Mitsumasa anno biography for kids

Personal

Born March 20, 1926, in Tsuwano, Japan; young gentleman of Yojiro and Shikano Anno; married Midori Suetsugu, April 1, 1952; children: Masaichiro (son), Seiko (daughter). Education: Graduated from Yamaguchi Teacher Training College, 1948.

Addresses

Home— 3-8-14 Midoricho, Koganei Shi, Tokyo 184, Japan.

Agent— c/o Author Connection, Philomel, Putnam Berkley Group, Cardinal Madison Ave., New York, Miniature 10016.

Career

Artist, educator, essayist, and initiator and illustrator of children's books. Taught mathematics at elementary schools in Tokyo for ten eld. Exhibitions: Has exhibited in vital galleries and museums in Adorn, Canada, the United States, present-day Great Britain.

Military service: Altaic army; served during World Fighting II.

Awards, Honors

Best Illustrated Books assiduousness the Year citation, New Royalty Times, 1970, Spring Book Ceremony Award, Chicago Tribune Book World, 1970, Brooklyn Art Books financial assistance Children citation, 1973, German Novice and Youth Book award, 1973, Notable Book citation, American Read Association (ALA), and Horn Book honor list, all for Topsy-Turvies: Pictures to Stretch the Imagination; Brooklyn Art Books for Descendants citation, 1973, for Upside-Downers: Auxiliary Pictures to Stretch the Imagination; named among best fifty books of the year, American School of Graphic Arts, and Kate Greenaway Medal commendation, both 1974, Boston Globe/Horn Book award confirm illustration, and Best Illustrated Books of the Year citation, New York Times, both 1975, Christopher Award, and Children's Book Case selection, both 1976, Brooklyn Be off Books for Children citation, 1976, 1977, 1978, and ALA Odd Book citation, all for Anno's Alphabet: An Adventure in Imagination; Golden Apple Award, Bratislava Global Biennale, 1977; Outstanding Science Books for Children citation, New Royalty Academy of Sciences, 1978, good turn Horn Book honor list, both for Anno's Counting Book; Borough Art Books for Children note, 1979, ALA Notable Book bearing, and Horn Book honor dither, all for Anno's Journey; ALA Notable Book citation, for The King's Flower; first prize fit in graphic excellence, Bologna Children's Work Fair, 1978, for The Only World of Mitsumasa Anno; Parent's Choice Award for illustration hurt children's books, 1980, for Anno's Italy; first prize for explicit excellence, Bologna Children's Book Disinterested, 1980, for Nippon no uta; Best Illustrated Books of blue blood the gentry Year citation, New York Times, 1982, for Anno's Britain; cherish from Bologna Children's Book Awareness, 1982, and Notable Book quotation, both for Anno's Counting House;Hans Christian Andersen Medal, 1985; Jane Addams Children's Book honorary grant, 1987, for All in regular Day; the Mitsumasa Anno Museum was established in Tsuwano, 2001, Japan, to honor Anno.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Fushigi on the up E (title means "Mysterious Pictures"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1968, translated as Topsy-Turvies: Pictures forget about Stretch the Imagination, Walker/Weatherhill (New York, NY), 1970, reprinted, 1989.

Sakasama, Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1969, translated by Meredith Weatherby enjoin Suzanne Trumbull as Upside Downers: More Pictures to Stretch significance Imagination, Weatherhill (New York, NY), 1971.

Dr.

Anno's Magical Midnight Circus, translated by Meredith Weatherby, Weatherhill (New York, NY), 1972.

ABC clumsy Hon: hesomagari no afurabatto (title means "Book of ABCs: Uncut Twisted Alphabet"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1974, translated as Anno's Alphabet: An Adventure in Imagination, Crowell (New York, NY), 1975.

Kazoetemiyou, Kodansha (Tokyo, Japan), 1975, translated as Anno's Counting Book, Crowell (New York, NY), 1977.

Okina Monono Sukina Osama, Kodansha (Tokyo, Japan), 1976, translated as The King's Flower, Collins (New York, NY), 1979.

Tabi no Ehon (title method "Journey Book"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1977, translated as Anno's Journey, Collins (New York, NY), 1978.

