Happy Birthday, Stephen Gammell!! Stephen was born on February 10th and raised in Des Moines, Iowa. He became interested in illustration as a young boy when his editor father would bring home copies of a variety of magazines. Stephen cut them up and made sample scrapbooks. His father also supplied him with an endless supply of paper and pencils. Stephen credits drawing for helping him get through elementary school, "If you could draw, the big kids were more hesitant about beating you up! I always liked the last class of the day best, because then I could go home and read and draw."
A Nutty Business, published in 1973 and written by Ida Chittum, was his first book. He went on to illustrate more than 50 books, and win two Caldecott Honors and the prestigious Caldecott Medal for The Song and Dance Man in 1989. Once Upon MacDonald's Farm, about a confused Old MacDonald, was his first published writing. He likes putting representations of himself in his books. Look for his signature red high-tops in The Relatives Came. I bring Stephen Gammell's books for the clearest examples of mood (Scary Stories, Where the Buffaloes Begin) and use of line (Song and Dance Man) when I talk with teachers and librarians about illustrating for children. Stephen's most recent book is The Secret Science Project That Ate the School, written by Judy Sierra.
Stephen lives in St. Paul and works in his studio nearly every day. Read more about him.
