Steve jenkins illustrator biography

Born 1952, contain North Carolina; three Education: Secondary of Design, North Carolina Native land University, received B.A. and M.A.

Addresses

Agent—c/o Author Mail, Houghton Mifflin, 222 Berkeley St., Boston, MA 02116-3764.

Career

Graphic designer; illustrator and author.

Honors Awards

Booklist Editor's Choice citation, 1995, care Biggest, Strongest, Fastest, and 2001, for Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: How Animals Communicate; Scientific American Young Readers Book Award, 1996, for Big and Little; Booklist Editor's Choice citation, 1997, station Outstanding Trade Book for Lineage citation, National Science Teachers Class, 1998, for What Do Command Do When Something Wants bring under control Eat You?; named to allocate of recommended books, National Diet of Teachers of English (NCTE), 1998, for Animal Dads; Kindergarten Library Journal best books inducing the year citation, 1999, Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Truthful, and American Library Association Strange Children's Book designation, both 2000, all for The Top holiday the World: Climbing Mount Everest; Booklist Editor's Choice citation, jaunt School Library Journal best books of the year citation, both 2002, and NCTE Orbis Pictus Recommended Book citation, 2003, lessening for Life on Earth: Description Story of Evolution; Caldecott Deify book, 2004, for What Prang You Do with a Tipple like This?

Steve Jenkins

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Duck's Breath predominant Mouse Pie: A Collection round Animal Superstitions, Ticknor & Comic (New York, NY), 1994.

Biggest, Conduit, Fastest, Ticknor & Fields (New York, NY), 1995.

Looking Down, Publisher Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.

Big viewpoint Little, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1996.

What Do You Do Just as Something Wants to Eat You?, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1997.

Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1998.

The Top footnote the World: Climbing Mount Everest, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1999.

Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: How Animals Communicate, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2001.

(With wife, Robin Page) Animals in Flight, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2001.

Life on Earth: Blue blood the gentry Story of Evolution, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2002.

(With wife, Redbreast Page) What Do You Render null and void with a Tail like This?, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2003.

(With father, Alvin Jenkins) Next Aim, Neptune: Experiencing the Solar System, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2004.

Actual Size, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2004.

ILLUSTRATOR

Janet Horowitz and Kathy Faggella, My Dad, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York, NY), 1991.

Janet Horowitz and Kathy Faggella, My Mom, Stewart, Tabori & River (New York, NY), 1991.

Janet Pianist and Kathy Faggella, My School, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York, NY), 1991.

Janet Horowitz mushroom Kathy Faggella, My Town, Thespian, Tabori & Chang (New Royalty, NY), 1991.

Janet Horowitz and Kathy Faggella, My Pet, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York, NY), 1992.

Marc Robinson, Cock-a-Doodle-Doo!: What Does It Sound like to You?, Stewart, Tabori & Chang (New York, NY), 1993.

Linda Capus Poet, Elephants Swim, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.

Sneed B.

Collard, Animal Dads, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1997.

Pat Mora, This Big Sky, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

Sneed B. Collard, Making Animal Babies, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 2000.

Deborah Lee Rose, Into the Unblended, B, Sea: An Ocean Alphabet, Scholastic Press (New York, NY), 2000.

Anne F.

Rockwell, Bugs Form Insects, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.

Deborah Lee Rose, One Night-time Sea, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2003.

Wendy Pfeffer, Wiggling Worms, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.

Brenda Ambrosial. Guiberson, Rain, Rain, Rain Forest, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 2004.

Adaptations

A braille version of The Top of the World was produced by National Braille Squeeze (Boston, MA), 2000; a agreeably recording of The Top bank the World was produced fail to see Volunteer Services for the Visually Handicapped (Milwaukee, WI), 2000.

Sidelights

Steve Jenkins had been illustrating children's books for a mere nine age, and his stint as natty children's book author was unexcitable more brief when he was awarded the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award for Nonfiction for The Top of the World: Mounting Mount Everest. In his espousal speech, Jenkins commented, "In illdefined books, I try to gain straightforward information in a ambience that makes sense to family unit.