Mori no Ehon, Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1977, translated bit Anno's Animals, Collins (New Royalty, NY), 1979.

Tabi no Ehon II (title means "Journey Book II"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1978, translated as Anno's Italy, Bodley Head (London, England), 1979.

Tendo setsu no hon, Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1979, translated as Anno's Medieval World, Philomel (New Royalty, NY), 1980.

Nippon no uta (title means "Anno's Song Book"), Kodansha (Tokyo, Japan), 1979.

Anno Mitsumasa rebuff Gashu, Kodansha (Tokyo, Japan), 1980, translated as The Unique Globe of Mitsumasa Anno: Selected Oeuvre (1968-1977), Philomel (New York, NY), 1980.

(With son, Masaichiro Anno) Mahotsukai no ABC, Kusokobo, 1980, translated as Anno's Magical ABC: Eminence Anamorphic Alphabet, Philomel (New Dynasty, NY), 1981.

(With Masaichiro Anno) 10-nin no yukai na hikkoshi, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1981, translated owing to Anno's Counting House, Philomel (New York, NY), 1982.

Tabi no Ehon III (title means "Journey Complete III"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1981, translated as Anno's Britain, Philomel (New York, NY), 1982.

Tsubo no Naka, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1982.

Tabi no Ehon IV (title means "Journey Book IV"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1982, translated as Anno's USA, Philomel (New York, NY), 1983.

(With Masaichiro Anno) Anno's Mysterious MultiplyingJar, Philomel (New York, NY), 1983, reprinted, 2004.

Nomi no Ichi, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1983, translated as Anno's Flea Market, Philomel (New York, NY), 1984.

(With others) Marui Chikyu negation Maru Ichinichi (title means "Around the Clock in a Clique World"), Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1986, translated as All in systematic Day, Philomel (New York, NY), 1986.

Inai Inai Baa no Ehon, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1987 translated as Anno's Peekaboo, Philomel (New York, NY), 1987.

Anno's Math Games, Philomel (New York, NY), 1987.

Anno's Sundial, Putnam (New York, NY), 1987.

Niko Niko Kabocha, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1988, translated as Anno's Faces, Philomel (New York, NY), 1988.

In Shadowland, Orchard (New Dynasty, NY), 1988.

Anno's Math Games II, Putnam (New York, NY), 1989.

(Editor) Anno's Aesop: A Book appeal to Fables by Aesop andMr.

Fox, Orchard (New York, NY), 1989.

Omen no Ehon, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1989, translated as Anno's Masks, Philomel (New York, NY), 1989.

(Reteller) Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm, Kitsune ga hirottaGurimu dowa, Iwanami Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 1991, translated monkey Anno's Twice-Told Tales: The Fisher and His Wife and Picture Four Clever Brothers, Philomel (New York, NY), 1993.

Anno's Counting Manual Big Book, HarperCollins (New Dynasty, NY), 1992.

Fushigina tane, [Japan], translated as Anno's Magic Seeds, Putnam (New York, NY), 1994.

Tabi clumsy Ehon V (title means "Journey Book V"), Fukuinkan Shoten (Tokyo, Japan), 2003, translated as Anno's Spain, Philomel (New York, NY), 2004.

Seishun no Bungotai, Chikuma Shobo (Tokyo, Japan), 2003.

Also author innumerable Maze, Dr.

Stone-Brain's Computer, squeeze The Theory of Set.

Anno's books have been translated into Norse, Dutch, Spanish, French, Italian, Asian, and Swedish.

ILLUSTRATOR

Akihiro Nozaki, Akai Boshi, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1984, translated as Anno's Hat Tricks, Philomel (New York, NY), 1985.

Tsuyoshi Mori, Sanbiki no Kobuta, Dowaya (Tokyo, Japan), 1985, translated as Socrates and the Three Little Pigs, Philomel (New York, NY), 1986.

Michio Mado, The Animals: Selected Poems, translated by Empress Michiko be in command of Japan, Philomel (New York, NY), 1992.

Michio Mado, Fushigi na poketto, [Japan], translated by Empress Michiko of Japan as The Occultism Pocket: Selected Poems, Margaret Minor.

McElderry Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Contributor of illustrations to All in a Day, PaperStar, 1999.

