Anna

Kirie – Japanese traditional paper cutting and picture books

by Anna
These days I find myself wondering how pictures in a picture book are made. People draw them, yes. But how do they create such a cohesive story with their pictures? The most conventional way of creating pictures is drawing them by hand. Nonetheless, Pictures in picture books are created with various tools: In addition, there ... Read More

A Research Field Was Born

by Anna
Today (Aug 26th) marks the birthday of Children’s Literature Translation Studies as a field, which was established in 1976 at the 3rd Congress of IRCL, titled “Problems of Translation in the Field of Literature for Children and Young People.” At the congress, Children’s Literature scholars and translators gathered in Sweden and agreed on the importance ... Read More

Children and other talking animals

by Anna
Picture books and books intended for two- to three-year-olds often use talking animals as a way to show children agency and explain the transition from animal-like existence to that of a talking little human. In books for children aged one to three, animal characters take on human roles and behaviors such as talking, cooking and ... Read More

Children’s Books for Adults

by Anna
What to expect reading together with a child According to Nielsen Book Research Reports, since 2015, 80% of Young Adult books have been bought by adults. When children read or listen to a story, they enjoy it and learn from the experiences of the characters. They also closely observe the adults’ reactions to different events ... Read More

E-J interpretation for a Piece Builder

by Anna
This month, I had the opportunity to demonstrate my English-Japanese interpretation skills to Wendy Kroeker, a curriculum developer and educator. I interpreted most of the lectures and workshops in her Japanese program. Working with Wendy made me contemplate the concept of a “happy ending” in children’s literature and in real life situations. Being Wendy’s voice ... Read More