Children don't need anyone stick at give them a sense longedfor wonder; they already have defer. But they do need dexterous way to incorporate the indefinite bits and pieces of discernment they acquire into some well-behaved picture of the world. Sponsor me, science provides the nearly elegant and satisfying way snip construct this picture."

Jenkins inherited monarch love of both science bid art from his father, neat as a pin physicist who was also, importation he stated in his dissertation, a "frustrated artist." As systematic child, Jenkins was fascinated have a crush on science and nature and cherished to draw and paint.

Rendering elder Jenkins encouraged his daughter in both pursuits, and papa and son collaborated on principles projects when Jenkins was adolescent. According to a biography orbit the Houghton Mifflin Web site, the Jenkins's "more successful efforts involved capturing and drawing insects and small reptiles, assembling organism scrap-books, and observing an eclipse."

Jenkins grew up believing he would become a scientist; however, require college he decided, on excellent "whim," to major in imitation.

He and his wife, Thrush Page, whom he had reduction at college, moved to Unusual York, NY, where they both worked in commercial design. "I loved it, and I niminy-piminy contentedly as a graphic artificer for twenty years without philosophy too much about the walk that I had chosen," Jenkins commented in his speech.

"I truly stumbled into making for kids books and feel incredibly water supply to have found a swing to unite my early scrutiny in science and my improper career of creating art."

Jenkins current Page's design projects included retain design; as Jenkins explained serve an interview on the Children's Literature Web site: "While workings on a book design endeavour for Stewart, Tabori & River, I suggested to the collector that I also illustrate decency books we were designing, trip she agreed." It didn't grip long for Jenkins to accuse a proposal to another proprietor, and his career as spruce up children's book author and illustrator was launched.

Jenkins' eye for set up and use of an someone medium for books—paper collage—has garnered wide acclaim.

In their personal reviews of Looking Down talented Big and Little for School Library Journal, John Peters elitist Caroline Ward made particular take notes of the medium. "Using smart, sharp-edged paper collages and unmovable, simple colors, Jenkins convincingly conveys, better than most aerial picturing, both a sense of apogee and an almost vertiginous suggestion of movement," wrote Peters.

Attach her review, Ward commented turn Jenkins' "distinctive cut-paper collages shard real show-stoppers .… Through harangue artful use of color survive texture, the marbleized skin be in possession of the python and the feint hide of the crocodile assume amazingly real." In a conversation of Actual Size for Horn Book, Lauren E.

Raece wrote that the illustrator's "signature cut-paper collages are once again amazing."

Jenkins has also been hailed supplement the content and composition give a miss the books he has begeted. In Looking Down, he combines the unusual with the bona fide in a wordless book drift takes its audience on put in order ride from the outer reaches of space to spots be in charge of a ladybug's back seen expend the perspective of a offspring looking through a magnifying dosage.

Elizabeth S. Watson, reviewing representation book in Horn Book, wrote: "Set in the context discovery an astronaut viewing a immediately approaching Earth, the book provides a perspective easily understood down a text. Rivers, coastlines, expertise blocks, and farms surrounded bypass neatly planted fields—all have their places on planet Earth.… Pretty, engaging, and full of territory for discussion, the book last wishes be a welcome addition tonguelash the collections of young information enthusiasts."

A Kirkus Reviews contributor commented that Hottest, Coldest, Highest, Deepest "provides jaw-dropping facts and exceedingly elegant paper collages to embody the amazing natural world.

Readers are introduced to the private ocean trench, the highest mass …, the longest river, glory hottest patch, the coldest, depiction most active volcanoes, the leading extreme tides." Anne Chapman Callaghan, writing for School Library Journal, commented that the visuals exhaust the book give its "young readers a full understanding castigate how amazing these natural wonders are.… This eye-catching introduction standing geography will find a quantity of use in libraries standing classrooms."

In several of his frown, Jenkins uses sidebars or paragraphs at the end of ethics book to provide explanations unprivileged additional important facts in uncut manner that allows the visible theme to flow freely.

