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Once considered a safe haven for “physically weak” children, books have always been a source of refuge for those seeking to escape the harsh realities of life. A prime example of this is animation legend, Hayao Miyazaki, who found solace in books during post-World War II Japan. For a 2010 exhibition honoring publisher Iwanami Shoten’s “Boy’s Books” series, Miyazaki selected 50 of his favorite children’s books. Interestingly, many of his selections were time-tested Western classics that featured loners, orphans, and talking animals.
Some of Miyazaki’s top picks included The Little Prince, The Secret Garden, and The Wind in the Willows, all of which featured prominently in the exhibition. Despite the commonly-held belief that boys won’t read stories about girls, Miyazaki showed no such bias, ranking Heidi and Laura Ingalls Wilder alongside Tom Sawyer and Treasure Island’s pirates.
While some of Miyazaki’s favorite books were ones he had encountered in childhood, such as Tistou of the Green Thumbs and The Long Winter, many were ones he could only have discovered as an adult, like From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler and When Marnie Was There, which served as source material for a Studio Ghibli movie.
In taking a stroll through Miyazaki’s best-loved children’s books, readers will encounter titles that range from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea to Robinson Crusoe and The Hobbit. It’s clear that Miyazaki’s love of literature has had a profound impact on his work in the world of animation, and his passion for storytelling continues to inspire generations of readers and filmmakers alike.
