Death of Kazuo Iwamura, Japanese author of the books “The Mouse Family”, cult series from L’École des Loisirs

LITERATURE – An author who knew how to reach young and old. The French publishing house The Leisure School announced this Wednesday, January 22, the death of one of its flagship authors, Kazuo Iwamura, who died on December 19 at the age of 85, surrounded by his loved ones.

If his name may not mean anything to you, this Japanese author-illustrator was mainly known in France, Japan and China for his series of children’s books The Mouse family (or 14 Possible in original version). Great classic of The Leisure Schoolthe publishing house paid him a vibrant tribute on Instagram, saluting an artist “ renowned ”, who will have known “ mark the history of children’s literature with its unique style, imbued with poetry and sensitivity ».

« His death leaves a huge void in the world of illustration and children’s literature, but his work will continue to live on in the hearts of children and adults who had the chance to discover his stories. », Adds the publisher specializing in works of children’s literature.

A new home for the Souris family, The Souris family breakfast, Mouse Family Winter, The Souris family picnic… All these works, translated and published in France since 1985, have enjoyed great success in France, helped by one of the specialties of its author: anthropomorphism, which lends human trains to the animals that populate his children’s adventures.

This device was also a way, for the Japanese author, of introducing children to philosophy from a very young age, as is the case in Reflections of a frog and its sequel The New Thoughts of a Frog.

First an illustrator on Japanese television for programs aimed at children, he then made nature and animals the heart of his work on paper, living in Mashiko, a rural village about a hundred kilometers from the capital. Tokyo, as rightly recalled Liberation.

For her work, France was keen to reward her in December 2014 with the prestigious badge of Chevalier des Arts et Lettres, in “ recognition of his exceptional work and lasting influence in the world of illustration », as further noted The Leisure School.

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