Illustrators
Keller, Laurie
Place of Birth: Muskegon, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Muskegon, MI
Biography
Laurie Keller grew up in Muskegon, MI. She studied at a local community college while performing in civic theatre productions and dancing and choreographing with the college’s repertory dance tour. Five years out of high school, Keller went with a friend to a student show at Kendall College of Art & Design and was so impressed she enrolled the following fall. Four years later she graduated with a BFA in illustration and got a job in Kansas City as a greeting card artist at Hallmark cards. While working at Hallmark, Keller also did freelance work for The Kansas City Star and trade magazines. She was gradually allowed to create her own cards (including cards for children) and thus discovered the correlation of illustration to writing. Her many visits to The Reading Reptile (a bookstore) sparked a love for children’s books. After seven and a half years working at Hallmark, Keller quit and moved to New York City to become a freelance illustrator.
Soon after her move to New York City, Keller did freelance work for Nickelodeon Television and also published her first book (The Scrambled States of America) through Henry Holt publishing company. Since then she has done freelance artwork for various magazines, newspapers, and design firms as well as writing and illustrating her own work.
Selected Works
- The Scrambled States of America (1998)
- Open Wide: Tooth School Inside (2000)
- Arnie the Doughnut (2003)
- Grandpa’s Gazillion Number Yard (2005)
Books illustrated:
- Marty Frye, Private Eye (Janet Tashjian 2000)
- Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions (Don Wullfson 2000)
- Stinky Thinking: The Big Book of Gross Games and Brain Teasers (Alan Katz 2005)
- Fooled You!: Fakes and Hoaxes Through the Years(Elaine Pascoe 2005)
Critical Reception
All her children’s books have an educational focus. The Scrambled States of America in particular was given a warm reception among educators. Its fun, quirky way of introducing geography inspired some teachers to organize their curriculum around it. Keller has made multiple trips to schools for publicity and inspiration. Her second book, Open Wide: Tooth School Inside had mixed reviews. While the first book made states memorable by attaching them to memorable personalities, Open Wide relied heavily on the tooth “instructor” to spout facts to his class of young molars, etc. Some critics complained that this method of relaying information to children is boring and ineffective.
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
Keller’s interest in design was sparked by an exhibit at Kendall College of Art & Design. The work she did there jumpstarted her gradual interest in writing and illustrating children’s stories. Keller already had an artistic bent (ballet dancing), but the instruction she received from her home area helped her end up as a full time writer and artist.
McElrath-Eslick, Lori S.
May 29, 1960—
Place of Birth: Muskegon, MI
Place of Principal Residence: North Muskegon, MI
Biography
Loris S. McElrath Eslick was born in Muskegon MI, the daughter of Charles William McElrath and Wanda Faye McElrath. She received an Associate’s Degree in illustration from Kendall college in 1981, and returned later to get a Bachelor’s degree in illustration in 1999. She worked from 1981 to 1987 as a greeting card illustrator for Hallmark, until finding her big break when her illustrations were accepted into the Bologna Book Fair competition in Italy. It was there that she was first noticed by publishers, and landed a book contract soon therafter. McElrath-Eslick is her own representative in addition to being a stay-at home mom. She lives with her husband and two children, Camille and Chase. They live close to the dunes in Muskegon, and enjoy going out as a family to walk, swim, and hike the dunes. She also takes pictures of snow shelters whenever she sees one.
Selected Works
- Does God Know How To Tie Shoes? (1993, Eerdmans Books for Young Readers)
- Read For Me, Mama (1997, Boyds Mills Press)
- Da Wei’s Treasure (1999, Margaret K. McElderry Books)
- Mommy Poems (2000, Boyd’s Mills Press)
Awards
- 1991 Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Award for Oil: Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Exhibit, NY
- 1992 Degas Award given by the Midwest Pastel Society
- 2000 Ezra Jack Keats fellowship award winner
- Full Member of Catherine Lorillard Wolfe Art Club, NY
- 1998 Illustration accepted for the Society of Illustrators 40th Annual Exhibition, NY
- 1998 Featured in Something About the Author vol. 96
- 1997 Best Children’s Magazine Illustration National Award given by the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators
Critical Reception
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For Mommy Poems:
- “The artist is especially good with light, shadow, and people’s faces. The book’s overall atmosphere of coziness and warmth sets a fairly traditional mood.” - School Library Journal
- “Lori McElrath-Eslick’s paintings tend to obscure facial expressions but set a serene mood..” - Publishers Weekly
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
McElrath-Eslick draws inspiration for her artwork from her surroundings, particularly her children. Living in a small Michigan town provides her with the opportunity to observe simple, yet beautiful things – such as snow shelters – that help her illustrations sparkle.
