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Artist
Kenji OnoKenji is the illustrator of The Year of the Monkey, 11th in the annual series Tales from the Chinese Zodiac. Kenji was born in Tokyo, Japan; the birth place of robotic technology. He grew up reading manga, watching anime, drawing cartoons, and eating ramen everyday. Kenji graduated from Rhode Island School of Design with an illustration degree in 1998. Then he moved to Los Angeles to pursue a career in Animation. Since then he's been a storyboard artist on such popular shows as The Simpsons, Avatar: the Last Airbender, The Penguins of Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda: the Legends of Awesomeness, etc. Currently, he's a story artist at Dreamworks Animation, working on one of their feature films. Recently, Kenji created his own picture book called Nora and Beta. A little girl named Nora lives in a remote village with no technology. When a robot drops from the sky one day, the two characters become fast friends and experience one of a kind adventures together. Kenji lives with his wife and 4 children in Southern California, and hopes to have his own companion robot one day. See more at his website www.kenjionoart.com and blog kenjiono.blogspot.com. 
Order your autographed copy of The Year of the Monkey- get a free limited edition postcard International readers - please note: non-USA addresses need additional postage. Click here to add the appropriate amount to your shopping cart before you check out. Thank you! Reviews"The Year of the Monkey introduces Kenji Ono; and the cover is enough to demonstrate that the illustrations are as energetic as the narrrative: in fact, they make readers leap about just like a monkey themselves, encompassing a variety of persectives and viewpoints. They fill in a wealth of unspoken details and readers will also be able to seek out all the other animals of the zodiac in various guises. Details such as the Chinese schoolroom equipped with ink blocks and brushes as well as the backgrounds, including iconic mountainscapes, all contribute to the strong Chinese identity of the story: more so than other books in the series, and appropriately so, given that the story relates to the Monkey King (and the Jade Emperor makes an appearance too)." - Mirrors, Windows, Doors "Monkey offers both English and Chinese on the page. Another first is Chin’s collaboration with illustrating partner, Kenji Ono, a seasoned storyboard artist for animated series and films. Ono’s experience in ‘moving pictures’ is easily recognizable here, as Max’s never-still energy can hardly be contained." - BookDragon, Smithsonian Asian Pacific American Center In addition to being a talented artist, Kenji has earned the following industry plaudits: - Annie Award Nomination for "Best Storyboarding in Animated Television", 2013 - Emmy Certificate for "Best Prime TIme Animated Series", 2003 |
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Get free Coloring Pages!Press ReleaseInterviewsReviews"I really enjoyed The Year of the Monkey. The illustrations are amazing. The action flies off the spreads. Max and the other characters are larger-than-life, full of spirit, energy, and emotion. I like the bright, active colors and the distinctive Chinese look some characters possess." - Kids Lit Review |
