Kiki’s Delivery Service by Hans Christian Andersen Award (“children’s Nobel Prize”) winner Eiko Kadono has been well known in both Japanese and English for years as the book that inspired the Studio Ghibli film of the same name. But did you know it’s the first book in a series? When interviewed about the first book, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: A Series for All Ages
Today’s post comes to you from Cathy Hirano: The Fluffy Futon by Yuichi Kasano / Translated from the Japanese by Cathy Hirano (Gecko Press, 2026) On a warm, sunny day, Grandma spreads her futon out on the porch to air. Along comes a kitty-cat. With a great big yawn, it curls up for a nap, … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: Funny Books that Nurture the Soul
Today's post comes to you from Lisa Wilcut: Shinsuke Yoshitake is a Japanese author/illustrator, philosophical humorist, and beloved cultural icon with an instantly recognizable artistic style. His books have been translated into more than ten languages and have sold more than ten million copies worldwide. His picture books appear regularly on ‘best of’ lists by … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Wonderful World of Picture Books by Shinsuke Yoshitake
Today's post comes to you from Jackie Friedman Mighdoll: In working on picture books, I’ve always been taught to focus on the narrative arc, including a problem or challenge, some attempts to solve it, a climax and ultimately a satisfying ending. But reading Japanese picture books shows me there are other ways to make great … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month: Surreal Worlds in Japanese Picture Books
Today’s post comes to you from Andrew Wong: Some picture books in translation tell stories from other cultures, and others offer new perspectives on familiar topics. Here are some titles on complex issues from Japan that offer insights and inspiration. The World’s Poorest President Speaks Out edited by Yoshimi Kusaba / Translated from the Japanese … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: Four Challenging Picture Books Created with Purpose
Today’s post comes to you from Andria McKnight: There’s something about getting lost in the secret world of animals that captivates children’s imaginations. If you think back on your childhood, I’m sure you can recall a favorite book that had a family of talking rabbits, big fluffy kitties walking around in a town full of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month: Whimsical Picture Books from Japan to Explore
Today's post comes to you from Deborah Iwabuchi: When it comes to weather, Japanese children’s books contain lots of it. Today, I present three books on rain that have been translated into English. While each book is structured around a day full of precipitation—pre-rain, rain, and post-rain—the actual stories are completely different. Every Color of … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: Rainy Weather From All Angles
Today’s post comes to you from Susan E. Jones: A wide range of books from Japan for the youngest readers are waiting to be discovered. Baby and toddler books, especially interactive board books with pop-ups, sliding panels, and manipulative features, entice Japan’s youngest readers into the literary world. While toddler-level picture books may be outnumbered … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month: Books from Japan for the Youngest Readers
“Papa painted a thousand birds…because the world was falling apart.” So begins this memoir for teen and adult readers by the father-daughter team of Ahmadjan and Maren Amini. Maren grew up in Germany amid her father’s art and stories of his native Afghanistan. The son of farmers from the Panjshir Valley of northern Afghanistan, Ahmadjan … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Wednesday: Papa Drew a Thousand Birds
Welcome to the Global Literature in Libraries Initiative (GLLI) Focus on Japan month! We are author Holly Thompson and Japanese-to-English translator Avery Fischer Udagawa. In tandem with #WorldKidLitMonth, for the month of September, we’ll be sharing posts highlighting favorite Japan books for young people in English translation. We’ll open with board books for the very … Continue reading #WorldKidLit Month: Focus on Japan
Global Literature in Libraries Initiative 