Perkins, Lynne Rae
July 31, 1956 -
Place of Birth: Pittsburgh, PA
Place of Principle Residence: Cedar, MI
Biography:
Lynne Rae Perkins was born to Janet and Raymond Calvert in Pittsburgh, PA. She earned her B.F.A. in Drawing and Painting at Pennsylvania State University in 1978 and her M.F.A. in Printmaking at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 1981. Upon graduating from the latter, Perkins moved to Boston where she worked as a graphic designer. There she met and married her husband, Bill, and moved to the northern woods of Michigan. The couple lived in a house constructed by Bill (a furniture maker) that had no electricity, telephone service, or running water, requiring woodstoves, a propane-powered refrigerator, and walking to a nearby park for buckets of water. Perkins got her foot in the publishing world when she attended the 1993 Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators Conference and got her illustrations looked at by the art director of GreenWillow Books. The director liked what she saw, and in 1995 Perkins’ first book was published, Home Lovely. Since then Perkins has written and illustrated many other books, including the Newberry Award-winning Criss Cross. She now lives in Cedar, MI in a house designed by herself and built by her husband, with her two children: Lucy and Frank.
Selected Works:
- Home Lovely (1995)
- Clouds for Dinner (1997)
- All Alone in the Universe (1999)
- The Broken Cat (2002)
Awards:
- Home Lovely Horn Book Honor Book
- Clouds: riverbank Review’s books of distinction
Critical Reception:
For Criss Cross:
“Writing in a wry, omniscient third-person narrative voice, Perkins deftly captures the tentativeness and incompleteness of adolescence. In 38 brief chapters, this poetic, postmodern novel experiments with a variety of styles: haiku, song lyrics, question-and-answer dialogue and split-screen scenarios. With seeming yet deliberate randomness, Perkins writes an orderly, innovative, and risk-taking book in which nothing happens and everything happens.”
- Newberry Award Committee Chair Barbara Barstow
For The Broken Cat:
“Perkins is a genius at capturing the odd details that reveal so much about individuals and families, and how they interact.”
- Riverbank Review
“Lynne Rae Perkins has the gift of surprising — and, once she’s caught you and often delighted you, of shifting your point of view, or showing you something new, or getting you to think about something you hadn’t thought about before, at least in quite that way.”
- Horn Book Magazine
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work:
Perkins draws her inspiration from living in the northern woods of Michigan. Her book, Clouds for Dinner, was based on her experience on her and her husband’s first and very rustic house.
Polacco, Patricia
June 11, 1944—
Place of Birth: Lansing, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Union City, MI
Biography
Patricia Polacco was born to Mary Ellen and William Barber in Lansing, MI on June 11, 1944. Beloved story teller Patricia Polacco may not have lived in Michigan for many years, but it has been a place that holds many dear memories for her. Right after her birth, Patricia soon moved to Union City, Michigan where she lived on her grandparents’ farm until 1949. Patricia’s heritage is Russian, Ukrainian, and Irish and growing up she was constantly surrounded by interesting stories and story tellers alike. In 1952, Patricia and her family moved to Oakland, California where she spent the rest of her childhood and most of her adult life. Even though Patricia grew up in Oakland, she spent summers with her dad in Michigan.
Growing up in Oakland, Patricia had a hard time in school. She did not learn how to read until she was fourteen due to her dyslexia. Her disability did not stop her from going on to obtain a higher education. Patricia attended the California College of Arts and Crafts, Laney Community College, Monash University and Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology in Melbourne, Australia. At the end of her college career, Patricia had earned a Ph.D. in Art History.
