Author of the Month

Our November Author of the Month is Steve Jenkins!

It may surprise you to know that this highly-regarded children’s nonfiction author and illustrator is a North Carolinian by birth! Steve Jenkins was born in Hickory, North Carolina, though he moved often as a child. His frequent moves sometimes meant he did not have many friends, but Steve enjoyed many hours reading and enjoying books.

As a child, Steve also loved science! He collected rocks, fossils, and other specimens from nature; kept turtles, lizards, and frogs, and conducted science experiments at home. His dad is a science professor and Steve always thought he’d become a scientist too. At the last minute, however, he decided to study art and design (at NC State!)

Steve Jenkins “backed in” to children’s book writing and illustration while working in advertising and book design. He convinced an editor to let him illustrate a book in process, began submitting his own ideas to other publishers, and his career took off.

Steve was inspired to write and draw children’s books as he read to his own children. In fact, many of his book ideas have come from the questions they have asked him over the years! For example, when his daughter Paige was 2, she was fascinated by how tiny the houses and streets looked during an airplane ride. This inspired Steve Jenkins to write Looking Down, a wordless book that takes the reader on a journey from outer space to a child’s backyard.

Making the illustrations for a book is a long and careful process for Steve. He will visit zoos, aquariums, and museums to take photographs of things he wants to draw. He also looks in books and the Internet. Finding the right photograph as a reference for a drawing can take longer than the drawing itself.

Steve also carefully chooses the paper he will use before beginning his drawing. Many of his papers are special handmade papers from Japan. The paper’s color and texture must fit well with the subject matter.

After creating a line drawing of his work, Steve turns it into a template from which he cuts or tears his chosen paper. Then he puts the pieces together to create his final product.

Watch Steve explain how he made the illustrations for Move! – a book about animal movements!

Steve Jenkins’ hard work has paid off. He has illustrated (and sometimes written) over 30 children’s nonfiction books, some of them with his wife Robin. His love of science and talent as an artist are reflected in his beautiful, accurate, and intriguing picture books. Steve says, “the more we understand about what the universe is and how it works, the greater our appreciation of the beauty and wonder of the world, of each other, and of being here to think about it all.”

Find out more about Steve Jenkins on his website: www.stevejenkinsbooks.com