Our Author of the Month is Kevin Henkes.
He is known for creating stories about real situations that children go through in life, especially the start of school.
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"I remember drawing at a very early age. I loved it. And my parents and teachers told me I was good at it - that made me love it all the more. "I also loved books, and the ones I was lucky enough to own were reread, looked at over and over, and regarded with great respect. To me "great respect" meant that I took them everywhere, and the ones I still own prove it. They're brimming with all the telltale signs of true love: dog-eared pages, fingerprints on my favorite illustrations, my name and address inscribed on both front and back covers in inch-high crayon lettering, and the faint smell of stale peanut butter on the bindings. I wondered about authors and illustrators back then - What did they look like? Where did they live? Did they have families? How old were they? - but I never imagined that one day I would be one myself. |
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| "I
became an author-illustrator when I was nineteen years old. I flew from my
home in Racine, Wisconsin, to New York City with my portfolio, hoping to
find a publisher. And magically enough Susan Hirschman at Greenwillow
Books made my dream come true. My first picture book, All Alone,
was published in 1981. Since then I've written and illustrated many
picture books and written several novels. I like the variety of trying new
ways to fill the pages between two covers. Experimenting with words and
paint and ink keeps my job interesting.
"I used to live with my parents and brothers and sister and work at a card table in my bedroom. Now I live with my wife and son and daughter in our own house and work at a drawing table in my own studio. I never thought I'd be lucky enough to be a real author and illustrator. I wouldn't trade it for anything." |
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