Japanese Literary Awards

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Kodansha Children's Literature Newcomer Award こうだんしゃじどうぶんがくしんじんしょう

Edition 32 (1991)

Children's literature

Winners

3 people
Tatsumiya Akira たつみや しょう award

A children’s novel in which a boy born into a family guarding Inariyama meets a mysterious boarder and faces issues of development around an ancient mound and the natural world. It joins mythic beings with modern environmental concerns.

To protect the mountain of the Inari shrine, a boy runs between myth and reality.

374 pages
children’s literatureenvironmentancient burial moundmythcoming of age
宮野素美子 みやの すみこ honorable mention

A fantasy in which Princess Soyokaze rebels against a decree promising her to whoever slays a dragon awakened after a thousand years, and sets out disguised as a boy. It reconsiders the dragon-slaying legend while depicting courage and freedom.

Princess Soyokaze leaves the castle, refusing to become the prize for slaying a dragon.

212 pages
children’s literaturefantasydragonprincessfreedom
こんのとよこ こんの とよこ honorable mention

A children’s novel in which Sabu, a stray cat in Amefuri Yokocho, begins speaking human language after an accident. The warmth of the shopping street and the cat’s viewpoint mingle, turning everyday town life into lively fantasy.

A stray cat who starts speaking human language throws a shopping street into delightful confusion.

237 pages
children’s literaturecatshopping streetfantasyhuman warmth