#Japan #Tokyo #Kajiwara Shobo #The Mystery of the Dog #Mario Lodi

Overview of 'The Mystery of the Dog'

This remarkable children's book tells a touching story of children who discover a fatally injured dog on a Christmas night. Despite the adults' warnings to give up on the dog, stating it wouldn't survive or be useful even if it did, the children band together, taking shifts to care for it and swapping hot water bottles to provide warmth. Their parents watch over them with a gentle and supportive gaze. Thanks to the children’s dedicated care, the dog begins to recover.

As time passes, the children not only nurture the dog back to health but also embark on adventures together, playing soccer and exploring the beautiful Italian countryside that forms the backdrop of the story. The author, Mario Lodi, beautifully captures the essence of life’s fragility and the importance of compassion through vivid descriptions of nature's changing seasons. However, a surprising twist one winter later awaits the children, reminding readers of the unpredictability of life.

Author Mario Lodi

Mario Lodi, who passed away in 2014, was a prominent educator, writer, and educational theorist from Italy. His teaching philosophy emphasized deep and meaningful communication with children, encouraging their innate abilities and interests. Passionate about nature, Lodi often took his students outdoors, providing them with hands-on learning experiences. He also collaborated with his students to create illustrated books, one of which, titled 'Cipi', gained considerable recognition both in Italy and abroad. In acknowledgment of his contributions to education, Lodi received numerous awards, including an honorary degree from the University of Bologna in 1989 and accolades such as the Republic Merit Medal and the UNICEF Award.

Selection by the National School Library Council

The National School Library Council (SLA) is dedicated to promoting the growth and development of school libraries to cultivate children's ability to learn independently and develop rich human qualities through reading. The selected 'Summer Reading List' helps encourage a love for reading during the summer break. Kajiwara Shobo is honored to have 'The Mystery of the Dog' included, and we hope it can contribute to fostering emotional education and reading interest among children across Japan.

Commitment to Publishing at Kajiwara Shobo

At Kajiwara Shobo, our journey in publishing begins with the quest to find meaningful stories for children. We select books that convey important messages, undertake all publication processes in-house, including copyright negotiations and translations, and spend significant time crafting each book with care. After releasing our first picture book, 'The Most Important Thing', in 2023, we entered the publishing industry from a completely different field. With little knowledge of book sales, we took our book to nursery and kindergarten institutions, building cherished memories through the kind words from principals and support from independent bookstores. We are immensely grateful and aim to continue publishing high-quality books in the future.