is a third-generation Japanese American and has many fond memories of sharing in her family’s traditions while growing up in California and visiting her relatives in Japan. Debbi is also the author of novels and picture books, including Niki Nakayama: A Chef’s Tale in 13 Bites. She now lives in Connecticut with her husband and their many animals (but no flamingo).