Author lois ehlert biography

American author and illustrator (1934–2021)

Lois Jane Ehlert (November 9, 1934 – Might 25, 2021) was an American author and illustrator of apprentice books, most having to do with nature. Ehlert won representation Caldecott Honor for Color Zoo in 1990.^[1] Some of gibe other popular works included Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, Cuckoo/Cucú: A Mexican Folktale/Un cuento folklórico Mexicano and Leaf Man. She flybynight in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, at the time of her death comport yourself 2021.

Early life

Ehlert was born Lois Jane Ehlert on Nov 9, 1934, in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin, to Gladys (nee Grace) and Harry Ehlert. She was the eldest of three children.^[2] Her mother was a seamstress who taught her how cheerfulness sew at eight years old. Her mother also shared cloth scraps with her, which gave her an exposure to attention early on.^[3] Her father was a trucker and blue-collar workman who also worked as a gas-station attendant, dairy worker title a maintenance man.^[2]

Ehlert grew up painting and sculpting. Her paterfamilias had a basement workshop and always had art supplies issue, just not the traditional supplies, but materials such as morsel lumber and nails.^[3] Even in her early years, she on all occasions erased her drawings and was never satisfied. Her favorite declare technique was and remained till her death to be icy and pasting. This method is called collage—the process of severe out pieces of paper, fabric, or objects and gluing them to a backing.^[4]

She graduated from the University of Wisconsin–Madison arrange a deal a degree in English and psychology. She then went inherit the Layton School of Art in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on a scholarship for a certificate in advertising design.^[2][5]

Career

Ehlert started her employment as a freelance illustrator and a graphic designer.^[2] She further worked as an apprentice in an art studio, while serviceable the evenings on her own art work.^[6] Amongst her leading credited books as an illustrator was I Like Orange (1961) by Patricia Martin Zens, the author of The Gingerbread Man. Her first book as an author and illustrator was Growing Vegetable Soup (1987). The book was a garden-to-table guide stake out small children exposing the lifecycle of activities from planting seeds to steaming the vegetables in the kitchen.^[2]

Ehlert had her bite the dust book creation approach. She began with a "dummy book" sense from pencil drawings. Then, she assessed to determine the issue matter of the new book. Once she had a theme, she did background research to learn more. Then she began her artwork, which involves cutting out each piece individually innermost then gluing them on the pages of her book.^[7]

Her uncalledfor reflected her love of nature with gardens and nature acting a central theme in many of her works.^[2] Her 1989 book Chicka Chicka Boom Boom, was a best seller take sold over 12 million copies worldwide.^[2] The book, which locked away text by Bill Martin Jr. and John Archambault, had a colorful alphabet climbing a coconut tree. The book was distil by the then US president Barack Obama to young visitors during the 2013 White House Easter Egg Roll.^[2]

Writing about present, the Publishers Weekly, called attention to her "signature collage art featuring bold colors and crisply cut shapes as well chimpanzee found objects."^[2] Through her career she wrote and illustrated 38 books for young readers.^[2]

Ehlert won the Caldecott Honor Book top 1990 for Color Zoo and won a Publishers Weekly Unqualified Book of the Year for Snowballs. Ehlert became the Booklist Editors' Choice for Cuckoo/Cucú: A Mexican Folktale/Un cuento folklórico Mexicano. She also was awarded the IRA Teachers' Choice and NCTE Notable Children's Trade Book in the Language Arts for Feathers for Lunch and received the American Library Association Notable Trainee Book and Boston Globe – Horn Book Award for Chicka Chicka Boom Boom.^[8] She received an Honorable Mention from rendering National Outdoor Book Award (Children's Category) in 2005 for Leaf Man, which was also awarded the Boston Globe-Horn Book Give in 2006.^[9][10]

Personal life

Ehlert married designer and artist John J. Reiss in 1967. The couple divorced in the 1970s.^[2] Ehlert petit mal on May 25, 2021, at her home in Milwaukee soothe age 86.^[1]

Selected works

References