Hayao Miyazaki

Discover the fascinating story of Hayao Miyazaki, from a wartime evacuee to a legendary and award-winning filmmaker.

Born in 1941 in Tokyo during World War II, Miyazaki's father was the manager of Miyazaki Airplane, a company that built fighter planes. Miyazaki's family was evacuated several times during the war, and some of his earliest memories were of bombed-out cities. Always passionate about drawing, young Miyazaki loved to draw planes, tanks, and battleships. Inspired by manga artists, he dreamt of creating his own films, and in 1985, he co-founded Studio Ghibli.

Renowned for classics like My Neighbor Totoro, Spirited Away, and Princess Mononoke, Miyazaki's work weaves together themes of adventure, friendship, and environmentalism. His unique storytelling style, rich with breathtaking visuals and heartfelt narratives, encourages viewers to explore the beauty of the natural world and the importance of compassion. Miyazaki's journey as an artist redefined the animation industry, and his commitment to hand-drawn animation and dedication to storytelling continue to captivate the young and old. Fans will be fascinated to discover the life story of their favorite filmmaker.

This inspiring book features vibrant illustrations and extra facts at the back, including a biographical timeline with historical photos and a detailed profile of the animator's life.

Little People, BIG DREAMS is a bestselling biography series for kids that explores the lives of outstanding people, from designers and artists to scientists and activists. All of them achieved incredible things, yet each began life as a child with a dream.

This empowering series of books offers inspiring messages to children of all ages, in a range of formats. The board books are told in simple sentences, perfect for reading aloud to babies and toddlers. The hardcover versions present expanded stories for beginning readers. With rewritten text for older children, the treasuries each bring together a multitude of dreamers in a single volume. You can also collect a selection of the books by theme in boxed gift sets. Activity books and a journal provide even more ways to make the lives of these role models accessible to children.

Select praise for the New York Times Bestselling Little People, BIG DREAMS series:

"...cute and quirky..."--USA Today, in praise of Dolly Parton
"...address[es] not only setbacks but also their strength to persevere and reach their goals."--Buzzfeed, in praise of RuPaul
"...introduc[es] kids to important figures in Latinx history."--Good Housekeeping, in praise of Frida Kahlo
"...[an] extraordinary series..."--TheEverymom, in praise of Mindy Kaling
"...a fabulous way to teach little ones about the extraordinary lives of influential people..."--Town & Country, in praise of Vincent Van Gogh
"...handled in an age appropriate way..."--Parents.com, in praise of Amanda Gorman
"...particularly great for this age..."--NY Magazine, in praise of Prince
"...encourages kids to dream big to 'achieve incredible things.'"--Rolling Stone, in praise of Kamala Harris

Author: Maria Isabel Sanchez Vegara
Publisher: Frances Lincoln Ltd
Published: 07/21/2026
Pages: 32
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 0.75lbs
Size: 9.60h x 7.90w x 0.50d
ISBN: 9781805701958
Audience: Ages 4-8

About the Author
Maria Isabel Sánchez Vegara, born in Barcelona, Spain, is a writer and creative director in constant search of new concepts for children's books. In 2014, she created a book for her two twin nieces for their birthday, which shortly thereafter became the first book in the Little People, BIG DREAMS series. This multimillion-copy bestselling series of picture books explores the lives of outstanding people. From Mahatma Gandhi to Aretha Franklin, to Prince, Sánchez Vegara researches complex careers and makes them accessible to young children, with her unique and mindful style of writing. She works with a diverse team of illustrators to make each book lively, eye-catching and motivating. Working for more than fifteen years for clients in top advertising agencies, her books combine creativity with learning, aiming to establish a new and fresh relationship between children and pop culture. ​Momoko Abe is a Japanese illustrator currently based in the UK. Her debut picture book Avocado Asks was published in 2020. She loves dynamic compositions and beautiful color combinations, and as well as digital media, Momoko creates her art with gouache paints and pencils. Her favorite things to draw are animals and food.