Satoshi Kitamura
Encyclopedia
is a renowned children's picture book
author
and illustrator
, famous for quirky perspective
s, brilliant watercolours, attention to detail and unique characters. After winning the Mother Goose Award
for the Most Exciting Newcomer to British Illustration in 1983 for Angry Arthur (written by Hiawyn Oram), he moved permanently from Japan
to the United Kingdom
, based in London
until returning to Tokyo in 2008.
Famous books Satoshi Kitamura has written and/or illustrated include Lily Takes a Walk, Ned and the Joybaloo and Me and my Cat?. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing was adapted into an animation series that screened on the BBC and was sold to many overseas markets.
Satoshi Kitamura's books are published by Andersen Press, Walker Books and Farrar, Straus & Giroux. His work is well known for regularly including animals or animal characters, most frequently cats. Boots the cat is a recurring Satoshi Kitamura character featuring in two board books and The Comic Adventures of Boots, a picture book whose style is reminiscent of graphic novels and comics. He has never ever had a pet cat.
Amongst his many awards is the New York Times Notable Book of the Year for When Sheep Cannot Sleep. In 1999, Satoshi Kitamura won the National Art Library Award (from the Victoria and Albert Museum
for his illustrations in A Ring of Words, a poetry
anthology
edited by Roger McGough
).
Regular collaborators include Hiawyn Oram, Roger McGough and John Agard
. Most recently, Satoshi Kitamura worked with Colin McNaughton
to create Once Upon an Ordinary School Day, published in 2004. His alphabet books and counting books are excellent starting books for young children and come with a strong sense of whimsy and fun.
Apart from writing and illustrating children's books, Satoshi has been commissioned for various projects including Tokyo Underground
posters, signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital
and designing stationery
. He also translates David McKee
's Elmer the Patchwork Elephant
series for the Japanese market.
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
author
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
, famous for quirky perspective
Perspective (graphical)
Perspective in the graphic arts, such as drawing, is an approximate representation, on a flat surface , of an image as it is seen by the eye...
s, brilliant watercolours, attention to detail and unique characters. After winning the Mother Goose Award
Mother Goose Award
The Mother Goose Award was a British annual award, presented by Books For Children to "the most exciting newcomer to British children's book illustration." Established in 1979, the award was last given in 1999...
for the Most Exciting Newcomer to British Illustration in 1983 for Angry Arthur (written by Hiawyn Oram), he moved permanently from Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
, based in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
until returning to Tokyo in 2008.
Famous books Satoshi Kitamura has written and/or illustrated include Lily Takes a Walk, Ned and the Joybaloo and Me and my Cat?. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing was adapted into an animation series that screened on the BBC and was sold to many overseas markets.
Satoshi Kitamura's books are published by Andersen Press, Walker Books and Farrar, Straus & Giroux. His work is well known for regularly including animals or animal characters, most frequently cats. Boots the cat is a recurring Satoshi Kitamura character featuring in two board books and The Comic Adventures of Boots, a picture book whose style is reminiscent of graphic novels and comics. He has never ever had a pet cat.
Amongst his many awards is the New York Times Notable Book of the Year for When Sheep Cannot Sleep. In 1999, Satoshi Kitamura won the National Art Library Award (from the Victoria and Albert Museum
Victoria and Albert Museum
The Victoria and Albert Museum , set in the Brompton district of The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, London, England, is the world's largest museum of decorative arts and design, housing a permanent collection of over 4.5 million objects...
for his illustrations in A Ring of Words, a poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
anthology
Anthology
An anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler. It may be a collection of poems, short stories, plays, songs, or excerpts...
edited by Roger McGough
Roger McGough
Roger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
).
Regular collaborators include Hiawyn Oram, Roger McGough and John Agard
John Agard
John Agard is an Afro-Guyanese playwright, poet and children's writer, now living in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
. Most recently, Satoshi Kitamura worked with Colin McNaughton
Colin McNaughton
Colin McNaughton is a writer and illustrator of over 70 children's books. He is also a poet, focusing mainly on humorous children's poetry. He trained in graphic design at the Central School of Art and Design in London followed by an M.A. in illustration at the Royal College of Art...
to create Once Upon an Ordinary School Day, published in 2004. His alphabet books and counting books are excellent starting books for young children and come with a strong sense of whimsy and fun.