Patricia has enjoyed a very rich family life in many senses. Her diverse heritage has provided her with many ideas. Before she began writing, Patricia worked at a museum restoring religious icons and devoted her time to raising her two children. At the age of 41, Patricia started her writing career out of a love for her family and the desire to record the many inspirational tales she had heard all her life. Her first books were unpublished and hand drawn which she gave to her children. Soon after she started experimenting with different stories she went to New York and met with publishers.
Today, Patricia has published dozens of children’s books which reflect her background and life experiences in many ways. In Thank You, Mr. Falker Patricia writes about her teacher who helped her learn to read despite her dyslexia. Almost all of her books are about children interacting with older people because Patricia loved spending time with her grandparents. Patricia’s writing focuses on teaching children about other cultures through a wonderful and imaginative story as apparent in Chicken Sunday and Babushka Baba Yaga. Today, Patricia lives once again on her grandmother’s farm in Union City, Michigan where she continues to write and illustrates her books as well as hold writing workshops and children’s literature festivals.
Selected Works
- Meteor! (1987)
- Thunder Cake (1990)
- Mrs. Katz and Tush (1992)
- Chicken Sunday (1992)
- Rechenka’s Eggs (1993)
- My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother (1994)
- Pink and Say (1994)
- Babushka’s Mother Goose (1995)
- Babushka Baba Yaga (1999)
- The Keeping Quilt (2001)
- When Lightening Comes in a Jar (2002)
- Emma Kate (2005)
Awards
- 1988 Sydney Taylor Book Award: The Keeping Quilt
- 1989 International Reading Association Award: Rechenka’s Eggs
- Commonwealth Club of California Recognition of Excellence: 1990 Babushka’s Doll and 1992 Chicken Sunday
- Golden Kite Award for Illustration: Chicken Sunday
- Nov. 9th 1993 Jane Adams Peace Asoc. and Women’s Intl. League for Peace and Freedom Honor award to Mrs. Katz and Tush for its effective contribution to peace and social justice
- 1996 North Dakota Library Association Children’s Book Award: My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother
- 1996 Jo Osborne Award for Humor in Children’s Literature
- Show Me Readers Award for My Rotten Red Headed Older Brother
- 1997 West Virginia Children’s Book Award: Pink and Say
- 1998 Mid -South Independent Booksellers for Children Humpty Dumpty Award
Critical Reception
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For The Lemonade Club:
“Once again, Polacco works from a true episode, this time in her daughter’s friend’s life, to build a heartwarming and touchingly gentle story of
serious childhood illness and its hopeful, positive outcome through compassionate peer loyalty. Her signature expressive illustrations of children
and adults’ sadness, relief and gladness rendered in pencils and markers complete this sentimental yet poignant story that will surely trigger a
few tears for some and empathetic understanding for all.”
- Kirkus Reviews
For My Rotten Redheaded Older Brother:
“Polacco’s flair for storytelling shines in this tale filled to the brim with a family’s anecdotes. The text rings true with the authentic battling words
of childhood spats. Breezy, zestfully hued marking-pen-and-pencil artwork affords Polacco’s characters—familiar figures from some of the
author/artist’s other titles—an almostirrepressible energy.”
- Publishers Weekly
For ThunderCake:
“Although the book’s concept is good, it does not fulfill its promise. The story is poorly paced: the storm approaches rapidly, but does not break
for several pages as Polacco crams in details, including a lengthy pause while the cake bakes. The illustrations are less than appealing: both
characters’ faces are chalky white, draining them of life. Many of the barnyard animals are drawn out of proportion—Grandmother is almost the
same size as a cow she milks, geese are as tall as people. Considering how many children are afraid of thunder, it is a shame Thunder Cake is
not a stronger effort.”
- Publishers Weekly
For Chicken Sunday:
“Polacco’s tale resonates with the veracity of a personal recollection and is replete with vivid visual and visceral images. Her unique illustrative
style smoothly blends detailed line drawing, impressionistic painting, primitive felt-marker coloring, and collage work with actual photographs,
resulting in a feast for the eyes as filling as Miss Eula’s Chicken Sunday spreads. The palette is equally varied, while the application of color is
judiciously relieved by sporadic pencil sketches. An authentic tale of childhood friendship.”
