Jem Yoshioka
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jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Jem Yoshioka
@jemyoshioka.bsky.social
3.1K followers 490 following 1.1K posts
🎨Comic artist. 🇳🇿🇯🇵Mixed Japanese-New Zealander. 🌈Bi. 🐈‍⬛Known cat-haver.

📖Folk Remedy releases September 23 from Andrews McMeel, pre-order now!

✍️Represented by Jas Perry at Looking Glass Literary & Media.


https://jemshed.com
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jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Happy Book Birthday to Folk Remedy! I’m so happy to see this story’s made its way onto bookshelves and into people’s homes!

It’s been a long journey, but we made it! Thank you to everyone who pre-ordered, bought, read, reviewed, or requested it from your library. It all means so much!
A photo of folk remedy on a wooden table
September 23, 2025 at 11:20 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Illustrating a 240-page graphic novel means I have an embarrassment of riches when it comes to character expressions.

Which character matches your mood today? I’m feeling like C3. ✨☺️✨

All the expressions are from Folk Remedy Book 1, which releases September 23!
A mood chart of character expressions with 3 rows labelled ABC and six columns numbered 1-6. The expressions are of cartoon faces with a range of emotions.
September 10, 2025 at 12:34 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Delivering motivational presentations to inspire the youth.
A selfie in front of a presentation screen. The presentation slide reads “no one should make comics - An uplifting presentation by Jem Yoshioka”
September 9, 2025 at 2:56 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Such nice words! I’m so grateful for such thoughtful reviews.

You can pre-order Folk Remedy Book 1 at any of the links here:

site.andrewsmcmeel.com/folk-remedy-...
An image of Folk Remedy Book 1 cover, with text above saying “releasing on 23 September! Pre-order now!”
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Foreword Reviews!
Praise for Folk Remedy “The art is cute and colorful, featuring imaginative depictions of Yokai alongside realistic details of Japanese garb, buildings, and food… Folk Remedyis a fantastical graphic novel about a girl’s immersion in a world of strange supernatural creatures.” - Foreword Reviews
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Booklist!
Praise for Folk Remedy “The colorful and bigeyed manga art style, not to mention the adorable creatures and antics, will appeal to fans of Studio Ghibli and Katie O'Neill's Tea Dragon Society. […] Featuring yÅ kai from traditional Japanese folklore and the author’s imagination, this delightful frolic through the spirit world will leave readers ready for the next installment of Maple and Ember’s journey and friendship.”- Booklist
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Kirkus Reviews!
Praise for Folk Remedy “This action-packed series opener features plenty of magical thrills. The charming illustrations have a historical feeling that evokes traditional Japanese woodblock prints, effectively using different color palettes to distinguish the human and spirit worlds. An intriguing, page-turning adventure infused with Japanese folklore.” Kirkus Reviews
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Thank you, @rachelsmythe.bsky.social! 💖
Praise for Folk Remedy “Folk Remedy is as culturally rich as it is charming—a gorgeously crafted story to be enjoyed by all ages.” — Rachel Smythe, New York Tomes Bestselling author of Lore Olympus
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
It turns out when you publish a book people say nice things about your book. I’m going to collect a few of them here.
An image saying “praise for Folk Remedy” in a handwritten font. Below Maple looks excited while reading a book
September 7, 2025 at 10:29 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
My local coffee shop has a communal table you can sit at, and recently added a communal sketchbook people can draw in.

Of course I had to add something.
A photo of a basket filled with sketchbooks and coloured pencils and a sign that says “feel free to draw 💖” A photo of a coloured pencil sketch of a tanuki enjoying a flat white.
September 6, 2025 at 7:07 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Thank you @cbcbooks.bsky.social for featuring Folk Remedy on your September hot off the press reading list!

Folk Remedy releases this month, September 23. Pre-orders are open now!

www.cbcbooks.org/cbc-book-lis...

#mustread #kidlit #CBCHotOffThePress #ReadingList #folklore #yokai #graphicnovel
A screenshot of Folk Remedy on the CBC September reading list with stickers of characters Maple and Peach at the bottom.
September 4, 2025 at 11:10 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Hey! It’s September now! Did you know my book comes out this month? Strange but true! Pick up this fun yōkai adventure in time for spooky season.

