The Original Art 2007 : Society of Illustrators

OA JURY:

NICK BRUEL is a freelance author, illustrator and cartoonist. His very first book, Boing, was a New York Times bestseller. His breakout book, Bad Kitty, was selected as a 2006 Notable Children’s Book in the Language Arts by the National Council of Teachers of English and is currently a nominee for the 2007 North Carolina Book of the Year and the 2008 Book of the Year in South Carolina, Illinois, Colorado, and Tennessee. He draws much of his inspiration from the over seven years he spent as a bookseller at an independent children’s bookstore. He and his wife live in Tarrytown, New York. His website is: www.nickbruel.com.
DEMI is the author and illustrator of more than one hundred books for children, including biographies of spiritual leaders such as Jesus, Buddha, the Dalai Lama, and Muhammad. Her work has received numerous awards and accolades, among them the Christopher Award, which recognizes individuals whose work makes a positive difference in the world, and the Middle East Book Award. Her books have been designated ALA Notable Children’s Books, New York Times Best Illustrated Books, Notable Books for a Global Society, and American Bookseller Pick of the List books. Demi has traveled extensively and has studied art in Mexico, in China, and on a Fulbright Scholarship in India. She lives with her husband in Carnation, Washington.
DAVID McLIMANS received his MFA in graphic design from Boston University and has been an editorial illustrator for over twenty years. His work has appeared in The Progressive, Harper’s, The New York Times, and The Washington Post. His first picture book, Gone Wild, was chosen as a New York Times Best Illustrated Book and was named a Caldecott Honor book. He lives in Madison, Wisconsin, in an International Style house that sits on glacial drumlin. His website is www.davidmclimans.com.
RUBIN PFEFFER enjoyed an illustrious career at Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, serving originally as a designer and rising through the ranks to become President of Harcourt Trade. After almost thirty years at Harcourt, he became the Senior VP and Chief Creative Officer of Pearson Education. In 2005, his intense interest in children’s books lead him to Simon and Schuster, where he relishes the focus on publishing commercial and distinguished children’s books as Senior VP & Publisher of Simon and Schuster Children’s Books.
NEAL PORTER has been involved in the children’s book business for the better part of thirty years. He has held executive positions at Farrar, Straus and Giroux, Macmillan, Walker Books UK, Orchard Books, and Dorling Kindersley. In 2000 he returned to his true love, editing picture books and fiction for younger readers. He is currently Editorial Director of Neal Porter Books at Roaring Brook Press, where he works with artists such as Ted Lewin, Ed Young, Barry Moser, Robert Andrew Parker, and Laura Vaccaro Seeger.
MARJORIE PRICEMAN studied illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design and has illustrated thirty books for children. Two were designated Caldecott Honor books (Zin!Zin!Zin! A Violin and Hot Air: The (Mostly) True Story of the First Hot-Air Balloon Ride), two were named New York Times Best Illustrated Books, and two were featured on the popular PBS program Reading Rainbow. (She is not at all superstitious about the number two.) A native New Yorker, she currently lives in Pennsylvania.
PAUL O. ZELINSKY is known for the elasticity of his style. He adapted and illustrated The Wheels on the Bus, a popular pop-up book, as well as Rapunzel, winner of the 1998 Caldecott Medal. His other books include three Caldecott Honor books—Swamp Angel, Rumplestiltskin, and Hansel and Gretel—and feature texts by such well-known authors as Beverly Cleary and Jack Prelutsky. His most recent picture book, The Shivers in the Fridge by Fran Manushkin, is about a family of refrigerator magnets. He lives in Brooklyn with his wife and their two daughters. His website: www.paulozelinsky.com.