The Cat That Lived a Million Times - Tapa dura

A poignant fable of love and loss; a whimsical tale of a cat with more than nine lives; a beautifully poetic Buddhist allegory of birth, death, rebirth, and emancipation-this strikingly illustrated book invites all of these readings. In language both simple and profound, it tells the story of an arrogant cat who keeps being reborn to owners he dislikes until he discovers freedom, and then love. This book was intended for children to enjoy but its complex, moving themes make it even more appropriate for adults. Published in 1977, The Cat That Lived a Million Times is in its 56th printing in Japan. It appears now in English for the first time.

Sano Yoko is the recipient of the Sankei Cultural Award for Children's Literature and the Kodansha Picture Book Award - Judith Carol Huffman, a middle school teacher from Springfield, Ohio, was a lifelong student of Japanese children's literature and culture. She died in 1996.