David Wiesner
Encyclopedia
David Wiesner is an American
author
and illustrator
of children's books and publications. His work has won several honors, including three Caldecott Medal
s and two Caldecott Honors.
, 1980. After co-authoring Loathsome Dragon with his wife, in 1987, he authored and illustrated Free Fall, which was awarded a 1989 Caldecott Honor Medal. This book is the first example of the predominant style of his self-authored books, which tell a fantastical, often dream-like story without words, only illustrations. He won the Caldecott Medal
for three later self-authored books, Tuesday
(1991), The Three Pigs
(2001) and Flotsam
(2007). Wiesner won another Caldecott Honor award in 2000 for Sector 7
.
with a BFA in Illustration. In 1983 he married surgeon Kim Kahng.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
of children's books and publications. His work has won several honors, including three Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
s and two Caldecott Honors.
Career
He started his career as a book illustrator with Honest Andrew by Gloria SkurzynskiGloria Skurzynski
Gloria Joan Skurzynski is an American writer of books for young people, including both fiction and non-fiction.She was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania and educated at Carlow University. She is the author of more than sixty books for young readers.-Sources:Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale...
, 1980. After co-authoring Loathsome Dragon with his wife, in 1987, he authored and illustrated Free Fall, which was awarded a 1989 Caldecott Honor Medal. This book is the first example of the predominant style of his self-authored books, which tell a fantastical, often dream-like story without words, only illustrations. He won the Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
for three later self-authored books, Tuesday
Tuesday (book)
Tuesday is a book by David Wiesner. Released by Clarion Books, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1992.The story, told in detailed illustrations with only a few captions, concerns frogs who mysteriously rise out of their pond on floating lily pads as the sun sets on a...
(1991), The Three Pigs
The Three Pigs
The Three Pigs is a children's picture book written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published in 2001, the book is based on the traditional tale of the Three Little Pigs, though in this story they step out of their own tale and wander into others, depicted in different illustration styles...
(2001) and Flotsam
Flotsam (book)
Flotsam is a children's picture book written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published by Clarion/Houghton Mifflin in 2006, it was the 2007 winner of the Caldecott Medal. Flotsam is the recipient of David Wiesner's 3rd Caldecott Medal. The book contains illustrations of underwater life with no...
(2007). Wiesner won another Caldecott Honor award in 2000 for Sector 7
Sector 7
Sector 7 is a wordless picture book created and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published in 1999 by Clarion Books, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Honor for illustration in 2000.- Summary :...
.
Personal life
He was born and raised in Bridgewater, New Jersey, and graduated from Rhode Island School of DesignRhode Island School of Design
Rhode Island School of Design is a fine arts and design college located in Providence, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1877. Located at the base of College Hill, the RISD campus is contiguous with the Brown University campus. The two institutions share social, academic, and community resources and...
with a BFA in Illustration. In 1983 he married surgeon Kim Kahng.
As Author/Illustrator
- 1987 Loathsome Dragon (co-authored with Kim Kahng)
- 1988 Free Fall
- 1990 Hurricane
- 1991 TuesdayTuesday (book)Tuesday is a book by David Wiesner. Released by Clarion Books, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1992.The story, told in detailed illustrations with only a few captions, concerns frogs who mysteriously rise out of their pond on floating lily pads as the sun sets on a...
- 1992 June 29, 1999
- 1999 Sector 7Sector 7Sector 7 is a wordless picture book created and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published in 1999 by Clarion Books, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Honor for illustration in 2000.- Summary :...
- 2001 The Three PigsThe Three PigsThe Three Pigs is a children's picture book written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published in 2001, the book is based on the traditional tale of the Three Little Pigs, though in this story they step out of their own tale and wander into others, depicted in different illustration styles...
- 2006 FlotsamFlotsam (book)Flotsam is a children's picture book written and illustrated by David Wiesner. Published by Clarion/Houghton Mifflin in 2006, it was the 2007 winner of the Caldecott Medal. Flotsam is the recipient of David Wiesner's 3rd Caldecott Medal. The book contains illustrations of underwater life with no...
