The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators presents
SCBWI Japan Translation Days 2022
Two days of online presentations, workshopping, and conversation for published and pre-published translators of Japanese children’s and young adult literature into English.
Dates: Saturday, November 12, 2022, and Saturday, November 19, 2022
Time: Meeting Room Opens 8:30 a.m. Sessions 9:00 a.m. – 1 p.m. JST
Place: Remote via Zoom
Fee: 3,500 yen for current SCBWI members; 5,000 yen for nonmembers. One fee covers both days.
Translations of text for workshop with Takami Nieda due by November 5, 2022. Fee payments due by November 9, 2022.
Registration: To reserve your place and receive event details, send an email to japan (at) scbwi.org.
Recordings will be available to registered participants until the end of November 2022.
This event will be in English and Japanese. All dates and times are Japan Standard Time (JST).
Schedule
Kathleen Merz
DAY 1: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 12
8:30 Meeting Room Opens
8:50 Opening Remarks
9:00-9:45 A Conversation with Editor Kathleen Merz
At Eerdmans Books for Young Readers, half (or more) of the titles published each year are translations. Editorial Director Kathleen Merz responds to questions in a live interview about what it takes to publish children’s books in English translation.
Jocelyne Allen
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-10:15 Speed Share
Participants join a lightly structured “speed share” of their current projects.
10:15-11:00 Jocelyne Allen on Translating Colorful by Eto Mori
As the translator of Colorful by Eto Mori—a YA novel known in many languages and the basis of multiple films—Jocelyne Allen shares about the process and issues involved in bringing this iconic work to life in a US English-language edition.
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:45 Presentation and Discussion of Japan Foundation Grant Funding
Aya Tamura
The Japan Foundation’s Support Programs for Translation and Publishing, and its recent Lifelong Favorites initiative, promise to increase the visibility and viability of publishing Japanese children’s literature in English translation. Avery Fischer Udagawa introduces the role Japan Foundation funding played in the publication of her translation of Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba (11:15-11:30). Then, Aya Tamura of the Japan Foundation presents about its programs (11:30-12:15). Finally, participants in Translation Days have the opportunity to discuss how such support might connect to their projects (12:15-12:45).
12:45-1:00 Closing Remarks for Day 1
Marilyn Brigham
DAY 2: SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 19
8:30 Meeting Room Opens
8:50 Opening Remarks
9:00-9:45 A Conversation with Editor Marilyn Brigham
Amazon Crossing Kids is an imprint focused on global literature for children. Marilyn Brigham, senior editor of Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids, responds to questions in a live interview about what it takes to publish children’s books in English translation.
9:45-10:00 Break
10:00-10:15 Submission Opportunities
Participants learn about submission opportunities for those who join in this event, from interested publishers.
Takami Nieda
10:15-11:00 Takami Nieda on Translating The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil
As translator of The Color of the Sky is the Shape of the Heart by Chesil, Takami Nieda describes facilitating the English-language debut of a third-generation Korean born in Japan, whose writing raises key questions about identity and justice.
11:00-11:15 Break
11:15-12:45 Takami Nieda: Translation Workshop
Takami Nieda critiques participants’ translations of an excerpt from 『望むのは』, a title by Natsuki Koyata as yet unpublished in English.
Participants interested in receiving feedback during this workshop must submit their translations of the workshop text by November 5, 2022.
Names will be removed. Participants are not required to submit translations in order to join the workshop.
12:45-1:00 Closing Remarks for Day 2
Speakers
Jocelyne Allen (she/they) is a Japanese translator and interpreter, and has translated hundreds of short stories, novels, and manga, including the beloved Japanese classic Colorful by Eto Mori and the Eisner Award-winning Lovesickness by Junji Ito. As an interpreter, she has worked with Japan’s most celebrated authors and artists, including Sayaka Murata, Yoshihiro Tatsumi, Hideo Furukawa, and Akane Torikai. @brainvsbook
Marilyn Brigham (she/her) is senior editor of Two Lions and Amazon Crossing Kids, the two children’s book imprints at Amazon Publishing. Her noteworthy titles include the upcoming picture book Ruby & Lonely by bestselling author Patrice Karst and illustrated by Kayla Harren; the It’s Not a Fairy Tale series by popular author Josh Funk, illustrated by Edwardian Taylor; and What If Everybody Said That? by Ellen Javernick, illustrated by Colleen Madden, the sequel to the Amazon bestseller What If Everybody Did That?. Prior to joining Amazon Publishing in 2012, Marilyn was at Marshall Cavendish, where she began as an intern and worked her way up to editor. There she edited books for kids of all ages, including popular title Goodnight, Little Monster by Helen Ketteman, illustrated by Bonnie Leick. Marilyn is the author of the board book Swim!, illustrated by Eric Velasquez, and the educational title Dik-Dik (Even Weirder and Cuter Series). When not editing or writing, Marilyn can be found at the beach.
Kathleen Merz (she/her) is the Editorial Director at Eerdmans Books for Young Readers. She has worked on a number of award-winning titles, including books that have won the Caldecott Honor, the Batchelder Award for translation, the Sibert Medal, and other honors. She studied English and linguistics, and especially enjoys working on translated books and nonfiction picture books. She is always looking for original picture books, narrative nonfiction, and middle grade stories—particularly books that tackle contemporary social issues and celebrate diversity or multiculturalism, and stories that have well-crafted voice and strong characters. Kathleen lives in Michigan, and when she’s not at work editing she can usually be found outdoors biking or kayaking.
Takami Nieda (she/her) was born in New York City and has degrees in English from Stanford University and Georgetown University. She has translated and edited more than twenty works of fiction and nonfiction from Japanese into English and has received numerous grants in support of her translations, including the PEN/Heim Translation Fund for the translation of Kazuki Kaneshiro’s GO, which went on to earn a Freeman Book Award for Young Adult/High School Literature from the National Consortium for Teaching about Asia. Her translations have also appeared in Words Without Borders, Asymptote, and PEN America. Formerly an assistant professor of translation at Sophia University in Tokyo, she currently teaches writing and literature at Seattle Central College in Washington State, US. @TNieda
Aya Tamura (she/her) joined the Japan Foundation in 2003. After working in the General Affairs Department and at the Japan Cultural Institute in Paris (Maison de la culture du Japon à Paris), she joined the Arts and Culture Department’s Planning and Coordination / Literary Arts Section in 2021. Support Programs for Translation and Publishing
Avery Fischer Udagawa (she/her) serves as Translator Coordinator and Japan Translator Coordinator in the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators. Her translations include the Mildred L. Batchelder Award-winning novel Temple Alley Summer by Sachiko Kashiwaba, illustrated by Miho Satake, published by Restless Books. @AveryUdagawa
SCBWI Japan Translation Group 