By Samuel C. Morse
Illustrated by Allen Say

Allen Say: Between Two Cultures by Samuel C.Morse, Guest Curator
Catalog design by Rita Marshall
21 illustrations, Paper, 32 pages
1,000 copies, First Edition

From Acknowledgments by H. Nichols B. Clark: "To honor Allen Say's 70th birthday, the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art has organized a major retrospective of his career. His illustrations for books comprise the bulk of the exhibition, but it also contains examples of his commercial photography and oil painting to underscore the full measure of his creative talent, as well as a unifying aesthetic."

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

Long ago, children in Japan would come running at the sound of the kamishibai man's wooden clappers, eager for his stories and his sweets. But as time went by, fewer children gathered around, until there was only one small boy left. After that, the storyteller stopped riding his bicycle into town. Though many years have passed, he still longs to be a kamishibai man again, and so he returns to the city to share his stories one more time.

So gather around and let Kamishibai Man introduce you to the wonder of "paper theater" and the joyful rediscovery and celebration of the special relationship between a storyteller and his audience.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

At home in San Francisco, May speaks Japanese and the family eats rice and miso soup and drinks green tea. When she visits her friends' homes, she eats fried chicken and spaghetti. May plans someday to go to college and live in an apartment of her own. But when her family moves back to Japan, she soon feels lost and homesick for America. In Japan everyone calls her by her Japanese name, Masako. She has to wear kimonos and sit on the floor. Poor May is sure that she will never feel at home in this country. Eventually May is expected to marry and a matchmaker is hired. Outraged at the thought, May sets out to find her own way in the big city of Osaka. With elegant watercolors reminiscent of Grandfather's Journey, Allen Say has created a moving tribute to his parents and their path to discovering where home really is.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

Here is the inspiring, true story of Bong Way "Billy" Wong, the very first Chinese bullfighter. Allen Say's radiant watercolors and candid text make El Chino a unique and most affecting tale of the pursuit of dreams.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

When Emma is born, she is given a small rug. Mother lays it by the crib, for the day the baby can stand on her feet. By the time Emma climbs out of the crib, no one can remember who gave her the rug. As soon as she can hold a pencil, Emma begins to draw. Her parents are impressed by her mysterious talent. She wins top prizes in the first grade art contest and a citywide competition. Then one day at school Emma refuses to draw. "Do you feel all right?" the teacher asks. Emma only nods and pushes the box of crayons away.

In a story of warmth and surprise, Allen Say explores the origins of artistic inspiration. Elegant illustrations portray the journey of a child who discovers that creativity ultimately comes from within.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

In dreamlike sequences, a man symbolically confronts the trauma of incarceration in an internment camp. During World War II, more than 120,000 Japanese Americans were forced into ten such camps. Through its depiction of the man and the children he encounters, Home of the Brave captures the confusion, desolation, and helplessness those prisoners must have felt.

This haunting, provocative story challenges readers to look beyond the facts and statistics to the emotional impact of this dark chapter in American history. Perhaps through our understanding of the injustice of the past, we can share in the hope for a future when Americans will be seen as one people - not mistrusted, segregated, or judged because of their heritage.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

When Allison tries on her new red kimono and looks in the mirror, she suddenly realizes that she looks more like her favorite doll, Mei Mei, than her parents. "Where did Mei Mei come from? Where do I come from?" Allison asks. "Far, far away - from another country," Father says. "Mother and I went there and brought you and Mei Mei home with us." But Allison is confused. At daycare the next day, she refuses to climb the monkey bars or play tag with the other childre, and alone in her room that night she asks Mei Mei, "Allison isn't my real name. Do you know what it is?"

Through evocative watercolors and understated prose, Caldecott Medalist Allen Say creates a moving statement on families, adoption, and the search for belonging.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

As a girl, Alice loved to dance, but the rhythms of her life offered a little opportunity for a fox trot, let alone a waltz. World War II erupted soon after she was married. Alice and her husband, along with many other Japanese Americans, were forced to leave their homes and report to assembly centers around the country. Undaunted, Alice and her husband learned to make the most of every circumstance. Such achievements did not come without effort and sacrifice, though, and Alice often thought her dancing days were long behind her. But as her story testifies, life is full of changes...

In this striking book, Allen Say introduces readers to the remarkable story of the life of a woman whose perserverance and resilience serve as an inspirational reminder that dreams can be fulfilled, even when least expected.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

In this radiant tale, a young boy in Japan celebrates his very first Christmas. Two cultures joyously combine for the day as the boy's mother shares a glimpse of her American childhood with her son.

Allen Say's glowing watercolors and affecting words paint a story rich with the holiday spirit - a story of family, of giving, of goodwill, and the hope for peace.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

What's wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?
When Sam comes into the kitchen for breakfast one morning his parents and younger sister scream. Rushing to the mirror Sam finds a stranger's face staring back at him. Although he still feels like a boy, his face has changed into that of a man, with white hair and wrinkled skin. What has happened to him? The doctors can find no physical problem and he is sent back to school. The other kids tease him and his own family acts as though he is a different person. He is the same Sam on the inside - why can't anyone see that?

Who are we and how are we shaped by the perceptions of others? With his extraordinary paintings, Allen Say has created an intriguing story that subtly explores society's reactions to age and the physical differences in people.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

"We're off to the Lost Lake, my lad," says Dad as he hands Luke a pair of brand-new hiking boots. "Grandpa and I used to go there a long time agao. It was our special, secret place."

After a day of hiking, they arrive at the lake only to find it overrun with noisy vacationers. Dad's secret spot has become "the Found Lake." Things have changed. Disappointed, they feel they must move on in search of a quieter place. Perhaps if they look they will find a new lost lake further out in the wilderness.

Glowing watercolors illustrate this heartfelt tale about the new understanding between Luke and his father, and their appreciation of our natural environment.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

Thirteen-year-old Kiyoi, an apprentice to the famous cartoonist, Noro Shinpei, tries to develop his talent and become self-reliant, in this novel based upon the author's own boyhood in Japan.

Based on Allen Say's own boyhood in Japan, The Ink-Keeper's Apprentice is a rich and remarkable novel. The story of a budding artist and his steps toward self-reliance, Kiyoi's tale is also one of the fragile beauty of human relationships - of family loyalty, of friendship, and of the special bond between a mentor and his student.

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

The amazing tricks two American soldiers perform on a borrowed bicycle are a fitting finale for the school sports day festivities in a small village in occupied Japan.

Allen Say recalls vividly the joy and innocence of that special day in his memory. Story and illustrations complement each other perfectly to create a beautiful, harmonious work.

By Dianne Snyder
Illustrated by Allen Say

Lazy Taro gets his comeuppance when his wise mother uses his trick to avoid work to her own advantage.

A Caldecott Honor Book

By Allen Say
Illustrated by Allen Say

Spring had finally come and everyone in the village was happy, despite being poor - everyone except the miserly landlord. Mumbling and grumbling, he sat all alone eating a bowl of cherries and glaring as the villagers sang and danced in the meadow. Then, quite by accident, he swallowed a cherry pit. The pit began to sprout. Soon the landlord was the wonder of the village - a cherry tree was growing on top of his head! What happened to the cherry tree and to the wicked landlord is a favorite joke in Japan. Allen Say tells the story with wit and vitality, and his beautiful drawings complement this classic Japanese tale.