Japanese · b. 1935
Eiko Kadono is a Japanese author of children's books. Born in Tokyo in 1935, she studied at Waseda University and worked as a writer after a period of living in Brazil, which she described in her first nonfiction book. Her best-known work is Kiki's Delivery Service (1985), the story of a young witch who starts a delivery business in a seaside town. Hayao Miyazaki's Studio Ghibli adapted it into a 1989 film, which made the book famous around the world. Kadono wrote the novel's sequels, along with many picture books and stories for young readers. She has received major honors for her work, including the Hans Christian Andersen Award for writing in 2018, one of the highest international prizes in children's literature. Her books are known for short, clear episodes, gentle humor and young heroines who learn to rely on themselves.