Apart from writing and illustrating children's books, Satoshi has been commissioned for various projects including Tokyo Underground
Tokyo Underground
is a manga series by Akinobu Uraka and published by Enix. It became an anime series, produced by Studio Pierrot and shown on the TV Tokyo Network from April 2 until September 24, 2002....
posters, signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital
Birmingham Children's Hospital
The Birmingham Children's Hospital is a children's hospital located in Birmingham, England.It provides general and emergency health care services to children in Birmingham, the West Midlands and beyond. It specialises in liver transplantation, cardiac, and neonatal surgery...
and designing stationery
Stationery
Stationery has historically meant a wide gamut of materials: paper and office supplies, writing implements, greeting cards, glue, pencil case etc.-History of stationery:...
. He also translates David McKee
David McKee
David McKee is a British author and illustrator, chiefly of children's books and animations. He has used the pseudonym Violet Easton. He is frequently referenced as David McKee.-Biography:...
's Elmer the Patchwork Elephant
Elmer the Patchwork Elephant
Elmer the Patchwork Elephant is a children's picture book series by the British author David McKee. They are published in the United Kingdom by Andersen Press. Over 20 book titles have been created since 1989, and it has sold nearly 5 million copies in 40 languages around the world. The Japanese...
series for the Japanese market.
Books illustrated
- Twinkle, Twinkle Firefly by John AgardJohn AgardJohn Agard is an Afro-Guyanese playwright, poet and children's writer, now living in the United Kingdom.-Background:...
, Grace NicholsGrace NicholsGrace Nichols is a Guyanese poet. She was born in Georgetown, Guyana, in 1950. After working in Guyana as a teacher and journalist, she emigrated to the UK in 1977. Much of her poetry is characterised by Caribbean rhythms and culture, and influenced by Guyanese and Amerindian folklore.Her first...
, 2010 - Tiger Dead! Tiger Dead! Stories from the Caribbean by John Agard, Grace Nichols, 2009
- Millie's Marvellous Hat by Satoshi Kitamura, 2009, shortlisted for the Kate Greenaway MedalKate Greenaway MedalThe Kate Greenaway Medal was established in the United Kingdom in 1955 in honour of the children's illustrator, Kate Greenaway. The medal is given annually to an outstanding work of illustration in children's literature. It is awarded by Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals...
*The Young Inferno by John Agard, 2008 - Let's Send an Efuto by Satoshi Kitamura, Motoko Matsuda, 2007
- Stone Age Boy by Satoshi Kitamura, 2007
- What's Wrong with My Hair? by Satoshi Kitamura, 2007
- Efuto by Satoshi Kitamura, 2007
- Play With Me! by Satoshi Kitamura, 2007
- Hello, Who's There? by Satoshi Kitamura, 2006
- Jackdaw Jinx by Kathy Ashford, 2006
- The Carnival of the Animals by Gerard Benson, Judith Chernaik, Cicely Herbert (editors), 2005
- Pablo the Artistby Satoshi Kitamura 2005
- Igor, the Bird that Couldn't Sing by Satoshi Kitamura, 2005
- Once Upon an Ordinary School Day by Colin McNaughtonColin McNaughtonColin McNaughton is a writer and illustrator of over 70 children's books. He is also a poet, focusing mainly on humorous children's poetry. He trained in graphic design at the Central School of Art and Design in London followed by an M.A. in illustration at the Royal College of Art...
, 2004 - Hello H2O by John Agard, 2003
- Einstein: The Girl Who Hated Maths by John Agard, 2002
- Under the Moon and Over the Sea by John Agard, Grace Nichols (editors), Satoshi Kitamura (contributing illustrator), 2002
- The Comic Adventures of Boots by Satoshi Kitamura 2002 review
- For Every Child the Rights of the Child by Desmond TutuDesmond TutuDesmond Mpilo Tutu is a South African activist and retired Anglican bishop who rose to worldwide fame during the 1980s as an opponent of apartheid...