- School Library Journal
Van Allsburg, Chris
June 18, 1949—
Place of Birth: Grand Rapids, MI
Place of Principal Residence: Providence, RI
Biography
Chris Van Allsburg, son of Richard and Chris Van Allsburg, was born and raised in Grand Rapids, MI. His family has strong ties to their hometown, with Van Allsburg’s grandfather, father, and uncles owning and running a dairy, while his mother started her own ice cream parlor, Jersey Junction. Van Allsburg attended East Grand Rapids High School and particularly enjoyed his science and math classes.
While meeting with a University of Michigan admissions officer, he decided on a whim to attend the University’s College of Architecture and Design. Although having taken no art classes, Van Allsburg enjoyed drawing and was completely at a loss on where to embark in his learning. In 1967 Van Allsburg began studying at the University of Michigan, where he majored in sculpture. After graduation, Van Allsburg undertook graduate studies at the Rhode Island School of Design (RISD), once again focusing on sculpture. In 1975 he earned his Master of Fine Arts degree.
Van Allsburg married his wife Lisa, fellow U of M student and art teacher, in 1975. Together they had two children, Sophia and Anna. After earning his degree at RISD, Van Allsburg opened his own sculpture studio in Providence. This studio became the main focus of his career until 1978 when he began to dabble in illustrating and writing children’s books with the encouragement of his wife and friends. In 1979, Van Allsburg published his first book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, which he wrote and illustrated himself.
Among Van Allsburg’s imaginative and fantastic 15 books, Jumanji and The Polar Express are perhaps the most widely known. He has received awards for both as well as having the gratification of them being made into motion pictures. Van Allsburg currently lives, writes, and illustrates in Providence, RI.
Selected Works
- The Garden of Abdul Gasazi (1979)
- Jumanji (1981)
- Ben’s Dream (1982)
- The Wreck and the Zephyr (1983)
- The Mysteries of Harris Burdick (1984)
- The Polar Express (1985)
- The Stranger (1986)
- The Z Was Zapped (1987)
- Two Bad Ants (1988)
- Just a Dream (1990)
- The Wretched Stone (1991)
- The Widow’s Broom (1992)
- The Sweetest Fig (1993)
- Bad Day at Riverbend (1995>
- Zathura (2002)
Awards
- 1980Caldecott Honor Medal: The Garden of Abdul Gasazi
- 1980 Boston Globe Horn Book Award: The Garden of Abdul Gasazi
- 1982 National Book Award: Jumanji
- 1982 Caldecott Medal: Jumanji
- 1986 Caldecott Medal: The Polar Express
- 1986 Boston Globe Honor: The Polar Express
- Regina Medal: In recognition for lifetime achievement in children’s literature
Critical Reception
-
For The Polar Express:
- “The thrilling story along with detailed and colorful illustrations can make anyone believe in the spirit of Christmas. This twentieth anniversary edition includes illustrations that are filled with amazing contrasts of light and dark, making the pictures feel alive. The detailed words and artwork on every page, make readers feel as if they also are living the dreams of the little boy.” - Children’s Literature For Just a Dream:
- “Van Allsburg reaches a new pinnacle of excellence in both illustration and storytelling . . . His fable builds to an urgent plea for action as it sends a rousing message of hope.” - Publishers Weekly For The Stranger:
- “How marvelous that this master painter and storyteller has added a new dimension to his consistently original and enchanting body of work.” - New York Times
Relevance of Place to Author’s Work
In all his books, Chris includes a white, bull terrier based on a real dog owned by his brother-in-law. Some of the art for his books have been modeled after places he has lived like the street in Polar Express and the street he lived on in East Grand Rapids. Not only do significant places in his life inspire him, but his everyday surroundings and experiences are important motivators. For example, Chris got the idea for his story Two Bad Ants after watching two ants crawling around on his kitchen counter.