McDonald's Japan announces second Happy Ehon Taisho picture book contest

McDonald's Japan has announced the second annual ‘Happy Ehon Taisho’ picture book contest in collaboration with Shogakukan. The competition invites the general public and children to submit unpublished works. A new ‘Family Category’ has been introduced, encouraging collaborative creation between children in elementary school and those in high school or older.

Submissions will be accepted from November 4 until January 17, 2027. The grand prize winner from the general category is scheduled to have their work released as a ‘Hon no Happy Set’ in the winter of 2028. The initiative aims to foster family connections and encourage reading habits through the Happy Set meal service, which has distributed over 90 million books and manga to date.

Comedian Akira Ishida of the duo Non Style attended the media announcement as a special supporter. Having served as a judge for the previous contest, Ishida noted the difficulty of the selection process, comparing it to his experience judging the M-1 Grand Prix. Ishida also revealed that his own self-made picture book will be featured in a McDonald's Happy Set starting in October.