The Bread Thief • 麵包小偷

The Bread Thief • 麵包小偷
🥖 "If I really like something… is it okay to take it?" 🥐
An adorable and laugh-out-loud tale that gently explores right and wrong—without ever sounding preachy. Winner of multiple top children’s book awards in Japan, this charming picture book delivers both fun and heart in every page.

A sneaky figure appears outside a popular bakery in town…
It’s the Bread Thief!
His greatest passion? Sneaking around the neighborhood and stealing delicious breads to enjoy at home.

But when he targets a bakery that claims to have the best bread in the world, things don’t go quite as planned. Disappointed, angry, and craving answers, he confronts the shop owner—only to have his secret identity revealed!

👀 Will the Bread Thief learn there’s a better way to get what he wants?

Why We Love It:

• Perfect for character education: Teaches kids it’s never okay to take something that doesn’t belong to them—no matter how tempting it may be.
• Encourages problem-solving and personal effort: Shows children the joy and pride that comes from earning what you want.
• A hit with Japanese readers: Hugely popular in Japan and winner of multiple awards including:
  • 🥇 1st Place – Tsutaya Picture Book Prize
  • 🥈 2nd Place – 2020 MOE Picture Book Awards
  • 🌟 Winner – Libro Picture Book Award & Okinawa Bookstore Award

📘 Recommended Age:

• 3–6 for read-aloud time
• 6+ for independent reading (with zhuyin phonetic guides included)

🍞 The quirky illustrations and expressive bread-faced characters are a visual treat—and the heartwarming ending makes this a book your child will want to read again and again.