- 2010 Art & Max
As Illustrator
- 1980 Honest Andrew by Gloria SkurzynskiGloria SkurzynskiGloria Joan Skurzynski is an American writer of books for young people, including both fiction and non-fiction.She was born in Duquesne, Pennsylvania and educated at Carlow University. She is the author of more than sixty books for young readers.-Sources:Contemporary Authors Online. The Gale...
- 1981 Ugly Princess by Nancy Luenn
- 1981 One Bad Thing about Birthdays by David R. Collins
- 1981 Man from the Sky by Avi
- 1981 Boy who Spoke Chimp by Jane YolenJane YolenJane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
- 1982 Owly by Mike Thaler
- 1982 Neptune Rising: Songs and Tales of the Undersea Folk by Jane YolenJane YolenJane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
- 1983 Miranty and the Alchemist by Vera ChapmanVera ChapmanVera Chapman , also known as Vera Ivy May Fogerty, and within the Tolkien Society as Belladonna Took, was an author and founder of the first Tolkien Society, and also wrote a number of pseudo-historical and Arthurian books.-Life:...
- 1984 Dark Green Tunnel by Allan W. EckertAllan W. EckertAllan W. Eckert was an American historian, historical novelist, and naturalist.-Biography:Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended university...
- 1985 Wand: the Return to Mesmeria by Allan W. EckertAllan W. EckertAllan W. Eckert was an American historian, historical novelist, and naturalist.-Biography:Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York and raised in the Chicago, Illinois area, but had been a long-time resident of Bellefontaine, Ohio, near where he attended university...
- 1985 E.T.E.T. the Extra-TerrestrialE.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a 1982 American science fiction film co-produced and directed by Steven Spielberg, written by Melissa Mathison and starring Henry Thomas, Dee Wallace, Robert MacNaughton, Drew Barrymore, and Peter Coyote...
, the Storybook of the Green Planet by William KotzwinkleWilliam KotzwinkleWilliam Kotzwinkle is an American novelist, children's writer, and screenwriter. He was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania. He has won the World Fantasy Award for Best Novel for Doctor Rat in 1977, and has also won the National Magazine Award for fiction. Kotzwinkle wrote the novelization of the...
; based on the story by Steven SpielbergSteven SpielbergSteven Allan Spielberg KBE is an American film director, screenwriter, producer, video game designer, and studio entrepreneur. In a career of more than four decades, Spielberg's films have covered many themes and genres. Spielberg's early science-fiction and adventure films were seen as an... - 1986 Kite Flier by Dennis Haseley
- 1988 Firebrat by Nancy WillardNancy WillardNancy Willard is an award-winning children's author, poet, and novelist. In 1982, she received the Newbery Medal for A Visit to William Blake's Inn...
- 1989 The Rainbow People by Laurence YepLaurence Yep-Background:Chinese-American, Yep was born in San Francisco, California to Yep Gim Lew and Franche. His older brother, Thomas named him after studying a particular saint in a multicultural neighborhood that consisted of mostly African Americans. Growing up, he often felt torn between both...
- 1989 The Sorcerer's Apprentice by Marianna MayerMarianna MayerMarianna Mayer is a well-known children’s book writer and artist from Roxbury, Connecticut. Her early education was in the field of the visual arts. Her first book was published when she was nineteen years old. After graduating from college, she became a student painter at the Art Students...
- 1991 Tongues of Jade by Laurence YepLaurence Yep-Background:Chinese-American, Yep was born in San Francisco, California to Yep Gim Lew and Franche. His older brother, Thomas named him after studying a particular saint in a multicultural neighborhood that consisted of mostly African Americans. Growing up, he often felt torn between both...
- 1994 Night of the Gargoyles by Eve BuntingEve BuntingAnne Evelyn Bunting , better known as Eve Bunting, is an Irish author who has written more than 250 books. Her work covers a broad array of subjects and includes fiction and non-fiction books. Her novels are primarily aimed at children and young adults, but her works also include picture books...
Other Works
- 1989 Cover for The Glass Salamander by Ann DownerAnn DownerAnn Downer is an American writer, principally of fantasy novels for children and young adults, as well as short fiction and poetry....
- 1997 Story and Design for CD-ROM adventure game The Day the World Broke