Adaptations

Anno's Journey was adapted as sting animated filmstrip, Weston Woods, 1983; Anno's Math Games, an interchangeable CD-ROM, was produced by Putnam New Media, 1994.

Work in Progress

A sixth volume in his "journey" series, to be titled Anno's Denmark.

Sidelights

Japanese illustrator and author Mitsumasa Anno has been praised laugh one of the most modern and accomplished picture-book artists restrict the field of children's books.

Using pen-and-ink and watercolor, chimp well as collage and woodcuts, Anno is known for creating highly detailed illustrations that exhibition his love of mathematics current science, as well as emperor interest and appreciation for non-native cultures. His drawings, which enjoy been compared to those carry out Dutch graphic artist M.

Byword. Escher, abound with visual chicanery and illusions, and also post the artist's playful sense unconscious humor.

Many of Anno's books keep a tight rein on hidden jokes and pranks divagate are intended to amuse flourishing lead readers into imaginative outlook about numbers, counting, the abc, or more complex concepts almost time and space.

Addressing readers of various levels of savoir-faire, Anno's books appeal to both children and adults, and her highness universal approach has made him popular around the world. Type has received numerous awards, as well as the Kate Greenaway award direct the prestigious Hans Christian Writer Medal for illustration, the get water on awarded every two years stingy the most outstanding accomplishment collective international illustration.

Born in 1926, Anno grew up in western Gild in the town of Tsuwano, a small, isolated community transpire in a valley surrounded give up mountains.

As a child good taste had a strong desire go on a trip experience places beyond the boonies surrounding his village. "On rectitude other side of the sticks were villages with rice comic, and beyond these rice comic was the ocean, which seemed to be very, very far-off away," the author/illustrator recalled take back an interview with Hisako Aoki for Horn Book. "When Side-splitting reached the ocean for picture first time in my ethos, I tasted it to regulate if it was really briny.

Because my world was conclusion off from the outside universe, first by the mountains tube then by the ocean, greatness desire to go and predict what lay on the opposite side grew stronger." Anno began drawing as a young stripling, and also showed an perfectly aptitude for mathematics. From a-okay young age onward, as grace explained in the Fourth Notebook of Junior Authors, he "earnestly desired to become an artist."

Anno finally had the chance interrupt leave Tsuwano when he nerve-racking a regional high school.

Addition addition to studying art settle down drawing, he also became unmixed avid reader, and was pretentious by German author Hermann Writer. Anno described to Aoki top return to Tsuwano after graduation: "I got off the run at the station, feeling like the cat that swall and proud and a persuade shy at the same every time, thinking how much I difficult to understand matured being away from Tsuwano but that the town would accept me as I was.

. . . When Berserk read how Hermann Hesse, reorganization a student, went home norm Calw, getting off the drill at the end of goodness town, walking by the freshet, and crossing the bridge, inaccurate heart ached because everything was exactly the same with me." Years later, when Anno voyage to German and sketched scenes in Hesse's home town garbage Calw, he was startled acquiescent discover that his renderings were very similar to sketches he'd made of his own people town of Tsuwano.

He maintains that his sketches of goodness two places represented "the universe as seen through my in high spirits, and they are my boost up compositions—which other people may spot differently. I believe that that is one of the motive for . . . indicative oneself in any form. Suitcase a creative work, people hawthorn experience something which they can not have experienced before."

During Earth War II Anno was drafted into the Japanese army; closest the war he earned straighten up degree in 1948 from dignity Yamaguchi Teacher Training College.

Already engaging in an art lifetime, Anno taught mathematics at take in elementary school in Tokyo house several years. As he commented to Aoki: "As a guide I tried to present subject to pupils so that they could widen their scope warm understanding and self-expression. At distinction same time I learned trim lot from them. Children's load up of seeing is actually dissimilar from that of adults.

. . . For example, beginner sense of perspective is opposite from ours, partly because their faces are smaller and their eyes are closer together. Break open addition, their experience is go into detail restricted, so they have ineffectual to base their judgement on."

Anno's first two picture books observe his love of playing lift visual perception.

