Lee & Low Books was heartbroken to hear about the recent passing of Ken Mochizuki, a trailblazing author whose work helped define Lee & Low’s mission from its inception.
Ken’s picture book debut, Baseball Saved Us, was one of Lee & Low’s first published titles in 1993. The story of a young boy playing baseball in a Japanese American incarceration camp during World War II opened a window into a painful chapter of American history that had been largely overlooked in children’s literature. Ken expertly wrote about the past while illuminating truths that desperately needed to be told, making his stories accessible to young readers while also exuding grace, honesty, and hope.
Ken continued this vital work with Heroes, which explores the painful legacy of war and prejudice; Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story, a true story that honors the courage of Chiune Sugihara and his family, who prevented acts of genocide during the Holocaust; and Be Water, My Friend, a picture book biography about the life and philosophy of Bruce Lee. Each book demonstrated Ken’s unwavering commitment to stories that matter, particularly those that reflect the diverse experiences of children who had too often been invisible in books.
Beyond his remarkable talent as a writer, Ken was a journalist, actor, and social activist who understood the power of representation. He showed us—and generations of readers—that our stories deserve to be told and our histories deserve to be honored.
“In 1993, Lee & Low Books was in its infancy of specializing in diverse books for children. It was during this year that Ken Mochizuki’s Baseball Saved Us was published amongst our other debut titles. Baseball Saved Us set the bar high for weighty subjects, like the Japanese incarceration camps used by the United States during World War II to unjustly and unconstitutionally imprison Japanese Americans. It helped redefine what stories could be told in a picture book format. The book has sold more than one million copies (so far) and acts as a cautionary tale for governments who sometimes enact crimes against their own citizens because of fear and prejudice.
Ken’s success continued with his books Heroes; Be Water, My Friend, a picture book biography about Bruce Lee; and another bestseller, Passage to Freedom: The Sugihara Story. Passage to Freedom told the story of Chiune Sugihara, a Japanese diplomat stationed in Lithuania during World War II. Sugihara came to be known as the “Japanese Schindler”, who saved more Jewish refuges than the actual Schindler from the Nazis regime.
Ken’s books bravely told stories that needed to be told. His books will serve not only as his legacy, but as a testament to his belief that we can all be the heroes of our own stories. ” — Jason Low, Publisher/Co-owner, Lee & Low Books
“When Tom Low and I first started Lee & Low Books in 1991, we wanted to publish Asian American stories but at that time, there were very few AAPI children’s book writers. We had to find writers and interest them to write for us. I came across a piece in Whole Earth Review called “Baseball Behind Barbed Wire.” It told the story of Japanese Americans playing baseball while incarcerated during World War II. I was struck by how little-known this history was, and I thought young readers would connect deeply with it, so I began looking for a writer on the subject.
My late first wife, Karen Chinn—author of Sam and the Lucky Money (Lee & Low, 1995)—introduced me to Ken Mochizuki. They had worked together at Seattle’s International Examiner, an Asian American community newspaper. I approached Ken with the idea, and he was interested. As a lifelong sports fan, he was drawn to the baseball angle. While he knew some of the history, he still had to research the internment experience, as his own parents—who were sent to Idaho’s Minidoka camp—rarely spoke about it. A few weeks later, Ken returned with a draft. It told the story of Shorty, a young boy whose family and community built a baseball field and formed a league to bring hope and resilience to their lives while incarcerated. I was deeply moved even on the first draft. Ken captured not just Shorty’s voice, but also the spirit of an entire community: their loss, their courage, and their determination to rebuild after the war.
At that time, most “diverse books” were folktales set in faraway lands and long-ago times. Baseball Saved Us was different. Ken wrote about modern Asian and Asian American experience at a time when it was largely overlooked. His great gift was writing about people—fictional or real—in ways that were deeply human and relatable, no matter who the reader was. I was fortunate to work with Ken again on Heroes and Passage to Freedom. We often traveled together to school visits. I’ll never forget the moments when Asian American kids would line up to meet him, their faces glowing with pride at seeing an author who looked like them. I couldn’t tell who was beaming more—the kids or Ken. Seeing him so full of joy while inspiring young readers is certainly one of my favorite memories of him.
Ken’s work changed the industry, opening doors for stories that had never been told before. I’ll always be grateful that he took a chance on Lee & Low when we were brand new, untested, and outsiders to the publishing world. I’m thankful for his trust, his talent, and finally, his friendship. I will miss him deeply.” — Philip Lee, co-founder, Lee & Low Books
“It is an honor to have written the Teacher's Guide for Baseball Saved Us. I collaborated with Ken and former Vice President of Editorial Louise May when I wrote the updated Teacher's Guide for Baseball Saved Us. He conveyed such enthusiasm, encouragement, and appreciation. I open every presentation's introduction to Lee & Low Books with "let me tell you our mission through this book." Co-founder and first Editor-in-Chief Philip Lee found an amazing creative force in Ken Mochizuki and Dom Lee and encouraged Ken to write stories for young people. Baseball Saved Us continues to be featured in national park stores and paired with museum exhibits around the country.” — Jill Eisenberg, Vice President of Curriculum and Literacy Strategy and Business Development, Lee & Low Books
“Though I didn't know him personally, I had the honor of producing all four of Ken's books with Lee & Low - Baseball Saved Us, Heroes, Be Water, My Friend, and Passage to Freedom. They were not only beautiful in both prose and the accompanying images, they are game changers. I am a more complete person for Ken's contributions, and I know all at Lee & Low are proud to have published his works.” — Danny Adlerman, Director of Production, Manufacturing and Editorial Services, Lee & Low Books
