Keiko Kasza facts for kids

Keiko Kasza is a talented Japanese American author and artist. She writes and illustrates picture books for children. Her books are loved around the world and have been translated into many languages. You'll often find animals as the main characters in her stories!

Keiko Kasza's Early Life and Career

Keiko Kasza was born in Innoshima City, Japan, on December 23, 1951. She grew up with her parents, two brothers, and grandparents. This was a big extended family home.

Later, she moved to the U.S. to study at California State University at Northridge. In 1975, she earned a degree in graphic design. She married Gregory J. Kasza in 1976 and decided to stay in the U.S.

Keiko first worked as a graphic designer. But she also started writing children's books as a fun hobby. She began this new hobby when she and her husband lived in Ecuador.

First Books and Recognition

Keiko Kasza's very first book came out in Japan in 1981. Her first book published in the United States was The Wolf's Chicken Stew in 1987. This book was very popular and won an award in 1989.

In 1995, her book Grandpa Toad's Secrets won a special award called the Prix Chronos.

A Mother for Choco Album

In 1997, one of Kasza's books, A Mother for Choco, became part of a special mini-album. It was called "Completely Yours: A Complete Mini-Album of Story, Rhymes, and Songs." You could listen to it on CD or cassette.

Famous actors like Paula Poundstone, Bea Arthur, and Mary Tyler Moore read the story. They also performed different nursery rhymes on the album.

Life in the U.S.

Keiko Kasza has even translated some of her own books into Japanese. Today, she lives in Bloomington, Indiana, with her husband. They have two sons.

Keiko Kasza's Writing Style

Keiko Kasza creates children's books that often feature animal characters. She uses both humor and touching moments in her stories.

Many of her ideas come from her own childhood memories. For example, her book Dorothy and Mikey was inspired by playing hide-and-seek as a child. She remembered worrying about not being found.

Art Techniques

Kasza often illustrates her books using pen, ink, and watercolor. Her drawings are very expressive. They usually have simple narration and lots of white space around them. Her stories often end with a funny surprise or a visual joke.

Works

• The Wolf's Chicken Stew (1987)
• The Pigs' Picnic (1988)
• A Mother for Choco (1992)
• The Rat and the Tiger (1993)
• Grandpa Toad's Secrets (1995)
• When the Elephant Walks (1997)
• Don't Laugh, Joe! (1997)
• Dorothy and Mikey (2000)
• The Mightiest (2001)
• My Lucky Day (2003)
• The Dog Who Cried Wolf (2005)
• Badger's Fancy Meal (2007)
• Ready for Anything! (2009)
• Silly Goose's Big Story (2012)
• My Lucky Birthday (2013)
• Finders Keepers (2015)

Awards and Honors

• 1987 – Notable Book, American Library Association for The Wolf's Chicken Stew
• 1989 – Kentucky Bluegrass Award for The Wolf's Chicken Stew
• 1997 – Prix Chronos for Grandpa Toad's Secrets
• 1998 – Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book for Don't Laugh, Joe!
• Indiana Young Hoosier Book Award for A Mother for Choco