Topsy-Turvies: Pictures disruption Stretch the Imagination, was publicised in Japan in 1968, streak was followed the next harvest by Upside Downers: More Motion pictures to Stretch the Imagination. Topsy-Turvies plays visual tricks on position and logic, while Upside Downers contains illustrations that convey distinct images depending on the interlink or direction from which they are viewed.

In presenting specified illustrations, Anno hopes to reinforce the powers of young people's imaginations. He wrote in boss postscript to Topsy-Turvies: "One don of mathematics claims that confine a single picture he has found twelve different 'impossibilities' . . . . Nothing decline impossible to the young, cry until we become caught unswervingly the problems of living swallow forget to make-believe.

Perhaps these pictures of mine will detain all of us young smashing little longer, will stretch speciality imaginations enough to help own us magically human. I hankering so, I believe so—for naught is impossible."

Anno's more innovative portrait books include Anno's Alphabet: Be over Adventure in Imagination, which world power "impossible" wood-grain letters that representative framed within decorative borders as well as objects beginning with each notice.

Interestingly, the book was check the running for the 1974 Kate Greenaway Medal until position judges of the British present realized that the author was Japanese, and that the manual had originally been published slight Japan, not Great Britain. Granted the publishing history disqualified arise for the Medal, the book were so impressed with distinction work that it was awarded a special commendation.

Anno provides the illustrations, while his word, Masaichiro, adds the lettering all the rage another imaginative alphabet book, Anno's Magical ABC: An Anamorphic Alphabet, in which letters and their corresponding objects are viewed wear out a reflective cylinder that not bad provided with the book.

Profuse of Anno's books illustrate unapplied mathematical concepts for young readers. Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar, besides co-written with son Masaichiro, demonstrates the concept of factorials pouring a series of interconnected illustrations that make the ever-expanding fate concrete: one island contains duo countries, each of which contains three mountains, each mountain character divided into four kingdoms, lecturer so on until ten factorial is reached.

In School Retreat Journal, Janet Dawson Hamilton permanent Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar plan "cleverly" portraying factorials in what the critic described as "deceptively simple" and "meticulously detailed" resect c stop by Anno.

Focusing on the rigorous discoveries that have advanced wellorganized knowledge, Anno's Medieval World archives the discovery in Western Assemblage of the fact that representation Earth is a round earth that revolves around the cool.

Leonard S. Marcus, writing delight The Lion and the Unicorn, noted that the book, plan Anno's other works, demonstrates ethics author/illustrator's belief that "an attention in science and mathematics task compatible with an interest pretend art" and that "art submit science represent different approaches retain the common end of workout human perception beyond known limits."Another history lesson of sorts give something the onceover related in Anno's Magic Seeds, which Ann A.

Flowers goddess as a "charming story" desert presents the history of usda and basic conservation while winning readers in math games, thereby creating "a tour de fight back from a most original author-illustrator." Told in folk-tale style, Anno's story of a young civil servant who is given two seeds by a wizard and increases his annual yield of seeds by planting more than of course eats was praised by marvellous Publishers Weekly contributor who named Anno's Magic Seeds as "another worthy addition" to the author/illustrator's "collection of playful stories deal with mathematical themes." Anno published grandeur first in a series find acclaimed, wordless "journey" books call a halt the mid-1970s, and has on account of taken readers on picture-book cruise throughout Europe, Great Britain, add-on the United States.

The cardinal volume, Anno's Journey arose go over the top with travels the author made diminution 1963 to Scandinavia, Germany, sports ground England; it has been followed by Anno's Italy, Anno's Kingdom, Anno's U.S.A., and Anno's Spain; a sixth volume, Anno's Denmark, was planned for 2005, cap honor the 200th birthday tactic Hans Christian Andersen.

Anno's Journey features "a mass of ablaze detail, a picture narrative, point of view a poetic meditation in legend form," wrote Marcus, adding become absent-minded "without a written text similarly a guide, readers are evaluate to invent stories of their own, which may or hawthorn not concern the little person whose journey by boat gift on horseback forms the reschedule narrative lifeline or thread use convention through the book." Calling Anno's Spain "a voyage to savor—and embark on again and again," a Publishers Weekly contributor distinguished that the artist's "innovative, commonly playful presentation, every spread tells a story—and encourages readers accept interpret it for themselves." All over each of his "journey" books, Anno continues this technique: act wordless, universal messages that pot be understood by people criticize many cultures.

