Yen Press‘s middle-grade graphic novel division, JY for Kids, announced that it has acquired a new light novel series, Four Child Life, written by Himari Hino and illustrated by Oriko Sakura. The series about the joys and challenges of familial relationships and sisterhood won the 6th Kadokawa Tsubasa Bunko Novel Award.
JY was established in 2017. It is described by Yen Press as a “sign of Yen Press’s commitment to actively growing a catalog of quality content targeting middle grade audiences while making that content easily identifiable for parents, booksellers, librarians, and educators.” Other titles in the JY imprint of books include Horror Collector, Catalog of Wonders, Phantom Thief Red, and more.
For more information, visit www.jyforkids.com.
Hino and Sakura launched the light novel series in October 2018. The 21st volume was released in Japan on July 9. Their manga adaptation of Four Child Life began serialization in Kadokawa’s Comptiq magazine in February 2021, and Kadokawa published the fifth compiled volume on July 10.
Read the full description of the novel series below:
Four Child Life
By Himari Hino, Illustrated by Oriko Sakura
I thought I was all alone, but I’m actually a quadruplet?!
My name is Mifu Miyabi. For the past twelve years, I thought I had no family—no parents, no siblings. Little did I know, my world was about to get turned upside down by not one, not two, but three identical sisters showing up out of nowhere! Sure, we all grew up leading separate lives, but now we have to figure out how to live together under one roof. It may be hard to tell us apart just by looking, but we’re much more different than you’d think. This is how our time as a family begins!
Four Child Life will be priced at $8.99 USD / $11.99 CAN, and it’s set for release on April 14, 2026. On Reddit, light novel readers noted that the series seems to have a following overseas and “a lot of Japanese learners have been reading it.” Check out their reviews here.
Yen Audio Acquisitions
In addition to the announcement that JY had acquired Four Child Life, Yen Audio announced that it was adapting three current Yen Press titles, ranging from slice-of-life to dystopian science fiction. Also arriving in April 2026, the titles include My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected, written by Wataru Watari and illustrated by Ponkan8; Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside, written by Zappon and illustrated by Yasumo; and Monsterholic, written by Ghost Mikawa and illustrated by Rag Miwano. The voice casts will be announced at a later date.
For more information, visit www.yenpress.com.
Read the official descriptions below:
My Youth Romantic Comedy Is Wrong, As I Expected
Story by Wataru Watari, Illustrated by Ponkan8
Hachiman Hikigaya is a cynic. “Youth” is a crock, he believes—a sucker’s game, an illusion woven from failure and hypocrisy. But when he turns in an essay for a school assignment espousing this view, he’s sentenced to work in the Service Club, an organization dedicated to helping students with problems in their lives! How will Hachiman the Cynic cope with a job that requires—gasp!—optimism?
Banished from the Hero’s Party, I Decided to Live a Quiet Life in the Countryside
Story by Zappon, Illustrated by Yasumo
A heroic and mighty adventurer dreams of…opening a pharmacy?
Red was once a member of the Hero’s party, a powerful group destined to save the world from the evil forces of Taraxon, the Raging Demon Lord. That is, until one of his comrades kicked him out. Hoping to live the easy life on the frontier, Red’s new goal is to open an apothecary. However, keeping the secret of his former life may not be as simple as he thinks. Especially when the beautiful Rit, an adventurer from his past, shows up and asks to move in with him!
Monsterholic
Story by Ghost Mikawa, Illustrated by Rag Miwano
Darkness hides behind the clean, safe, and orderly facade of society in Akitsushima. In the slum known as the Masquerade, people indulge in a drug called Monster Tonic, which transforms them into animal-human hybrids. There are no laws or restrictions in this government-designated area, and it’s rife with immorality, obscenity, and murder. When bodies turn up in the streets, the police don’t investigate, so it’s up to Reiji and Getsu to track down the killer. The two young men are just the pair for the job. Who better to hunt down a monstrous beast than a vampire and werewolf?
Source: Yen Press
