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Patricia Polacco Books, Author Biography, and Reading Level | Scholastic

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Visit Scholastic, the world's largest children's book publisher. Whether you need a classic kids book or classroom-proven teaching materials, discover it at Scholastic.

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First off, how cool that you want to write Mo!

There are many incorrect Mo Willems fan mail addresses on the internet.

Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are unable to receive physical mail.

We cannot guarantee that Mo will be able to personally respond to your e-mails, but every e-mail will receive a reply & link to a special download.

(Teachers: please do not use social media to invite Mo to attend events, skype, etc. via twitter with your students. This will only lead to unnecessary disappointment as Mr. Willems' social media accounts are neither monitored nor a forum to conduct business.)

Questions regarding rights/permissions? Contact the Wernick & Pratt agency.
NOTE: Any mail arriving to Mr. Willems' private residence is not opened.

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First off, how cool that you want to write Mo! There are many incorrect Mo Willems fan mail addresses on the internet. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, we are unable to receive physical mail. We cannot guarantee that Mo will be able to personally respond to your e-mails, but every e-mail will receive a reply & link to a special download.

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Biography

Patricia Polacco grew up hearing family stories from her Ukrainian grandmother. In the absence of a television set, Polacco's "Babushka" told gripping tales in front of the crackling fireplace. In keeping with oral tradition, Polacco retold these stories to her own children. It wasn't until Polacco was 41 that she started to write down this family history and illustrate it.

Patricia Polacco is now the author and illustrator of many charming picture books. Not surprisingly, her stories often involve meaningful interactions between young and old people as well as an intermingling of different cultures. She has written and illustrated Thunder Cake, The Keeping Quilt, Chicken Sunday, and many other favorites.

Patricia Polacco has fond memories of her Ukrainian, Russian, and Irish grandparents. She spent many hours learning from them and listening to their stories. Polacco particularly remembers her years on the family farm in Michigan, where she lived with her mother and grandparents. When Polacco was in elementary school, she moved to Oakland, California, where her neighbors "came in as many colors, ideas, and religions as there are people."

Throughout her school years, Polacco struggled with reading. Far behind her fellow classmates, she was teased enough to believe that she was just dumb. It wasn't until Polacco was 14 that a special high school teacher recognized her dyslexia. Once she received additional help, Polacco learned to read well and caught up with her peers. Her ability as an artist, however, had never been in question. Fellow classmates had always been impressed by her drawings.

Polacco graduated from college with a degree in fine art and eventually received a Ph.D. in art history. After working in art restoration, she became a mother and dedicated much of her time to her two children. When her son was diagnosed with diabetes, she made a wordless picture book to help him understand what he needed to do to take care of himself. Polacco also started writing down old family stories and illustrating them. When she joined the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, she learned how to prepare picture books for publication. Then, in a whirlwind trip to New York City, Polacco met with 16 different publishers and sold many of her stories.

After living much of her life in urban Oakland, Patricia Polacco has now moved back to the family farm in Michigan. She lives in a renovated, old house, which also serves as an art and storytelling center for local children. In another old house, just one block away, Polacco has her own art studio, where she continues to create new children's books based on old family stories.

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A video interview with Patricia Polacco | Reading Rockets

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Patricia Polacco tells warm family tales drawn from her own childhood among an extended immigrant family of grandparents and cousins. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Patricia Polacco talks about writing and illustrating and the passing down of family history whose themes resonate with readers of all backgrounds.

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Patricia Polacco was born on July 11th, 1944 in Lansing, Michigan. Her mother's family were Jewish immigrants from Russia and The Ukraine. Her father's people were from The County of Limerick in Ireland. Both cultures valued and kept their history alive by storytelling.

Patricia is the mother of two grown children; Steven, a tenured professor at Dominican University in San Rafael, California. And a daughter, Traci who has made a career in the medical field and also lives in California. Patricia lives on her farm estate in Union City, Michigan.

Patricia has earned a Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. in Art and Art History. She has studied in the U.S., England, France, Russia and Australia. She is a guest lecturer in many universities and has been awarded numerous honorary degrees in Arts and Letters. She has a distinguished record as an international advocate for the rights of children. She has also established literary and art courses of study for young people both nationally and internationally. She has traveled extensively to Russia and has established an art camp in Losovough which thrives today. She has been honored by heads of state both at the Kremlin and the White House.