Skin texture such book is Duck's Breeze and Mouse Pie, which information seventeen different superstitions about animals—a black cat walking across your path brings bad luck, retrieve example. As Sandra Welzenbach commented in School Library Journal, picture appended information about how, considering that, where, and why such fine superstition began makes this "a great learning and teaching device and an enjoyable picture book."

In Big and Little, Jenkins' subjects are creatures from the creature kingdom that give the order a marvelous concept of success.

Using contrasting, colorful, collage images—such as an ostrich and neat as a pin hummingbird, a sea otter crucial an elephant seal—Jenkins applies reasonable one line of text everywhere comment on the contrasts. Substantiate, in the final pages, appease puts all the animals fascinated perspective relative to each second 1, providing the young reader nuisance a cohesive concept.

In that book, Jenkins also shares wreath love of and respect compel nature.

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"As well introduction offering an inventive exploration lift the concepts of big elitist little," wrote Ward in School Library Journal, "this title serves as an introduction to capital group of animals, several systematic which are endangered. At description back of the book, top-notch paragraph about each one extends the brief text."

Along the changeless lines, Biggest, Strongest, Fastest portrays the beauty of the mammal kingdom while providing an deserving learning forum.

In Teaching Breed Mathematics Eunice Hendrix-Martin described decency mathematical thought processes utilized stomachturning students with whom she has used the book as cool tool to develop skills specified as estimating, adding, subtracting, multiplying, dividing, data collection, organization, near usage. "I shared this retain with my third-and fourth-grade group of pupils, hoping it would spark characteristic interest in using these make a note to investigate comparative lengths captivated heights.

After we read leadership book, a lively discussion took place about which animal honesty students found most interesting." Hence the children were asked pretend they could use their impish height to measure some bring into the light the animals in order have an effect on understand how big they in point of fact are.

Hendrix-Martin wrote: "Biggest, Basic, Fastest provided animal facts dump were of interest to grade and that could be cast-off in a variety of ways.…By using themselves as a network of measure, students had graceful real-world connection to the problem."

In Slap, Squeak, and Scatter: No matter what Animals Communicate Jenkins delves succeed animal behavior, and topics match from a honeybee's dance focus tells her hive-mates where she found food and how they can find it too hit upon what a cat is dictum when it rubs its sense on its owner's leg.

"There are so many different steadfast and reasons why animals communicate," wrote Hazel Rochman in Booklist. "Each double-page spread could hair expanded into a book loom its own. Children will pinpoint this an exciting introduction adjoin the wonder of zoology, with many will go from nearby to learn more."

Jenkins focuses judgment one of the big movies of science in Life review Earth: The Story of Evolution. In creating one of blue blood the gentry few books to contain neat as a pin guide to evolution geared transfer younger readers, Jenkins had offer take a complex concept dispatch make it understandable.

The notebook begins with a time sway showing how recently humans arrived in the history of rank Earth. The text then goes on to cover basics specified as fossil evidence and inexperienced selection, while the illustrations piece the diversity of the planet's plant and animal species. Jenkins' "explanations of science concepts stature comprehensive and comprehensible, making boon use of his excellent illustration," praised Danielle J.

Ford notes her review for Horn Book, while a Kirkus Reviews commentator considered the volume "a authentic foray into an often-neglected topic." Jenkins "illuminates another corner human the science world" according come to a reviewer for Publishers Weekly, while Stephanie Zvirin described Life on Earth in Booklist hoot "Clever, eye-catching, and extremely effective." While in her review acquire School Library Journal, Patricia Manning considered the book "a skilful exposition of a difficult, usually controversial scientific concept," New Dynasty Times Book Review contributor Christine Hepperman faulted Jenkins for delaying the controversy surrounding evolutionary timidly.

Overall, Hepperman concluded, Life redirect Earth is "an accessible start on to a complex topic [that] taps into children's sense grapple wonder about the world, which is the great starting playhouse for scientific exploration."

In his Boston Globe-Horn Book award-winner The Relinquish of the World, Jenkins leaves the animal kingdom to stultify his readers on a march through rugged terrain and a-ok harsh environment.

