Keiko Kasza

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Keiko Kasza is a Japanese American picture book author and illustrator. [1] Her works have been translated into multiple languages and feature animals as main characters. [2]

Contents

Life and career

Kasza was born on December 23, 1951, in Innoshima City, Japan, [3] to parents Tomizo Tanaka, a businessman, and Masuko Tanaka, a homemaker. [2] She lived with and grew up in an extended family, along with her parents, two brothers and grandparents. [4] She left Japan to attend California State University at Northridge in the U.S., graduating in 1975 with a bachelor's degree in graphic design. After her 1976 marriage to Gregory J. Kasza, an American citizen and college professor, she moved permanently to the U.S. [2] [3] She originally worked as a graphic designer after graduating from college, while creating children's books as a hobby. [4] She first began writing children's books as a hobby when she and her husband were living in Ecuador. [5]

Kasza published her first book in 1981, released in Japan. Her first published work in the United States was the children's book, The Wolf's Chicken Stew (1987). It won a Kentucky Bluegrass Award in 1989. [6] [7] Kasza won a Prix Chronos for her 1995 book, Grandpa Toad's Secrets. [1]

In 1997, Kasza's book A Mother for Choco was recorded on a mini-album called "Completely Yours: A Complete Mini-Album of Story, Rhymes, and Songs", released on CD and cassette. The story and various nursery rhymes were performed by a cast that included Paula Poundstone as narrator, Bea Arthur as Mrs. Walrus and Mary Tyler Moore as Mrs. Bear. [8]

Kasza has translated some of her own books into Japanese. [9] She lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband. They have two sons. [10] [11]

Style of work

Kasza creates children's books that feature animal characters and she often uses "humor and poignancy" in her work. [2] She has said many of her story ideas are based on childhood memories. Her book Dorothy and Mikey was inspired by a memory that Kasza had of playing hide-and-seek as a child and worrying she might never be found. [5] Kasza frequently illustrates with pen, ink and watercolor. The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature commented that "Kasza's expressive ink-and-watercolor scenes are characteristically accompanied by simple narration and surrounded with ample white space; her stories often conclude with a humorous twist or sight gag." [1]

Works

Awards and honors

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References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Duthie, Peggy Lin (2006). "Kasza, Keiko". In Zipes, Jack (ed.). The Oxford Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. Oxford University Press. ISBN   9780195307429 . Retrieved 17 September 2020.
  2. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Kasza, Keiko 1951–". Something About the Author . Retrieved 10 November 2020– via Encyclopedia.com.
  3. 1 2 Cullinan, Bernice E.; Person, Diane G., eds. (2005). The Continuum Encyclopedia of Children's Literature. The Continuum International Publishing Group Inc. p. 428. ISBN   0-8264-1778-7 . Retrieved 12 September 2020.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 "Keiko Kasza: Children's book author to visit library, schools". The Vincennes Sun-Commercial. 2 April 2000. p. E2. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  5. 1 2 "Author's imagination brings animals to life in story books for children (continued)". The Vincennes Sun-Commercial. 13 April 2000. p. A6.
  6. 1 2 "Kasza will speak to reading council". The Herald. 23 March 2010. p. 11. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  7. ↑ "Children's Book Review: The Wolf's Chicken Stew by Keiko Kasza, Author Putnam Publishing Group $16.99 (32p) ISBN 978-0-399-21400-4". Publishers Weekly. April 12, 1987. Retrieved 10 November 2020.
  8. ↑ "Completely Yours: A Complete Mini-Album of Story, Rhymes, and Songs". Publishers Weekly. Vol. 244, no. 50. 8 December 1997. p. 29. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  9. ↑ "Bloomington author-illustrator is a success by any definition (continued)". The Indianapolis Star. 13 July 1995. p. 2. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  10. ↑ "Author's imagination brings animals to life in story books for children". The Vincennes Sun-Commercial. 13 April 2000. p. A1.
  11. ↑ "About Keiko". www.keikokasza.com. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  12. ↑ Phelan, Carolyn (15 September 2009). "Ready for Anything!". Booklist. Vol. 106, no. 2. p. 65. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  13. ↑ Horning, Kathleen T (Fall 2012). "Kasza, Keiko: Silly Goose's Big Story". The Horn Book Guide. Vol. 23, no. 2. p. 10. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  14. ↑ Horning, Kathleen T. (Fall 2013). "Kasza, Keiko: My Lucky Birthday". The Horn Book Guide. Vol. 24, no. 2. p. 33. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
  15. ↑ "Bloomington author-illustrator is a success by any definition". The Indianapolis Star. 13 July 1995. p. 1. Retrieved 11 November 2020.
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