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“What are they doing now?”


That was the popular question around my house and neighborhood.
It was not unusual to see my brother Billy and me dressed up in homemade
costumes – filming Super 8mm dramas – attempting risky stunts in the ravine –
animating GI Joes and weird-looking clay figures – building and performing clunky
puppets – drawing offbeat comics and imitating The Beatles.

 

Today, life isn’t very different.
Billy is a writer, director, producer and puppeteer for The Muppets.
I’m an author and illustrator of children’s books. My illustration and animation
work also appears on Sesame Street and Between the Lions. In addition, I have
designed characters for The Jim Henson Company.

 

The best part of our careers is that they occasionally we get to work together!
Unfortunately, no one will pay us to imitate The Beatles.

AWARDS:


2017 - Carolyn W. Field Honor Book Award (PA Library Assoc.) for "Lincoln & Kennedy."


2013 - Cook Prize Honor Book (STEM books) - Given to "Timeless Thomas" by The Bank Street College of Education.


2007 - Carolyn W. Field Award (PA Library Assoc.) for “Now & Ben.”


HONORS:


2020 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver" included in School Library Journal/ Fuse #8's 2020 Non-Fiction Picture Books


2020 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver" included in School Library Journal/ Fuse #8's 2020 Unique Biographies


2020 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver" and "Muhammad Ali: A Champion is Born" included in Book Riot’s list of “52 Incredible Picture Book Biographies of Black People Creating and Learning.”


2020 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver" included in Texas Bluebonnet Award Master List 2021-2022


2020 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver" included in SLJ article, “#BlackinSTEM: 17 Nonfiction Books That Spotlight Black Scientists, Thinkers, and Inventors.”


2019 - "The Secret Garden of George Washington" Carver awarded a Starred Review from Booklist


2019 - The Secret Garden of George Washington Carver awarded a Starred Review from School Library Journal


2017 - "Lincoln & Kennedy” on the 2017-2018 CFISD Name That Book List. Houston, TX


2017 - My three Inventor books included in Geekwrapped.com's 100 Best New Science Books for Kids


2017 - A painting from The Bat Can Bat, and Neo Leo, became part of the Mazza Museum collection!


2017 - Mazza Museum choice for favorite illustrator by the students of Carey Elementary in Carey, OH.


2017 - Children's Book Council included Lincoln & Kennedy on its 2017 NCSS Notable Social Studies Trade Books List!


2016 - Invited to speak about Lincoln and Kennedy at the 92nd St. Y


2016 - "Sky High: George Ferris' Big Wheel" is nominated for a 2016 CYBIL Award


2016 - "Lincoln and Kennedy" is mentioned among the NY Public Library's list of 100 Best Kids Books of 2016


2016 - “Muhammad Ali” is mentioned in Publisher’s Weekly’s African-American Interest Young Reader’s Titles, 2016–2017


2016 - "Neo Leo" included in the Alpha Reading Grade 4 Education Anthology


2016 - Invited to speak about Neo Leo at the 92nd St. Y


2015 - A painting from Now & Ben, and Dear Deer, became part of the Mazza Museum collection!


2014 - "Now & Ben" included in Best Books for Grades 3-5 by WeAreTeachers.com


2014 - "Neo Leo" and "Timeless Thomas" were chosen by Teaching Books for the 2014 Collaborative Summer Library Program themed "Fizz, Boom, Read!"


2014 - Included in 2014 PSLA Top Ten PA School Assembly Authors


2013 - "Timeless Thomas" chosen for Scholastic Book Club.


2013 - "Pirates on the Farm" awarded a Starred Review from Publishers Weekly.


2013 - "Pirates on the Farm" chosen for Scholastic Book Club


2013 - "Now & Ben" included in School Library Journal’s “20 Outstanding Non-Fiction Books/Core Essentials."


2013 - "Neo Leo" chosen for Scholastic Book Club.


2013 - 3,500 copies of Neo Leo bought by First Books to be distributed nationally to children from low-income homes.


2013 - "Timeless Thomas" made it onto NEA 2013 Calendar.


2012 - "Zoola Palooza" included on the 2012-2013 Keystone to Reading Elementary Book Award List.


2012 - "Timeless Thomas" awarded a Starred Review from Kirkus.


2012 - "Zoola Palooza” included on 2012 IRA Teacher’s Choice Reading List.


2012 - "Now & Ben" chosen for Scholastic Book Club.


2011 - “Zoola Palooza” chosen among Amazon’s Best Books of the Month for June.


2011 - "Now & Ben" is included in the 2011 Journeys Common Core Edition


2010 - "Dear Deer" named #19 in top 50 books of 2010 by LibraryThing.com


2010 - Teacher's Choice Booklist by the International Reader's Association for "Neo Leo."


2010 - "Neo Leo" included on the list of the 2010 NSTA - CBC Outstanding Science Trade Book for Students K-12


2009 - Children's Book of the Month Club. Alternate Selection for "Neo Leo."


2009 - April Book of the Month by the Rutgers University Project on Economics and Children for "Now & Ben."


2009 - "Neo Leo" included in LA Times Parent Reading Guide


2009 - Scholastic Instructor's Magazine's "First-Rate Biographies" for "Neo Leo."


2008 - "Ben Again!" exhibit at historic Morven House in Princeton, NJ. "Now and Ben" included.


2008 - "Notable Children's Videos" by ALSC (American Library Assoc) for the DVD of "Now & Ben."


2008 - Notable Children's Book in the Language Arts by The National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE) for "Dear Deer."


2008 - "Dear Deer" chosen for Scholastic Book Club - Lucky Club books.


2007 - CCBC Choices of 2007 "Now & Ben."


2007 - Best Children's Books of the Year list by the Children's Book Committee at the Bank Street College of Education for "Now & Ben."


2007 - Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young Readers by The National Council for Social Studies (NCSS) and the Children's Book Council for "Now & Ben."


2007 - Martha Stewart Sirius radio program. "Now & Ben" featured on "Kidstuff" in "Patriotic Books For Kids" segment.


2007 - Mom-Tested Books of the Year in "Parenting" magazine for "Dear Deer."


2007 - Children's Book-of-the-Month Club for "Dear Deer."


2006 - "Now & Ben" was chosen among ten books to be a tie-in to the A&E 13-part series titled “The Revolution.”


2006 - Children's Book-of-the-Month Club for "Now & Ben."


2006 - The New York Times Best Seller list - #3 for "Sheetzucacapoopoo: My Kind of Dog."


2006 - Book Sense Top Ten History Picks About The American Revolution for "Now & Ben."



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