About
MY STORY
“What do you want to be when you grow up? An artist.”
I always drew and made small books when I was young. Two of my favorite things to draw were princesses and horses but I was not afraid to steal plot elements from the Brothers Grimm. Later, at my Vermont high school, I spent all my spare time in Mr Field’s art room, where I felt most at home.
Then on to Rhode Island School of Design where my favorite class was life drawing, along with painting, printmaking, woodworking, jewelry making and lots of art history. When I took an illustration class called Picture & Word I knew that I had found what I really loved. The lessons learned in that class inspired my first book: A Year of Birds, and still influence me today.
Since that first book was published in 1984 I have authored or illustrated over 40 books for children. While I love exploring different visual techniques, some things remain constant. You won’t find many airplanes, tractors or trucks in my stories but you can always count on lots of color, animals, children and a love of nature.
I always drew and made small books when I was young. Two of my favorite things to draw were princesses and horses but I was not afraid to steal plot elements from the Brothers Grimm. Later, at my Vermont high school, I spent all my spare time in Mr Field’s art room, where I felt most at home.
Then on to Rhode Island School of Design where my favorite class was life drawing, along with painting, printmaking, woodworking, jewelry making and lots of art history. When I took an illustration class called Picture & Word I knew that I had found what I really loved. The lessons learned in that class inspired my first book: A Year of Birds, and still influence me today.
Since that first book was published in 1984 I have authored or illustrated over 40 books for children. While I love exploring different visual techniques, some things remain constant. You won’t find many airplanes, tractors or trucks in my stories but you can always count on lots of color, animals, children and a love of nature.
writers & collaborators
David Edwards Rita Gray Gerald Hausman Bonnie Lass Jean Marzollo Laurel Porter-Gaylord Margarette S. Reid Michael Elsohn Ross Joanne Ryder Liz Gartin Scanlon Lisa Shulman Mary McKenna Siddals Joseph Slate Philemon Sturges Sarah Weeks Isabel Wilner