She is a member of the National First Amendment Rights Coalition and has fought tirelessly for this cause. She is also known as a champion of classroom teachers in our country, a cause sharpened by her association with Sandy Hook School in Newtown, Connecticut as a guest author and artist in residence. The tragic loss of both members of the faculty as well as children on December 14th, 2012 affected her life profoundly. The shock of this event caused her to collapse, be hospitalized and undergo open heart surgery to save her life. The grief of this set her on a path of establishing a series of lectures designed to raise the awareness of the plight of our classroom teachers as well as encouraging students to reach out to each other and include those who are perceived to be "different". She has also designed an anti bullying campaign that has earned her national recognition. Patricia conducts school visits all over the country. She is known as a natural storyteller and is highly praised for her work with people of all ages.

To date she has written and illustrated over 115 books for children,. She is also a playwright and is in the process of penning for adults. She is a much sought after lecturer and keynote speaker and is considered one of the most inspiring speakers of our time.

HONORS AND AWARDS

1988 Sydney Taylor Award, Association of Jewish Librarians KEEPING QUILT

1989 International Reading Association: Best Picture Book of the Year: RECHENKA'S EGGS

1990 Commonwealth Club of California Award- BABUSHKA'S DOLL

1990-1996 Author's Hall of Fame, California Council of Teachers BODY OF WORK.

1991 Parents Choice Honor SOME BIRTHDAY

1992 Golden Kite Award- Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Best Picture Book CHICKEN SUNDAY

1992 Commonwealth Club of California Award- CHICK SUNDAY

1992 Sacramento Capital Video Award- Best Video- KEEPING QUILT

1992 Educators for Social Responsibility in Children's Literature Responsible Author's Award- BODY OF WORK

1993 Jane Adams Honor Award- Women's International League for Peace and Freedom MRS. KATZ AND TUSH

1993 Parents Choice Audio Award MRS. KATZ AND TUSH

1994 President's Commendation Medal CHICKEN SUNDAY AND PINK AND SAY

1994 Parents Choice Award Best Book PINK AND SAY

1995 Bank Street College of Education, The Irma and James H. Black Book Award PINK AND SAY

1995 Jefferson Cup Award PINK AND SAY

1995 Best Book of the year New York State Association of Educators and Librarians PINK AND SAY

1995 American Book of the Year Award -American Booksellers PINK AND SAY

1995 BABRA Award 10 best books of the year PINK AND SAY

1995 New York Times Pick of the best of the year PINK AND SAY

1996 California Children's Book Award PINK ANT SAY

1996 David McCord Children's Literature Citation and Award, IRA -BODY OF WORK

1996 Picked as best children's book of the year in the following states: California ,Oregon, Washington, Texas, Utah, North Dakota, South Dakota Wyoming, Wisconsin, Idaho, Nevada, New Mexico

Arkansas, Virginia, West Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Michigan, Colorado, Alaska, Hawaii, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, New York, New Hampshire, Connecticut, Minnesota, Montana, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Massachusetts, Maine, Pennsylvania, North Caroline, South Carolina, Missouri, Arizona, Iowa, Delaware, Maryland, District of Columbia PINK AND SAY

1996 Colorado Association of Reading Award: PINK AND SAY

1996 North Dakota Library Association Award: MY ROTTON RED HEADED OLDER BROTHER

1996 Flicker Tale Children's Book Award: MY ROTTON RED HEADED OLDER BROTHER

1996 Jo Osbourne Award for humor in Children's Literature -BODY OF WORK

1996 - The Marquis Who's Who Publication Board Award -PINK AND SAY

1997 - West Virginia Children's Book Award - PINK AND SAY

1997 - Parents Choice , Video Award - THE DREAM KEEPER

1997 - Show Me Award- Missouri - MY ROTTEN RED HEADED OLDER BROTHER

1998 - Humpty Dumpty Award- Mid South Independent Booksellers for Children -BODY OF WORK

1998 - Story Book Award - THANK YOU MR. FALKER

1999 - Gold Award - THANK YOU MR. FALKER

1999- Association of Educators of Dyslexic and Learning Disabled Readers, Best Book - THANK YOU MR.. FALKER

1999 - Educators for Social Responsibility Award - THANK YOU MR. FALKER

2000 - Honor - Storytelling World Awards - Tellable Stories-ages 13-17; WELCOME COMFORT

2001 - Parents Choice award Luba and the Wren 2003 - Pennsylvania Young Readers Medal- best book - The Butterfly

