ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd nˈaɪnti fˈaɪv, ðə bˈʊk wˈʌn ðə twˈɛnti sˈɪksθ kˈoʊdænʃə lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚ kˈʌltʃɚɹ ɐwˈɔːɹd ænd ðə fˈoːɹɾi sˈɛkənd sˈæŋkeɪ tʃˈɪldɹənz lˈɪɾɚɹᵻtʃɚ kˈʌltʃɚɹ ɐwˈɔːɹd.
In 1995, the book won the 26th Kōdansha Literature Culture Award and the 42nd Sankei Children's Literature Culture Award.