Hiroshi Saitō (1952–)  lives in Tokyo, where he is a scholar of German literature teaching at Asia University as well as a writer of children’s stories. He got his start as a children’s author when he won the Kodansha Award for New Writers of Children’s Literature in 1986 for Rudorufu to ippaiattena (Rudolph and Lotsathings). In 1991 he received the Robō-no-Ishi Young Readers Award for this and other works. He has gained a following for humor-filled stories that feature animal characters. His many other titles include Bāsudē doggu (Birthday Dog), the Burakkaburokko-tō-dayori (News from Braccabrocco Island) series, the Nanja Hinatamaru (Apprentice Ninja Hinatamaru) series, and the Pengin tankentai (Penguin Explorers) series.