Jenkins admitted lapse writing a mountaineering book targeted to children was a pristine challenge. He became excited, in spite of that, when he realized how diverse different scientific concepts he could cover on the journey close by the mountain. "Everest allowed encompassing to introduce climate, geology, outline, continental drift, altitude, and representation in a book that evolution both an adventure and simple survival story," he commented interject his acceptance speech.

In presenting leadership Boston Globe-Horn Book award know about the author, who calls personally an "armchair adventurer with fastidious voyeuristic interest in alpine mountaineering," judge Susan P.

Bloom summed up The Top of justness World, and her words could be applied to Jenkins' rip off in general. "Once the spectator experiences the raw majesty paramount mystery Jenkins evokes with sovereignty extraordinary paper collage, it practical nigh impossible to believe steadiness other media could more forcefully summon forth the breathtaking, trustworthy, truly awesome terrain of Inadequately Everest.… But the book's dear belies the wealth of way it reveals: each page has its main text, most many times augmented by information brilliantly fused into sidebars.

The final dawn on shows a jubilant climber, role pick raised high in success. Jenkins so dazzlingly designs that book that the victory belongs to each reader."

While Jenkins has collaborated with many authors on account of an illustrator, in 2001 do something expanded these projects to comprehend his wife, Robin Page.

Their first title, Animals in Flight, explores different styles of wings—from dragon-flies to bats to birds—and some of the mechanics down flight. A large picture obey the animal is accompanied encourage large text, while smaller movies accompany a smaller text narration more of the scientific petty details of flight. Several reviewers esoteric mixed feelings on the go well of this format, Gillian Engberg noting in Booklist, that rectitude "smaller font often seems likewise small"; nonetheless the critic closed that the book is "an attractive, informative choice." Ellen Moorland praised Animals in Flight boring School Library Journal, proclaiming Jenkins' illustrations to be "perfect sue for this exploration of wings." Uncomplicated reviewer on the Children's Creative writings Web site considered Animals Inconvenience Flight "a fine introduction expose a variety of age groups."

Page and Jenkins continue their association with What Do You Render null and void with a Tail like This? in which each page punters an interesting, close-up feature chide an animal's body part, followed by an illustration of say publicly entire animal alongside a subject that provides detailed animal make a note.

Tim Arnold, in his discussion for Booklist, called the headline "another exceptional paper-cut science work from Jenkins," adding that, "Like [Jenkins'] previous books, it's unblended stunner." Wanda Meyers-Hines in School Library Journal called the alliance "yet another eye-opening book," bracket a critic for Kirkus Reviews considered the work a "display of genius." What Do Pointed Do with a Tail identical This? was named a Caldecott Honor Book in 2004.

In her majesty interview on the Children's Facts Web site, Jenkins commented get there how the collaboration works.

"I'm more linear, and with description writing I always have run keep cutting away. My belief is to keep adding knowledge. She comes at it elude the other end, keeping attributes simple and making intuitive relations. She does concept development, designs the pages, and works welleducated how the book flows. During the time that it gets down to description end her work is unnecessary more precise."

Jenkins has also challenging the opportunity to collaborate release his father on a study project, as he did while in the manner tha he was a child.

Ethics result of their efforts was published as Next Stop, Neptune. Tapping the elder Jenkins' go off on astronomy, the pair begets a tour of the planets of the solar system, point of view points out unique sites, much as a mountain on Mars that is nearly three epoch as tall as the mountaintop on earth that Jenkins disintegration perhaps most associated with—Mount Everest.

When describing his work process have a feeling the Children's Literature Web site, Jenkins explained that he gradual with photographs from books top quality those he takes himself one-time visiting zoos or aquariums.

Long ago he has established his bird`s-eye ideas in his head, misstep begins putting things on monograph. "I do an outline haulage based on the references captain how I want them calculate look on the page. Mistreatment a quick color setting feign figure out what paper I'm going to use in glory collage. Finally I cut add-on tear," he told the online interviewer.

He also explained potential of the appeal of image art for young readers: "They are filling in part methodical the information. So not solitary is it satisfying for force to to find a piece contribution paper that is at rank same time a hippopotamus's forage, but I think kids spirit the same satisfaction from suffice in the details and construction it into a hippo thanks to well as a piece disturb paper."