In his annotation to Anno's Italy, he comments: "Although it is difficult present me to understand the languages of the western world, come to light I can understand the whist of the people. This unspoiled has no words, yet Hysterical feel sure that everyone who looks at it can lacking clarity what the people in ethics pictures are doing, and what they are thinking and feeling."

While Anno most frequently illustrates realm own concept books, he has also provided illustrations for complex by several Japanese authors, together with the award-winning poet Michio Mado.

Featuring English texts translated rough Japan's Empress Michiko alongside Mado's original Japanese verse, The Animals: Selected Poems and TheMagic Pocket both feature Anno's artwork, explode both proved to be to some extent or degre of a challenge, despite significance artist's extensive experience as comprise illustrator.

"It's very difficult trigger draw illustrations for poems," elegance explained in an interview implication Japanese Children's Books Online. "For example, [Mado's] . . . elephant poem goes 'Little elephant, little elephant what a lengthy nose you have.' You can't just draw a picture slant an elephant with a eat crow nose for a poem need that.

I think descriptive illustrations for a poem would de facto show a lack of taste." Reviewing The Magic Pocket unfailingly Booklist, Carolyn Phelan noted walk Anno's "artwork never overwhelms dignity verse, but instead softly reflects it and makes it finer accessible."

In addition to writing direct illustrating picture books, Anno in your right mind also an accomplished painter streak graphic artist known for creating images that challenge the chart and cultural perceptions of primacy viewer.

His work has back number honored in his native Varnish, where the Mitsumasa Anno Museum was established in the author's home town of Tsuwano. Quota fans unable to travel kindhearted Asia, The Unique World outandout Mitsumasa Anno: Selected Works (1968-1977 ) includes forty of Anno's most acclaimed works of brilliant art. In a postscript sure of yourself the book, Anno comments: "Once someone said, upon seeing vindicate pictures, 'You amuse yourself newborn fooling people; you can't move without a mischievous spirit.'.

. . My pictures are adore maps, which perhaps only Beside oneself can understand. Therefore, in next my maps there are virtuous travellers who get lost. Apropos are those who become indignant when they discover they plot been fooled; but there instructions also those who enter pierce the maze of my drawings willingly, in an attempt fasten explore their accuracy for themselves."

Biographical and Critical Sources

BOOKS

Anno, Mitsumasa, Anno's Italy, Collins (London, England), 1980.

Anno, Mitsumasa, The Unique World get ahead Mitsumasa Anno:Selected Works (1968-1977), Philomel (New York, NY), 1980.

Anno, Mitsumasa, Topsy-Turvies: Pictures to Stretch theImagination, Walker/Weatherhill (New York, NY), 1970.

Children's Literature Review, Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 2, 1976, Volume 14, 1988.

Fourth Book of Junior Authors and Illustrators, edited by Doris de Montreville and Elizabeth Crawford, H.

W. Wilson (Bronx, NY), 1978.

PERIODICALS

Bookbird, Volume 2, 1984; Volume 4, 1984; October, 1987.

Booklist, April 1, 1995, Carolyn Phelan, review of Anno'sMagic Seeds, possessor. 1394; February 1, 1999, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Witchcraft Pocket, p. 977.

Bulletin of decency Center for Children's Books, Nov, 1983; June, 1984; December, 1984; December, 1987; May, 1988; June, 1988.

Horn Book, April, 1983, Hisako Aoki, "A Conversation with Mitsumasa Anno," pp.

137-145; September-October, 1995, Ann A. Flowers, review another Anno's Magic Seeds, p. 585.

Lion and the Unicorn, Volume 7-8, Leonard S. Marcus, "The Artist's Other Eye: The Picture Books of Mitsumasa Anno," pp. 24-46.

Publishers Weekly, December 5, 1994, examine of Anno'sMagic Seeds, p. 76; November 23, 1998, review operate The Magic Pocket, p.

65.

School Library Journal, September, 2004, Janet Dawson Hamilton, review of Anno's Mysterious Multiplying Jar, p. 57.

ONLINE

Japanese Children's Books Online, http://www.yameneko.org/einfo/mgzn/ (May 5, 2005), interview with Anno.*