Allen Say facts for kids

Allen Say at the 2016 Berlin International Literature Festival

Allen Say (born in 1937) is a Japanese-American writer and illustrator. He is famous for his children's picture book, Grandfather's Journey. This book tells the story of his grandfather's trip from Japan to the United States and back. It won the Caldecott Medal in 1994 for its amazing illustrations. The story is based on Allen Say's own life and his experiences moving around as a child. Many of his books feature Japanese and Japanese American characters. Several of his works also include parts of his own life story.

About Allen Say's Life

Allen Say was born in Yokohama, Japan, on August 28, 1937. His mother was Japanese American, born in San Francisco. His father was born in Korea but was adopted by British parents and grew up in Shanghai. When Allen was eight years old, his parents divorced.

Early Life and Mentors

At age 12, Allen went to live with his grandmother. Soon after, she allowed him to live on his own. He spent many years learning from his favorite cartoonist, Noro Shinpei. This experience is shared in his book Drawing from Memory. It also inspired his book The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice. Allen thought of Shinpei as a "spiritual father" and a great teacher.

Moving to the United States

Later, Allen's father moved to the United States with his new family. Allen was invited to join them. He briefly attended a military school, which he did not enjoy. He was later expelled for smoking. After that, Say went to Citrus Union High School. He continued his art studies there and graduated in 1956. His early experiences in the United States are described in his book The Inker's Shadow.

Career and Recognition

Before becoming a full-time author and illustrator, Allen Say worked as a sign painter and photographer. He also served in the U.S. Army for a time. While stationed in Germany, his photographs were published in the magazine Stars and Stripes. When he returned to the United States, he first pursued photography. However, he was encouraged to focus on his illustrations. The publisher Houghton Mifflin asked him to retell a Japanese folktale called The Boy of the Three-Year Nap.

In 1994, another children's author, Lois Lowry, mentioned Allen Say in her speech for the Newbery Award. She had just found out that they both lived in the same Tokyo neighborhood, Shibuya, when they were children. They spoke for the first time when they signed books for each other.

Allen Say married Deidre Myles on April 18, 1974. He has lived in Portland, Oregon, since 1999. His book Drawing from Memory won an Oregon Book Award for children's literature in 2013.

Allen Say's Books

See also

• List of children's literature authors
• List of Asian American writers