Donna Jo Napoli came to Japan to visit international schools. She also gave workshops for the Japan SCBWI chapter today. The workshops were very interesting and helpful.

She read from several of her books. Here, she is reading, Bobby the Bold, a picture book that she wrote with her daughter. It was very good.

I bought some of her books several weeks before the workshops. I bought Beast in English and Japanese. The covers are very different, aren’t they? Big Sister read it in Japanese. It was translated by Miki Kuji. Big Sister couldn’t put it down. She said it was very good. I read it in English. I thought it was very good, too.

I also bought and read Song of the Magdalene. I really liked that, too. I couldn’t find it in Japanese. These two books are for junior high and high school readers. Donna Jo Napoli has written books for all ages. We want to read more of her books. Check out her website for more information about her and her books.

Note: See the paper flap beneath the Japanese version of Beast? The book was sold with it wrapped around its cover. The flap gives a description or quotation from the book.