Author / Illustrator

Suharu Ogawa

She/Her

Suharu Ogawa is a Toronto-based author, illustrator, and educator originally from Japan. Her love for drawing started in a kindergarten art school after being kicked out of calligraphy class for refusing to convert to right-handedness. Formally trained in Art History and Cultural Anthropology, she worked for several years as a university librarian until her passion for illustration called her out of that career and into the pursuit of a lifelong dream. Since then, Suharu has done various work for magazines, children’s books, public art projects, and more. She also teaches illustration as Assistant Professor at OCAD University. Oto and the Little Yellow Train is her latest picture book.

Featured Books

Explore Suharu Ogawa's books featured at this year's festival

A debut picture book from acclaimed illustrator Suharu Ogawa that captures the unbreakable connection with a beloved grandparent, and how our most cherished memories stay with us no matter where we go.

Oto is on her way home back to the city from the best summer in the Japanese countryside with her Obah-chan. She knows that summer has to come to an end, but maybe on this train ride, she can make her memories last a little longer.
For fans of My Neighbor Totoro and Last Stop on Market Street, this timeless story features hand-painted illustrations and offers a beautiful take on the perennial theme of endings and new beginnings and the complicated nature of living far away from those we love. Readers will be swept along by the lyrical cadence of the train’s rhythm, and follow Oto as she and Obah-chan make their journey from the Japanese countryside into the city to say goodbye for another season.
Acclaimed artist Suharu Ogawa’s debut work as both author and illustrator is a highly personal story with universal appeal. The classic theme of endings and new beginnings is perfect for kids going back to school or moving to a new city.

About the author