Drawing from Memory (review)

Caldecott-winning artist Allen Say has often drawn on his own family history in his books, but here for the first time he recounts his story directly, chronicling his youth in Japan and especially his artistic education both at school and in his apprenticeship with the noted cartoonist Noro Shinpei. He writes of growing up in wartime and post-war Japan (“When the war ended . . . everything was broken”), of a family that disapproved of his passion for art, and of his determination to pursue it nonetheless, even to the point of boldly approaching his idol and asking for tutelage. It’s a fascinating story, filled with startling developments (Say’s being put up alone in a Tokyo apartment at the age of twelve, his becoming the model for a cartoon character in his master’s popular cartoons) but also the ebb and flow of young life—talented classmates, inspiring teachers, girls that one likes from afar, knowing no other way. There’s a thoughtful, measured quality to Say’s modest storytelling, but it’s never dry; compact, simple sentences convey an existence teeming with human interaction (even from afar, his father exerts an influence) and human endeavor as the young boy develops his artistic skills. The narrative is as visual as it is textual, with period photographs, art from Say’s youth, and occasional images from his books joining forces with new illustrations that document his past in clean-lined graphic-novel-styled panel art. While this will obviously appeal to fans of Say’s books, young artists in general will warm to the account of artistic apprenticeship, and those who enjoyed Lat’s Kampung Boy (BCCB 1/07) may also appreciate this strongly visual account of youth in a very different time and place. A closing note talks more about Noro Shinpei and Say’s relationship with him.