2003 - Murphy School Award- best book- Mr. Lincoln's Way

2003 - Young Readers Award - Christmas Tapestry

2003 - Best of Year Award - top 10 list Detroit Free Press -Christmas Tapestry

2003 - Best Illustrated list- Detroit Free Press - G. is for Goat

2004- Author of the Year Award- Patricia Polacco-Michigan Reading Association

2005- California Young Readers Medal - Mr. Lincoln's Way

2005- Michigan Reading Association - Year's notable book list-An Orange for Frankie

2003- New York Times Best Seller- Parents Choice Award -Tho Gr Family

2005- RIF Selection - The Art of Reading - Citation award

2007- New York Times Best Seller- Ginger and Petunia

2007- Parents Choice Citation - American Cancer Society - The Lemonade Club

2008-New York Times - Readable books Citation -For the Love of Autumn

2009- Notable Books Award-National Coalition for the rights of Gays and Lesbians In Our Mother's House

2010-Notable Book Award-Michigan Reading Association - January's Sparrow

2011- Notable Books Award and Citation-Association of Librarians,Washington D.C. Just In Time , Abraham Lincoln

2012- Body of Work-The Lab School-Washington D.C.- awarded by the President of the United States.

2012- The Regina Medal - National Association of Catholic Librarians for Continued Contribution of Children's Literature

2013- The Library of Congress and the President of the US awarded PINK AND SAY one of the best books written for children in the past 100 years

2014- Sydney Taylor Award The Keeping Quilt (20th Anniversary Edition)

2015- Sydney Taylor Award-The Blessing Cup

2015- The Blessing Cup awarded Author's Medal by Midland Authors

2015- New York Times Best Seller List The Blessing Cup

2016- Tucky Jo and Little Heart was selected as the 2016 Comstock Read Aloud Honor Book

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Patricia Polacco was born on July 11th, 1944 in Lansing, Michigan. Her mother's family were Jewish immigrants from Russia and The Ukraine. Her father's people were from The County of Limerick in Ireland. Both cultures valued and kept their history alive by storytelling.

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Born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan, to parents of Russian and Ukrainian descent on one side and Irish on the other, Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. Her school year was spent in Oakland, California, and summers in her beloved Michigan. She describes her family members as marvelous storytellers. "My fondest memories are of sitting around a stove or open fire, eating apples and popping corn while listening to the old ones tell glorious stories about their homeland and the past. We are tenacious traditionalists and sentimentalists.... With each retelling our stories gain a little more Umph!"

Studying in the United States and Australia, Patricia Polacco has earned an M.F.A. and a Ph. D. in art history, specializing in Russian and Greek painting, and iconographic history. She is a museum consultant on the restoration of icons. As a participant in many citizen exchange programs for writers and illustrators, Patricia Polacco has traveled extensively in Russia as well as other former Soviet republics. She continues to support programs that encourage Russo-American friendships and understanding. She is also deeply involved in inner-city projects here in the U.S. that promote the peaceful resolution of conflict and encourage art and literacy programs.

The mother of a grown son and a daughter, Patricia Polacco currently resides in Michigan, where she has a glorious old farm that was built during the time of Lincoln.

copyright © 2000 by Penguin Putnam Books for Young Readers. All rights reserved.

Books by Patricia Polacco

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Born Patricia Ann Barber in Lansing, Michigan, to parents of Russian and Ukrainian descent on one side and Irish on the other, Patricia Polacco grew up in both California and Michigan. Her school year was spent in Oakland, California, and summers in her beloved Michigan. She describes her family members as marvelous storytellers.

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Biography

Mo Willems, the son of Dutch immigrants, grew up in New Orleans. He spent much of his youth telling stories and drawing. Willems especially loved reading "Peanuts" comics and then sketching Snoopy and Charlie Brown himself. "I even wrote a letter to Charles Schulz," Willems recalls, "saying that I wanted his job when he died." During high school, Willems acted in plays and started doing standup routines at comedy clubs.

After high school, Willems traveled abroad and performed standup comedy in London. He later moved to New York, where he studied film and then switched to animation. Willems spent the first part of his career writing and animating for children's television. For nine years, he worked on Sesame Street, where he won six Emmy Awards and developed characters such as Suzy Kabloozie. Willems later created Sheep in the Big City for the Cartoon Network and The Off-Beats for Nickelodeon.

For five years, Willems tried to write and illustrate children's books. After a number of rejections, Willems' simple doodle of a pigeon attracted the eye of an editor. This pigeon would become the star of his first book, Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!, which won a Caldecott Honor in 2004. The following year, Knuffle Bunny won another Caldecott Honor, which further solidified Willems' new career as a children's book author and illustrator.

