Sato the Rabbit

Honor Book of the 2022 Mildred L. Batchelder Award--for an outstanding children’s book originally published in a language other than English in a country other than the United States, and subsequently translated into English for publication in the United States

Ages 6 to 9, Grades 1 to 4

One day, Sato wondered how the world would change if he were to change, and so he became a rabbit. Now puddles on the ground become doors into the sky, and stars fall into his fishing net when he needs light at night.

Do you ever wonder what wonderful things might be hiding in the world that we can’t immediately see? What stories your breakfast would tell you if it could talk, or where your pet would take you in its dreams? Haneru Sato thinks such things, so one day, he decides to find out how the world will change if he changes a little, too. He becomes a rabbit and discovers a world where every corner is a door to somewhere new and the simplest actions lead in unexpected directions. Coming from Japan, this whimsical book is the first in a trilogy.

About the Author

Born in Yokohama, Yuki Ainoya studied Japanese painting at the Tama Art University Faculty of Art and Design. She was the winner of the the Crayon House Children's Book Grand Prize in 1990 and the 12th Japanese Children's Book Award in 2007 for the original Japanese edition of Sato the Rabbit (Shogakuan). In her spare time, she likes playing the accordion and hula dancing.A Seattle native with a life-long connection to Japan, Michael Blaskowsky spent seven years living on the Japanese island of Hokkaido after graduating Eastern Washington University. His translations cover a wide range of topics, with a focus on literature, the arts, gaming, and the sciences.