Clara Kumagai author page

Clara Kumagai biography

Clara Kumagai is a writer of children’s and young adult fiction. She is of Japanese, Irish, and Canadian heritage. Kumagai’s debut novel, Catfish Rolling, was published by Zephyr, an imprint of Head of Zeus, in 2023. The novel blends elements of Japanese folklore with speculative fiction and is set in Japan. Catfish Rolling was longlisted for the 2023 Branford Boase Award, which recognises outstanding debut novels for children. Kumagai’s short fiction and essays have appeared in various publications, including The Stinging Fly and Banshee. She has also contributed to the anthology All the Ways We Are, published by Little Island Books in 2023. In 2023, Catfish Rolling was shortlisted for the Waterstones Children’s Book Prize in the Older Readers category.