Mo Willems writes and illustrates from his home in Brooklyn, New York, where he lives with his wife and daughter.

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A video interview with Mo Willems | Reading Rockets

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Caldecott-winner Mo Willems grew up in New Orleans. He spent much of his youth telling stories and drawing. Willems especially loved reading "Peanuts" comics and then sketching Snoopy and Charlie Brown himself. "I even wrote a letter to Charles Schulz," Willems recalls, "saying that I wanted his job when he died."

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Mo Willems is an award winning childrens literature author, so how does he do it? Willems basically claims that he takes it back to the basics. He says that when writing he bases his stories after core fundamental issues that young children can relate to. He writes his books about jealously, love, hatred, joy, etc. Willems also has said that he tends to put less words on each page, he feels that the less text on the page the more the children become engaged with his stories. He is leaving it up to them to use their imagination where he doesn't put words. Willems said in an interview with Scholastic that if you give readers every detail they'll have nothing to do. .Mo Willems can also get a little sneaky with his techniques, when reading some of his literature that isn't in the Pigeon Collection, sometimes if you look really close you can find the Pigeon hanging out in some of his other books.

When writing his literature Willems also uses a few techniques that really make his stories come to life. Willems frequently uses onomatopoeia in his stories. Like I said before he doesn't tend to put many words on his page so sometimes a simple sound word can really get his point across. In
When asked about his drawing techniques, or where he comes up with his illustrations Willems says that he looks for simple things to draw. He doesn't want to make any of his illustrations too in depth. He has said that he wants his illustrations to be so simple that a five year old can copy them. In an interview with CNN Willems said that he is constantly getting Pigeon drawing from his little fans, and he loves it.

Overall, Willems has a very unique writing technique, as well as a unique illustration technique. I think one thing that we can all take from Willems is to think outside the box. His books are different in almost every aspect from any other children's books you can read. They are engaging, cute, hysterical, informative, and he teaches kids valuable life lessons while doing all of this.
Another technique that Willems used in his illustrations in the Knuffle Bunny series in particular was the use of real life photographs in the background. He would lay his art work over photos of real places for the setting. Willems took a risk by trying this technique, but it turned out to be a hit. Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus for example, when The Pigeon is imagining driving the bus he makes a vroom vroom sound.

Willems has a couple very unique technique when writing the text in his books. the first thing he tends to do frequently is use speech bubbles and thought bubbles in his writing. In The Pigeon Collection and in the Elephant & Piggie books all of the dialogue between the characters is in speech bubbles. Another interesting technique that Willems uses is that normally when there is an exclamation point at the end of a sentence he makes the text really big. Or when a character is trying to be quiet, he makes the text much smaller. This small technique he does portrays a ton of emotions, especially to his young readers. They can tell that the character is really mad or excited if the text takes up the whole page, or they can tell if the character is sad if the text is written in a much tinier font. I've seen him use this technique in Naked Mole Rat Gets Dressed, A Big Guy Took My Ball, and The Pigeon Finds a Hot Dog. And I am sure he uses this technique in a ton of his literature.

The point of views that Willems uses varies. In some of his literature that I've read he uses first person, and in other literature I've read he uses third person. In his stories that involve first person like The Pigeon series and the Elephant & Piggie books the dialogue is usually just a conversation between the two main characters. Frequently in The Pigeon books Willems has him talk directly to the readers. You don't see this technique done often but I think it is a great way to keep the readers engaged.

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Mo Willems is an award winning childrens literature author, so how does he do it? Willems basically claims that he takes it back to the basics. He says that when writing he bases his stories after core fundamental issues that young children can relate to. He writes his books about jealously, love, hatred, joy, etc.

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Mo Willems was born in a suburb of Chicago, IL. From there he went on to move to New Orleans with his family where he attended high school. After high school Willems did not go directly to higher...

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Eve Bunting was born in 1928 in Ireland where she was raised. She graduated from Methodist College.

She has written more than 200 books, ranging from picture books to young adult novels. She wrote Smoky Night, the 1995 Caldecott Medal winner. She and her husband have three children.

Shop Eve Bunting's books below! You can find all books and activities at The Teacher Store.

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Biography

Eve Bunting likes to write "stories for little children that make them think." The author of more than 200 books for young readers, she is best known for picture books that address difficult topics in heartfelt ways. Her 1995 book, Smoky Night, for example, is a story of tolerance and friendship set amidst the chaotic violence of the Los Angeles riots. Bunting's Fly Away Home, about a homeless man and his son living in the Chicago airport, received the "Heal the World Award" from schoolchildren.

