born August 28, 1937 Yokohama, Japan
at age twelve, apprenticed himself to his favorite cartoonist, Noro Shinpei
married Deidre Myles April 18, 1974
daughter Yuriko
loves fly fishing
studied 3 years at Aoyama Gakuin, Tokyo; 1 year at Chouinard Art Institute; 1 year at Los Angeles Art Center School; 2 years at University of California Berkeley; and 1 year San Francisco Art Institute
Awards
Caldecott Medal, 1994, Grandfather's Journey Caldecott Honor Book, 1989, The Boy of the Three Year Nap ALA Notable Children's Book, 1988, The Boy of the Three Year Nap Boston Globe/Horn Book Award, 1988, The Boy of the Three Year Nap New York Times Ten Best Illustrated Children's Books, 1988, A River Dream Christopher Award, 1985, How My Parents Learned to Eat Horn Book honor list, 1984, How My Parents Learned to Eat New York Times Best Illustrated award, 1980, The Lucky Yak ALA Notable Book and Best Book for Young Adults, both 1979, The Inn-Keeper's Apprentice
Writings
The Sign Painter, Walter Lorraine, 2000 Tea with Milk, Houghton, 1999 Allison, Houghton, 1997 Emma's Rug, Houghton, 1996 Stranger in the Mirror, Houghton, 1995 Grandfather's Journey, Houghton, 1993 Tree of Cranes, Houghton, 1991 El Chino, Houghton, 1990 The Lost Lake, Houghton, 1989 A River Dream, Houghton, 1988 The Bicycle Man, Parnesso Press, Houghton, 1982 The Ink-keeper's Apprentice, Harper & Row, 1979 The Feast of Lanterns, Harper & Row, 1976 Under the Cherry Blossom Tree: An Old Japanese Tale, Harper & Row,1974 Dr. Smith's Safari, Harper & Row, 1972
Illustrator
The Boy of the Three Year Nap, by Dianne Synder, Houghton, 1988 How My Parents Learned to Eat, by Ina R. Friedman, Houghton, 1984 The Secret Cross of Lorriane, by Thea Brow, Houghton, 1981 The Lucky Yak, by Annetta Lawson, Parnassus Press, 1980 Magic and the Night River, by Eve Bunting, Harper & Row, 1978 Two Ways of Seeing, by Wilson Pinney, ed., Little, Brown, 1971 A Canticle to the Waterbirds, by Brother Antoninus, EIZO Press, 1968
Interview with Allen Say by Stephanie Loer
profile of Allen Say by his 13 year old daughter Yuriko Say
profile of Allen Say by himself