Monster Maker: The Strange Creatures of Mark Nagata

Gr 1-3–This gorgeous picture book biography traces Mark Nagata’s journey from his childhood love of drawing Japanese kaiju (monster) characters. At the age of nine, Nagata received a box of brightly colored plastic toys from his relatives in Japan. The different toy characters motivated him to draw them enthusiastically on his parents’ typing paper, his older sisters’ notebook papers, and even on paper restaurant place mats. Even though Nagata’s teachers did not like his paintings of the imagined, Nagata became a world-renowned artist creating his own monsters, loved by collectors all over the world. Along with the remarkable life story of Nagata, this book illustrates the details of his Japanese kaiju toy characters. This beautiful book engages young readers from the outset. His early passion for drawing that turned into a successful career will inspire young readers to follow their own paths in pursuing what they love.