A number of Eve Bunting's books deal with the hopes and hardships of immigrants coming to the United States. That topic is especially close to her heart because Eve Bunting, her husband, and their three small children left Northern Ireland in 1958 to start a new life in California.

From Northern Ireland to Los Angeles

Eve Bunting grew up an only child in the village of Maghera, Northern Ireland. Her father was a "tough, gruff, old Irishman," who would read poetry to her while she sat on his lap. Bunting's mother, also an avid reader, started a community lending library out of their home. When Eve was seven, her parents sent her off to boarding school, where she received a good education and made close friends who became like sisters.

During college, Eve met and married Ed Bunting. The couple lived for a number of years in Belfast, where Ed worked as a personnel manager for an American company and Eve stayed home to take care of their three children. At the time, Ed's brother lived in the United States and encouraged them to move overseas. It was a tempting offer, because they had been frustrated with Ireland's depressed economy, religious discrimination, and rainy climate. In 1958, the Buntings packed up and moved their life to California.

Eve Bunting began writing in 1969 when she took a writing class at Pasadena City College. In 1972 she published her first book, the retelling of an Irish folktale from her childhood. Since then, she has published over 200 books for young readers, ranging from picture books to young adult novels. Bunting's books have received numerous awards, including the Caldecott Medal and the Golden Kite Award.

Eve Bunting and her husband have been married for over 50 years. For the past 40 years, they have lived in the same house in Los Angeles. Every so often, the Buntings travel back to Northern Ireland and inevitably visit her hometown of Maghera, which has grown from a village into a town with a true public library. An entire section of the library is dedicated to the books of Eve Bunting, whom townspeople still consider a local author.

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A video interview with Eve Bunting | Reading Rockets

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Eve Bunting is a spellbinding storyteller, both in conversation and in writing. In this exclusive video interview with Reading Rockets, Eve Bunting relates amusing stories from her childhood in Ireland and offers insights into her books, some of which are unflinching in tackling tough subjects.

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Sesame Street. Doing so gained him six Emmy awards. Willems continued working there from 1994 to 2002. During this time, he was also credited with creatingSheep in the Big Cityand Codename: Kids Next Door. In the library world, Mo Willems is better known for his children's books.

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Born the small village of Maghera, Ireland in 1928, Eve Bunting grew up in a tradition full of the art of storytelling and the magic of words. "There used to be Shanachies in the Ireland of long ago," she says. "The Shanachie was the storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and faires, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I'm a bit of a Shanachie myself, telling my stories to anyone who'll listen."

Her father was a "tough, gruff, old Irishman," who would read poetry to her while she sat on his lap. Bunting's mother, also an avid reader, started a community lending library out of their home because their village had no library. When Eve was seven, her parents sent her off to boarding school, where she received a good education and made close friends who became like sisters.

In 1958 Eve Bunting moved to California with her husband and three children. Several years later, her writing career started after she took a creative writing course at Pasadena City College. Her first book, a retelling of an old Irish folktale about the giant Finn McCool, called The Two Giants, was published in 1972.

First she wrote retellings of Irish folktales but soon, Bunting branched out in numerous directions. Filled with ideas and a strong desire to write, she was, still, uncertain of what to expect. "All doubts vanished when I had my first published story and then my first published book," she recalls.

While she has published several light-hearted picture books, Bunting has never shied away from addressing the difficult issues. She has published numerous picture books that include sensitive topics such as racial prejudice, death, troubled families, and war. Bunting's message is clear, "Picture books aren't just for tots anymore." She says, "I like to write books for children that make them think. I like to write for every child, for every age, for every interest. That is why I have such a variety of books -- from pre-school, through the middle grades and beyond. "One of my greatest joys is writing picture books. I have discovered the pleasures of telling a story of happiness or sorrow in a few simple words."

Eve Bunting has received many awards for her work including the Golden Kite Award from the Society of Children's Book Writers, the PEN Los Angeles Center Literary Award for Special Achievement in Children's Literature, and the Edgar, given by the Mystery Writers of America. Bunting's Fly Away Home, received the "Heal the World Award" from schoolchildren.

Eve Bunting currently lives with her husband of over 50 years in Pasadena, California, and is a writing teacher at the University of California, Los Angeles. She has written more than 200 children's books. Every so often, the Buntings travel back to Northern Ireland and visit her hometown of Maghera, which has grown from a village into a town with a true public library. An entire section of the library is dedicated to the books of Eve Bunting, whom townspeople still consider a local author.

