#WorldKidLit Wednesday: The Wonderful World of Picture Books by Shinsuke Yoshitake

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WorldKidLit Month: Surreal Worlds in Japanese Picture Books

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: Four Challenging Picture Books Created with Purpose 

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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 

#WorldKidLit Month: Whimsical Picture Books from Japan to Explore

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WorldKidLit Month Focus on Japan: Rainy Weather From All Angles

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WorldKidLit Month: Books from Japan for the Youngest Readers

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WorldKidLit Month: Focus on Japan

Posted on by Avery Fischer Udagawa

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

#WITMonth: Sayaka Murata

Posted on by katieday

Today’s post comes to you from Anisha Wilmink Our weird and not-so-wonderful world as seen by Sayaka Murata Sayaka Murata, who works with translator Ginny Tapley Takemori, is known for her short novels that confront and challenge our expectations of social norms and the “right” way to lead a life. I first came across Murata when … Continue reading #WITMonth: Sayaka Murata

#WITMonth: “Sympathy Tower Tokyo”

Posted on by katieday

Today’s post comes to you from Erin えりん The curation of reality through language in Rie Qudan’s "Sympathy Tower Tokyo" August 11 is Mountain Day (Yama no Hi) in Japan, celebrated annually in appreciation of the country's mountainous regions. The choice of date is related to the Kanji character for the number 8 (八), which visually … Continue reading #WITMonth: “Sympathy Tower Tokyo”

#IntYALitMonth: GLLI 2026 Shortlist: The Village Beyond the Mist

Posted on by katieday

Today’s post comes to you from Sabrina Rossi The Village Beyond the Mist - written by Sachiko Kashiwaba (1975) and translated from Japanese by Avery Fischer Udagawa (2025) - GLLI review by Nanette McGuinness on Mar 19, 2025 - Shortlisted 2026 GLLI Translated Young Adult Book Prize The Village Beyond the Mist, (霧のむこうのふしぎな町 - Kirino mukōno … Continue reading #IntYALitMonth: GLLI 2026 Shortlist: The Village Beyond the Mist