Pre-order links here (heaps of countries/locations listed): site.andrewsmcmeel.com/folk-remedy-...
An illustration of Maple, the main character of Folk Remedy, reading a book with sparkles in her eyes. Behind her is the cover of Folk Remedy Book 1.
September 1, 2025 at 1:42 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
I’ve been procrastinating this double page spread in Book 2 (crowd scene at a yōkai night market, who wrote this???? Oh. It was me...).

Now I’m finally getting to it I am having fun.
A screenshot close up of a comic page, featuring torakoishi, a rock with tiger legs and a tail. And a very cute face.
August 30, 2025 at 5:42 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
A story in three acts.
A black cat sits on a cushion with eyes wide and ears facing forward, very alert. A red mouse toy is in front. A black cat sits on a cushion with eyes wide and ears facing back, airplane mode. A red mouse toy is in front. A blurry photo of a black blur and a red toy spinning.
August 12, 2025 at 10:34 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
New Lock Screen.
A black cat sits in front of a tv displaying a painting of a black cat.
August 8, 2025 at 5:50 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
New PC. Luckily I have great tech support.
A black cat inspects an open PC case
August 4, 2025 at 10:25 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
My most important reader. Taeko, my (soon-to-be) 94-year-old grandma holding the book I dedicated to her.

She’s been a big supporter of my artistic journey so I’m glad I got to bring a smile to her face with this.
My grandmother Taeko holding a copy of Folk Remedy book 1 My grandmother Taeko reading a copy of Folk Remedy book 1 My grandmother Taeko smiling while reading a copy of Folk Remedy book 1
August 1, 2025 at 4:02 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Folk Remedy Book 1 releases on September 23!

You can pre-order right now!
An image with the cover of Folk Remedy Book 1. Releasing on 23 September! Pre-order now!
July 30, 2025 at 1:14 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
My copy of @yoshiyoshitani.bsky.social’s illustrated Fablemaker’s deck of many things arrived and it was WELL worth the wait!

I got the perfect first pull. Star has a theme of Vocation & keywords of flourishing, performance, revelation, skills, and spectacle. Publishing book vibes!
Photo of Fablemaker’s deck of many things from Kickstarter including the Fablemaker’s animated tarot deck, enamel pins, card bag, and reading cloths. Photo of Fablemaker’s deck of many things card illustrated by Yoshi Yoshitani. The card is the star. It is holographic and depicts a character with glowing white hair and horns floats above some clouds.
July 22, 2025 at 10:37 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Thank you! I’m working on the second book now, so there’s more to come!

The cover is influenced by Ukiyo-e Yokai stories, specifically this Utagawa Yoshimori print of the tonge-cut sparrow.

All the colours I use are traditional Japanese colours associated with different months/seasons!
Utagawa Yoshimori, 'The tongue-cut sparrow (Shitakiri suzume)’, 1864
July 18, 2025 at 10:46 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
She did work as an assistant so it’s only fair.
A black cat sits with their tail over an iPad.
July 18, 2025 at 9:36 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
My advanced copies of Folk Remedy Book 1 arrived! It’s really real!
A copy of Folk Remedy book 1 rests on a black cat with vaguely suspicious expression, wondering why she was woken from her nap for this.
July 18, 2025 at 4:01 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Same conversation, different vibes.
Panel one captioned: talking to artists. Two people sit at a table. One is drawing. The one drawing says “man, imagine being able to draw.” The other person says “don’t say that!!!” Panel two captioned: talking to artists. Two people sit at a table, both drawing. The first one drawing says “man, imagine being able to draw.” The other person drawing says “I know, right?”
July 15, 2025 at 4:49 AM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Tiny sticker printer remains my favourite purchase of 2025 so far. I got it for journaling but it has a lot of other uses too.
a bottle of antihistamine medicine is held up to the camera with an open date label and a photo of a black cat printed on a sticker. Behind is the same black cat looking towards the bottle.
May 1, 2025 at 10:31 PM
jemyoshioka.bsky.social
Backgrounds for Book 2 are starting strong.
An illustration of fox statues in a bamboo forest with a step path in the middle.
May 1, 2025 at 10:04 PM