Click below to watch a digital story from You tube. The quality isn't the best, but the information on Eve Bunting is great!

*Please Note: You can fast forward this video from 4:20-6:02, as the titles books listed during this section of the video are very difficult to read.

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Born the small village of Maghera, Ireland in 1928, Eve Bunting grew up in a tradition full of the art of storytelling and the magic of words. "There used to be Shanachies in the Ireland of long ago," she says.

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Born in Ireland, Eve Bunting grew up in a tradition steeped in the art of storytelling and the magic of words. "There used to be Shanachies in the Ireland of long ago," she says. "The Shanachie was the storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghosts and faires, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won.

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Welcome to the official Kevin Henkes website! Here you'll find videos, teaching resources, book information, interviews, games, articles, and much more. Thanks so much for coming by. Congratulations, Kevin!

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Kevin Henkes has since come to terms with his two gifts and enjoys being able to go back and forth between writing and illustrating. Although he never works on illustrating and writing projects at the same time, his mind is rarely still.

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Teaching Tools | Resources for Teachers from Scholastic

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Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect... that is, until her first day of school, when this cheerful little mouse is mercilessly teased for her unique moniker's length and floral origin. Chrysanthemum wilts. Her classmates have a big impact on our tiny heroine's budding self-esteem, but with the support of her parents and her fabulous music teacher, Chrysanthemum blooms once again!

Kevin Henkes is the celebrated author and illustrator of Chrysanthemum. He has created many a charming little mouse in books such as Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse, Wemberly Worried, and the Caldecott Honor book Owen. Henkes's playful watercolor illustrations and snappy text make his witty tales about kindness, acceptance, and self-worth a joy for little readers and grownups alike.

How does he do it? Henkes himself shares a bit about making the magic happen:
Q: What themes are important to you?
A: So many of the children (or mice or other animals) who populate my work use imagination-as play, as an escape, as a tool. Imagination is a theme I've returned to again and again. It is a theme that has been with me from the very beginning of my career.
Q: In your books, we meet several inspirational teachers, including Mrs. Delphinium Twinkle in Chrysanthemum Q: Your mouse characters have loving, supportive, understanding teachers, parents and other adults in their lives. What was your own childhood like? . Who were the inspirational teachers in your life? Q: Where do you write?
A: I've had several teachers who inspired me. Most notable was, perhaps, an English teacher I had during my junior year of high school. All my life I'd been praised and encouraged as an artist. This particular teacher did this, but she also encouraged me as a writer, going so far as to say once, "I wouldn't be surprised if I saw your name on a book one day." The power of these words was enormous. I'll never forget them. Or her.
Q: What's your workday like?
A: I grew up in the 1960s in a working-class neighborhood in Racine, Wisconsin, with my three brothers, my sister, and my parents. There were people of all ages in my neighborhood . . . and many children. As a boy, I drew more than anything. I also read, rode my bike, and played outside a lot. We didn't own many books, but we went to the public library regularly. This was one of my favorite family activities, and I'm certain it played a role in my becoming a writer and illustrator.
Q: How can teachers and parents can help children grow as readers, writers, and artists?
A: My studio is in the remodeled attic on the third floor of our house. It is a large room filled with books. From the windows I have a great view of our yard. When I'm working, I feel as if I'm up in the trees. My "tools" are old-fashioned, but they suit me well. I use a typewriter that belonged to my wife when she was a teenager. And the light box I use for drawing is a small plastic one I received as a Christmas gift when I was a boy.

A: Now that I'm a parent, I work from the time my kids go to school until they return home. Sometimes, I'll work again before I go to bed.

A: Exposure is everything. Read aloud as often as possible. If your child likes to write or draw, make sure that he or she always has paper available. Encourage children to experiment when it comes to art, and remind them to have fun and not be concerned with creating a masterpiece. If, as adults, we value art and books, our children will, too.

Nab your own copy of Chrysanthemum !

*This interview was adapted from a Kevin Henkes' teaching guide and an author study published by Greenwillow Books, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Discover more ways to explore Henkes' books with your child .

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Encouraging Kids to Be Proud of Who They Are: An Interview with Kevin Henkes

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Chrysanthemum thinks her name is absolutely perfect... that is, until her first day of school, when this cheerful little mouse is mercilessly teased for her unique moniker's length and floral origin. Chrysanthemum wilts. Her classmates have a big impact on our tiny heroine's budding self-esteem, but with the support of her parents and her fabulous music teacher, Chrysanthemum blooms once again!