(foreword) Satoshi Kitamura (contributor), 2000 - Points of View with Professor Peekaboo by John Agard, 2000
- Weblines by John Agard, 2000
- Me and my Cat by Satoshi Kitamura, 1999
- Kaze, Tsmetai Kaze, (The Wind, The Called Wind) by Leslie Norris, 1999
- Morris MacMillipede - the Toast of Brussels Sprout by Mick Fitzmaurice, 1999
- The Spotted Unicorn by Roger McGoughRoger McGoughRoger Joseph McGough CBE is a well-known English performance poet. He presents the BBC Radio 4 programme Poetry Please and records voice-overs for commercials, as well as performing his own poetry regularly...
, 1998 - A Friend for Boots by Satoshi Kitamura, 1998
- Bathtime Boots by Satoshi Kitamura, 1998
- The Ring of Words, Roger McGough (editor), 1998
- From the Devil's Pulpit by John Agard, 1997
- Cat is Sleepy by Satoshi Kitamura, 1997
- Dog is Thirsty by Satoshi Kitamura, 1997
- Duck is Dirty by Satoshi Kitamura, 1997
- Squirrel is Hungry by Satoshi Kitamura, 1997
- Goldfish Hide And Seek by Satoshi Kitamura, 1997
- Out of the Deep by Hiawyn Oram, 1996
- Sheep in Wolves' Clothing by Satoshi Kitamura, 1996
- Paper Dinosaurs: A cut-out book by Satoshi Kitamura 1996
- The adventures of Morris MacMillipede by Mick Fitzmaurice, 1996
- Fly with the Birds: A word and rhyme book by Richard Edwards, 1996
- We animals would like a word with you by John Agard, 1996
- Eureka!: Me and my Body by Stephen Webster, 1994
- Eureka!: Inside my House by Stephen Webster, 1994
- Eureka!: Living and Working Together by Brenda Walpole, 1994
- Eureka!: Hello, is anyone there? by Brenda Walpole, 1994
- A Boy wants a Dinosaur by Hiawyn Oram, 1993
- A Creepy Crawly Song Book by Carl Lewis (music) Hiawyn Oram (lyrics), 1993
- The Oxfam Book of Children's Stories: South and North, East and West by Michael RosenMichael RosenMichael Wayne Rosen is a broadcaster, children's novelist and poet and the author of 140 books. He was appointed as the fifth Children's Laureate in June 2007, succeeding Jacqueline Wilson, and held this honour until 2009....
(editor), 1992 - From Acorn to Zoo and Everything in Between In Alphabetical Order by Satoshi Kitamura, 1992
- Lily takes a Walk by Satoshi Kitamura, 1991
- Speaking for Ourselves by Hiawyn Oram, 1990
- UFO Diary by Satoshi Kitamura, 1989
- Ned and the Joybaloo by Hiawyn Oram, 1989
- A Children's Chorus (anthology), 1989
- Captain Toby by Satoshi Kitamura, 1988
- When Sheep Cannot Sleep: The counting book by Satoshi Kitamura, 1988
- In the Attic by Hiawyn Oram, 1988
- My Friend Mr. Morris (Share-A-Story) by Pat Thomsen, 1988
- Scrapyard by Andy Soutter, 1988
- What's Inside: The Alphabet book by Satoshi Kitamura, 1987
- The Happy Christmas Book (anthology) by Alison Sage (compiled by) Helen Wire (compiled by), 1987
- Paper Jungle: A cut-out book by Satoshi Kitamura, 1986
- The Flying Trunk Naomi Lewis, 1986
- Sky in the Pie by Roger McGough, 1985
- The Great Games Book by Satoshi Kitamura (contributor) 1985
- Angry Arthur by Hiawyn Oram, 1983
External links
- Satoshiland is a comprehensive fan site for Satoshi Kitamura.
- Illustrations by Satoshi Kitamura in The Guardian