Broadening young minds with words
Four Japanese writers of children’s books will talk about why they write for kids in a discussion at the Japan Foundation Bangkok this Tuesday (May 9) from 7 to 9pm.
Kyoko Hamano, Mito Mahara, Soko Jinsaki and Tetsuta Watanabe will provide an insight into a slice of life and culture in Japan, especially in relation to the current circumstances surrounding children. The Japan Foundation encourages active interaction between the audience and the writers to ponder how children’s books can deepen understanding across borders.
Hamano has won many awards for her writing including the grand prize for the Mainichi Children’s Literature Contest in 2002, the JBBY Award in 2009 and Tsubota Joji Literature Award with “Tokyo Cross Road” in 2010. She also translated the Chinese picture book “Hane” (“The Wing”) into Japanese, which was originally written by Hans Christian Andersen Awards-winning writers.
In 2011, Mahara was recognised with two awards for her work “Tetsu no Shibuki ga Haneru” (“Iron Splashes”) from the Tsubota Joji Literature Awards and the 4th JBBY Awards. In the same year, her work “Otousan no Te” (“Father’s hand”) was selected as an assigned reading book for the Dokusho Kansoga Chuo Contest (book-report contest).
Jinsaki works as a picture book artist and children’s book writer and is also a poet. She won the Honorable Mention for the 50th Kodansha Children’s Literary Works for Newcomers with “Kusa no Ue de Ai wo” (“Love on Grass”). She has also produced feature-length works and a collection of picture books and poems.
Watanabe is a scholar and translator of children’s literature. He moved to Australia with his family in 1996 and worked as a lecturer at the University of Melbourne while putting out creative picture books and translating literary works.
The talk will be moderated by Kimiko Matsui who runs a running a small publishing house, Mighty Book. in Japan. She has been visiting libraries all around the world as a journalist covering children’s books and has so far stopped in 30 countries. She is a regular contributor to the journal of the Library Advancement Foundation.
The talk will be conducted in Japanese with Thai interpretation. No English is available. Admission is free but advanced reservation is recommended by calling (02) 260 6560~3 or e-mail [email protected].
