From war-torn Tokyo to the world stage, Totto-chan—the beloved girl from Japan’s bestselling book of all time—returns in an unforgettable story of resilience, wonder, and grace.

Over forty years ago, Japanese pop culture icon Tetsuko Kuroyanagi ended her bestselling memoir chronicling her childhood adventures at the unconventional Tomoe Gakuen with that beloved school burning down amidst the bombs of WWII.

Now, inspired by contemporary events, Totto-chan's story continues. Beginning with her family’s frantic effort to escape Tokyo and the worst of the war, ­Kuro­yanagi details how that little girl persevered through starvation and suffering to become a trailblazing actress, a champion for the deaf and children the world over, and one of the most successful entertainers in Japanese history.

• • A truly all-ages book for children’s and adult public library collections, as well as school collections and classrooms from elementary to university.
  
  
• • Two-time Guinness World Record-setting author: “Most Copies of an Autobiography Published,” and “Most TV Talk Show Episodes Hosted”!
  
  
• • Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window has sold over 25 million copies in-print, and has been translated into 30 languages!
  
  
• • The original Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window has been adapted into an animated feature and a live-action series!
  

About the author:

Born in Tokyo, Tetsuko Kuroyanagi is an actor, television host, and essayist. After graduating from Toyo Conservatory of Music (currently Tokyo College of Music) she became the first television actress for national broadcaster NHK. Her daily interview television program Tetsuko’s Room (which began airing in February 1976 on TV Asahi) has run for over 12,000 episodes and continues to break the world record for the longest-running single-host television program.

Her bestselling 1981 memoir Totto-chan: The Little Girl at the Window (Kodansha) has sold over 8 million copies in Japan and 25 million copies around the world, in the process winning a Guinness World Record for "Most Copies of an Autobiography Published."

A devoted philanthropist, Kuroyanagi was appointed Asia's first UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador in 1984, in which capacity she has visited over thirty-nine countries in support of children suffering from starvation, conflict, and disease, and also serves on the board of the Worldwide Fund for Nature Japan. The Totto Foundation—financed with her book royalties—provides professional training to deaf actors, with whom Kuroyanagi often appears. Kuroyanagi has twice brought America's National Theater of the Deaf to Japan, acting with them in sign language. She is the author of ten books.