Satoshi Kitamura

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Satoshi Kitamura is a renowned children's picture book author and illustrator, famous for quirky perspectives, brilliant watercolours, attention to detail and unique characters. After winning the Mother Goose Award for the Most Exciting Newcomer to British Illustration in 1983 for Angry Arthur (written by Hiawyn Oram), he moved permanently from Japan to live in London. He resides there still.^{[verification needed]}

Famous books Satoshi Kitamura has written and/or illustrated include Lily Takes a Walk, Ned and the Joybaloo and Me and my Cat?. Sheep in Wolves' Clothing was adapted into an animation series that screened on the BBC and was sold to many overseas markets.^{[verification needed]}

Satoshi Kitamura's books are published by Andersen Press, Walker Books and Farrar, Straus & Giroux. His work is well known for regularly including animals or animal characters, most frequently cats. Boots the cat is a recurring Satoshi Kitamura character featuring in two board books and The Comic Adventures of Boots, a picture book whose style is reminiscent of graphic novels and comics. Interestingly enough, he has never ever had a pet cat.^{[verification needed]}

Amongst his many awards is the New York Times Notable Book of the Year for When Sheep Cannot Sleep. In 1999, Satoshi Kitamura won the National Art Library Award (from the Victoria & Albert Museum for his illustrations in A Ring of Words, a poetry anthology edited by Roger McGough.^{[verification needed]}

Regular collaborators include Hiawyn Oram, Roger McGough and John Agard. Most recently, Satoshi Kitamura worked with Colin McNaughton to create Once Upon an Ordinary School Day, published in 2004. His alphabet books and counting books are excellent starting books for young children and come with a strong sense of whimsy and fun.^{[verification needed]}

Apart from writing and illustrating children's books, Satoshi has been commissioned for various projects including Tokyo Underground posters, signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital and designing stationary. He also translates David McKee's Elmer the Elephant series for the Japanese market.^{[verification needed]}