Cirrus@Austlit

Junko Morimoto was born in Hiroshima in 1932. In 1945, as a thirteen year old, Morimoto survived the atomic bombing of Hiroshima. She graduated from Kyoto City University of Fine Art in 1955 and holds a Bachelor of Art degree and a Teaching Diploma. Morimoto migrated to Australia in 1982 where she published her first picture book, The White Crane (1983). No picture book is the sole work of one person and Morimoto worked closely with editor Anne Bowers Ingram on many of her picture books. Her niece, Helen Smith, is responsible for the adaptation and translation of a number of her works and her son, Isao Morimoto, worked with Anne Bower Ingram on the translation of My Hiroshima from Japanese to English and solo on Big Nuisance and The Two Bullies. Many of Morimoto's picture books have gained recognition by winning various awards, most notably CBCA Awards. (Follow the links to the AustLit work Records for each of the picture books on this trail).The majority of Morimoto's picture books are based on traditional folktales or adapted from stories by Kenji Miyazawa; only Big Nuisance appears to be an original story. My Hiroshima, however, is her nonfictional account of the day the atomic bomb was dropped on her home town. Morimoto is, first and foremost, an illustrator. Her illustrative texts show clever use of dark and light alongside subtle colour palettes. These, combined with changing perspectives and thoughtful design, create beautiful picture books which are evocative of the traditional Japanese tales from which they came but also have appeal for a contemporary audience.