Abstract

The "100 Years of Timeless Masterpieces" series welcomes Hatoju Muku! His representative works, including "Grandpa Daizo and the Geese" and "Maya's Life," can be read in one volume!

◆ Six of Hatoju Muku's representative works, which have been read for approximately 100 years, are included in one volume.
◆ At the end of the book, there is an explanation (with photographs) that allows you to learn about Hatoju Muku's life and the origins of each story.
◆ A new world of Hatoju Muku is depicted by Kubo Ayako, an illustrator whose work has been selected for the Bologna Children's Book Fair.
◆ The large softcover format makes it easy to read, and all kanji characters have furigana (phonetic readings).
◆ A book that can be enjoyed again and again throughout one's life, from elementary and junior high school students to adults.

Bringing animal literature that conveys the wonder of life and the preciousness of life to children. A collection of exquisite fairy tales that includes six of Mukai Kyuju's representative works, including "Grandpa Daizo and the Geese," which is also included in textbooks, the representative work "Maya's Life," as well as "The One-Eared Deer" and "Momo and Akane." The book includes explanations for each story and a section on "The World of Hatoju Muku" (with photographs) at the end. All kanji characters have furigana (phonetic readings). This book allows children and adults alike to repeatedly enjoy the delights of animal literature.

Author’s Information

Hatoju Muku was born in 1905 in Takagi Village, Nagano Prefecture. His real name was Hikoho Kubota. He graduated from Hosei University. He published poetry while in university and, after graduation, worked as a teacher in Kagoshima while continuing his creative activities. He was active in publishing animal literature in "Shonen Club". He received numerous awards, including the Minister of Education Award for "The One-Eared Giant Deer", the Sankei Children's Publishing Culture Award for "Wild Dogs of the Isolated Island", and the Akai Tori Literary Award for "Maya's Life" and "Momo-chan and Akane". He served as the director of the Kagoshima Prefectural Library and a professor at Kagoshima Women's Junior College. He passed away in 1987 at the age of 82.


Ayako Kubo was born in Yamagata Prefecture and lives in Tokyo. She is an illustrator. She graduated from Joshibi Junior College of Art and Design. In 2006, while attending Asagaya College of Art, she was selected for the Bologna Children's Book Fair. Her winning work, "Le Rat Ville et Le Rat des Champs", was published by Lirabelle (France). In 2012, she received the HB FILECOMPE VOL.22 Takayuki Fukuda Grand Prize. She is active in books, magazines, and advertising.

Rika Kubota graduated from the Department of Japanese Literature, Faculty of Letters, Kyoto Women's University. She completed her graduate studies in Children's Literature at Baika Women's University. She is the granddaughter of Hatoju Muku, and the second son, the model for "Maya's Life," is her father. Her published works include "MITSUKI: I Want to Shine" (Poplar Publishing) and "Let's Read Biographies 16: Hatoju Muku--The Wonder of Life in Animal Stories" (Akane Shobo). After working at the Kagoshima Museum of Modern Literature and the Kagoshima Fairy Tale Museum, she is currently a Hatoju Muku researcher, working to honor her grandfather Mukai's works, thoughts, and achievements.