-
Chris Van Allsburg(b. 6/18/1949)
-
Chris Van Allsburg
(b. 6/18/1949)
"The inclination to believe in the fantastic may strike some as a failure in logic, or gullibility, but it's really a gift.".....Chris Van Allsburg (Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, V. 6)
Chris Van Allsburg is a famous illustrator/author who began his career as a sculptor. He drew in the evenings at home because his studio was so far away. His wife, who produced a local television show, invited author/artist David Macauley to look at Van Allsburg's drawings. Macauley encouraged Chris to send his drawings to editors. His first picture book, The Garden of Abdul Gasazi, was chosen as a Caldecott Honor book. That was in 1979, and since then, Van Allsburg has published a picture book almost every year. Two have won the Caldecott Medal: Jumanji, his second book was made into a feature-length movie; his fifth book, Polar Express, is the most popular of all his books. Van Allsburg makes the impossible seem very real with his stories and illustrations. The story usually begins in the everyday, normal world, but soon the reader discovers that magic is in that everyday world. Also, there is often a sense of mystery in his books.
|
|
|
|
|
Paul Goble |
"I am following the dreams I had as a child.
Many of my school friends, and later my work colleagues, thought my dreams were
strange, and yet I say to all children: follow your imagination! Treasure your
dreams because they are the spark that can fire your life!".......Paul Goble
(Frank Schaffer's
CLASSMATE, Nov/Dec/Jan/Jan 1989-90. p. 44)
Paul Goble is one of the most
important interpreters of Native American folklore for young people. He
retells Indian myths and legends, and illustrates these stories with beautiful
watercolor-and-ink illustrations which reflect his deep love of nature. He was
born in England and says, "I have always been interested in everything Indian."
One Christmas, young Goble received a book about North American Indians. From
then on, he collected pictures and books of everything relating to the Indian
people of the Great Plains. Goble pursued a career in industrial design and
became both a teacher and a designer. He began to travel to the United States
with his young son, Richard. They spent summers among the Sioux in South Dakota
and the Crow Indians in Montana. Goble was invited to participate in their
tribal ceremonies. During one visit, he was adopted into the Yakima and Sioux
tribes and was given the name "Little Thunder". Later he was able to combine his
career and his love of Indians when he moved to America and became a full-time
author/illustrator. In all his books, Goble emphasizes the harmony in the
relationship between Indian and nature. In 1979 he won the Caldecott Medal for
The Girl Who Loved Wild Horses. Today, Goble lives in the Black
Hills of South Dakota where he continues to help us have a greater understanding
of the Indian culture through his stories and his illustrations. "Goble, Paul". Major Authors
and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults. 1993. Vol. 3:
G-J, p. 960-63
Eve Bunting
(b. 12/19/1928)
"For me, writing is like breathing. It's
just plain necessary." ....Eve Bunting
("The Scoop":
www.friend.ly.net/scoop/biographies/buntingeve )
Eve Bunting was born and educated in Northern Ireland.
She often entertained friends by telling stories and tall tales. She and
her husband immigrated to America in 1958 where she enrolled in a writing class.
In 1972 she published her first book, The Two Giants, which tells
the story of two legendary Irish and Scottish giants. This began a career
which has now spanned three decades. Many of her books are favorites with
our students at College Street, particularly The Valentine Bears,
Scary, Scary Halloween, and Night of the Gargoyles. In addition
to writing books, Eve also has taught writing at the University of California in
Los Angeles where she lives with her husband. For more information on her
and her books, click on the above web site.
(Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young
Adults, v. 1, pages 373-77)
JAN BRETT
(b. 12/01/1949)
"..I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists." (Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young Adults, V. 1, pgs. 314-317)
Jan Brett is one of the most popular author/illustrators in our school. Both students and teachers love her books. She is particularly well-known for drawing detailed borders which add, not only to the beauty of the book, but also to the meaning of the story. She says she often includes these borders to hold her overflow of thoughts. Jan Brett uses real-life people and settings in her books and often travels to far-away places in order to make her illustrations authentic. She also uses animals in many of her books and is inspired by her own pets. The most unusual animal she has written about is a hedgehog named "Hedgie". Jan Brett has owned one of these nocturnal animals, and you can learn more about him and her on her wonderful web site, www.janbrett.com. This is one of the best web sites ever and includes activity pages and even a video of Jan Brett. Check it out!
A. A. MILNE![[A.A. Milne, Christopher Milne, and Pooh]](images/Milne.gif)
1/18/1882 - 1/31/1956)
Alan Alexander Milne was born and educated in England. In
1920 he and wife, Daphne, had a son whom they named Christopher Robin. He was
called "Billy" by his parents and, as soon as he began to talk, called himself
"Moon" which was as close as he could get to "Milne". The boy received a stuffed
teddy bear for his first birthday and he was named "Winnie-the-Pooh". Over the
years several more toy animals joined the bear and each was named by Christopher
Robin's mother who also gave them voices and personalities. By the time
Christopher Robin was three, his father was writing stories about him and all
the stuffed animals. A. A. Milne began to write poetry for a new children's
magazine and soon had enough to publish a book, When We Were Very Young.
As Christopher Robin grew up, his father wrote several stories about Pooh and
the animals who lived in the forest. These continue to be best sellers long
after the death of their author. If you want to know more about this author and
the characters he wrote about, visit the
Page at Pooh Corner.
(Text: Major Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young
Adults, V. 4; Photograph: Page at Pooh Corner,
www.pooh-corner.org/index.shtml.)
There are many other wonderful web sites about Winnie-the-Pooh and the other characters created by A. A. Milne. I have listed just a few of them below. Have fun!
Winnie-the-Pooh Character Guides
Jamie's Pooh Page (Sounds of Pooh Characters)
A first grade
teacher for twenty-five years, Jim Aylesworth has published over twenty-five
picture books. His experiences as a teacher led him to becoming a picture
book author. He saw the enjoyment of students as he read to them and
realized the power of books. "Writing children's books is my way of being
the teacher beyond the walls of my classroom for children that I may never
know". His stories are filled with catchy rhymes, rhythms, and loud
sounds. Jim Aylesworth has been honored as one of Illinois' "Governor's
Master Teacher". He and his family live in Illinois, where he continues to
write and travel to speak in schools and conferences. Mr. Aylesworth has
an excellent web site where you can learn more about him and the books he has
written. Click on the link below and enjoy!
Jim Aylesworth
Home | Our School | Staff | Calendar | Classes | Links | PTO
