Tokyo Digs a Garden

Winner of the 2016 Governor General's Literary Award for Young People's Literature — Illustrated Books

Tokyo lives in a small house between giant buildings with his family and his cat, Kevin. For years, highways and skyscrapers have been built up around the family’s house where once there were hills and trees. Will they ever experience the natural world again?

One day, an old woman offers Tokyo seeds, telling him they will grow into whatever he wishes. Tokyo and his grandfather are astonished when the seeds grow into a forest so lush that it takes over the entire city overnight. Soon the whole city has gone wild, with animals roaming where cars once drove. But is this a problem to be surmounted, or a new way of living to be embraced?

With Tokyo Digs a Garden, Jon-Erik Lappano and Kellen Hatanaka have created a thoughtful and inspiring fable of environmentalism and imagination.

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.1
With prompting and support, ask and answer questions about key details in a text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.K.6
With prompting and support, name the author and illustrator of a story and define the role of each in telling the story.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.1.7
Use illustrations and details in a story to describe its characters, setting, or events.

KELLEN HATANAKA is a designer and illustrator who lives in Stratford, Ontario, with his family. He has written and illustrated Work: An Occupational ABC (an ALA Notable Children’s Book) and Drive: A Look at Roadside Opposites. He also illustrated Tokyo Digs a Garden, winner of the Governor General’s Literary Award.

• TD Canadian Children's Literature AwardShort-listed 2017
• CCBC Best Books for Children and Teens, starred selectionCommended 2016
• Sakura AwardShort-listed 2017
• Toronto Public Library First and BestWinner 2016
• Green Earth Book AwardLong-listed 2017
• CBC Best Books of 2016Commended 2016
• Governor General's Literary Award, Young People's Literature – Illustrated BooksWinner 2016
• Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book AwardShort-listed 2016

“The text is neither too simple nor too complex but just what is needed to relate this imaginative tale of environmentalism.” — School Library Journal, review

“A challenging 21st-century fable sure to spark discussions.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Kids of all ages will respond to the deep messages embedded in the fertile soil of Tokyo Digs A Garden.” — Midwest Book Review

“In this haunting modern-day fairy tale from newcomer Lappano, nature, long pushed out of a city, pushes back.” — Publishers Weekly

“TOKYO DIGS A GARDEN will resonate with many urban children and their parents who may seek the rural outdoors whenever possible.” — CM Magazine

“The resulting absolutely delightful sustainability-manifesto is made even more stupendous with Hatanaka’s witty, entertaining, sly illustrations . . .” — BookDragon

“. . . a thing of beauty.” — The New York Times

“...fantastic...Highly recommended” — Andrew Kaufman, Globe and Mail