▁sense " ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁A str id ▁Lind gren ▁Memorial ▁Award ▁from ▁the ▁Swedish ▁Arts ▁Council ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁the ▁largest ▁c ash ▁prize ▁in ▁children ' s ▁literature . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁A rai ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Yam ag ata ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 6 ▁and ▁educated ▁at ▁N ih on ▁University ▁Yam ag ata ▁Junior ▁& ▁Senior ▁High ▁School . ▁He ▁studied ▁art ▁at ▁N ih on ▁University ▁and ▁he ▁lives ▁in ▁Tokyo . ▁His ▁first ▁published ▁work ▁was ▁the ▁picture ▁book ▁Mel ody ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 0 . ▁That ▁year ▁he ▁won ▁the ▁" Gr and ▁Award ▁for ▁new ▁ill ust rat ors " ▁( qu oting ▁the ▁Swedish ▁Arts ▁Council ). ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁References ▁ ▁https :// web . archive . org / web / 2 0 0 7 0 2 0 6 0 5 0 3 5 5 / http :// bro oks . d . car am bo le . com / over view / file objects / B ibli o _ RA _ e . pdf ▁ ▁Further ▁reading ▁ ▁The ▁A str id ▁Lind gren ▁Memorial ▁Award ▁book let : ▁Philip ▁P ull man ▁/ ▁R yo ji ▁A rai , ▁Stat ens ▁Kult urr å d , ▁Stockholm , ▁ 2 0 0 5 , ▁ 1 2 ▁pp ▁( un pag in ated ) ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁ ▁J ' L it ▁| ▁Auth ors ▁: ▁R yo ji ▁A rai ▁| ▁Books