About this item
A small boy has saved all his pocket money and visits the market with high expectations. When disaster strikes and he loses his money, he feels very devastated. But wait, what's that? A Smile Shop? He could really do with a smile. What will happen if he goes in?Featuring charming, classic illustrations reminiscent of Maurice Sendak and Tomie dePaola, Satoshi Kitamura's The Smile Shop is an absorbing setting for readers to explore themes of independence, self-worth, and the effect of a smile shared between people.
About the Author
Choosing not to follow a conventional path, Satoshi Kitamura pursued a career in art and moved from Tokyo to Japan in 1979. His first book was for Klaus Flugge of Andersen Press, who asked him to illustrate Angry Arthur in 1981 after spotting Kitamura's work at the Neal Street Gallery in Covent Garden. Since then he has published more than 20 of his own books, as well as illustrating many more by writers such as Jon Agard, Hiawyn Oram and Colin McNaughton.His books have been translated into more than 20 languages and won awards including the Mother Goose Award, Silver Award for the Smarties Prize, and the National Art Library Illustrations Award.Satoshi Kitamura continues to travel and work for publishers across the globe. Apart from writing and illustrating children's books, he has been commissioned for various projects including Tokyo Underground posters, signage at Birmingham Children's Hospital and designing stationery. He also translates David McKee's Elmer the Patchwork Elephant series for the Japanese market, and his recent books came out with Scallywag Press in the UK.
