Laurie Keller
Encyclopedia
Laurie Keller is an American
children's book author
and illustrator
. She has written four books for Henry Holt & Co. Books for Young Readers, and produced illustrations for two others.
Keller grew up in Muskegon, Michigan
. After graduating high school
, she took education classes at a local community college and studied dance
until a friend brought her to see a show at the Kendall College of Art and Design
, which re-sparked her interest, causing her to enroll and receive a degree from the college in illustration
.
Following graduation, Keller worked for seven years for Hallmark Cards
as a greeting card artist. While there, she was allowed to design entire cards, which caused her to consider writing and illustrating books. Starting in 1997, she made illustations for Nickelodeon
, and later in 1998, she directed 6 network ID's for the channel with Pitch Productions, using pipe-cleaners and cel animation.
Keller has written and illustrated six books for Henry Holt Books for Young Readers: The Scrambled States of America
, an acclaimed geography
book, Open Wide: Tooth School Inside
, a dental
book about tooth
care, Arnie the Doughnut
, about an anthropomorphic
doughnut
, Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard
, a number book, Do Unto Otters
, a book about manners, and The Scrambled States of America Talent Show
, the follow-up to her 1998 debut.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
children's book author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
. She has written four books for Henry Holt & Co. Books for Young Readers, and produced illustrations for two others.
Keller grew up in Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon, Michigan
Muskegon is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2010 census, the city population was 38,401. The city is the county seat of Muskegon County...
. After graduating high school
High school
High school is a term used in parts of the English speaking world to describe institutions which provide all or part of secondary education. The term is often incorporated into the name of such institutions....
, she took education classes at a local community college and studied dance
Dance
Dance is an art form that generally refers to movement of the body, usually rhythmic and to music, used as a form of expression, social interaction or presented in a spiritual or performance setting....
until a friend brought her to see a show at the Kendall College of Art and Design
Kendall College of Art and Design
Kendall College of Art and Design, of Ferris State University, is a college of the visual arts in downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan, United States...
, which re-sparked her interest, causing her to enroll and receive a degree from the college in illustration
Illustration
An illustration is a displayed visualization form presented as a drawing, painting, photograph or other work of art that is created to elucidate or dictate sensual information by providing a visual representation graphically.- Early history :The earliest forms of illustration were prehistoric...
.
Following graduation, Keller worked for seven years for Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards
Hallmark Cards is a privately owned American company based in Kansas City, Missouri. Founded in 1910 by Joyce C. Hall, Hallmark is the largest manufacturer of greeting cards in the United States. In 1985, the company was awarded the National Medal of Arts....
as a greeting card artist. While there, she was allowed to design entire cards, which caused her to consider writing and illustrating books. Starting in 1997, she made illustations for Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon
Nickelodeon is a US cable TV channel.Nickelodeon may also refer to:-In television:*Spinoffs of the Nickelodeon channel:** Nickelodeon Magazine, a children's magazine.** Nickelodeon Universe, an amusement park....
, and later in 1998, she directed 6 network ID's for the channel with Pitch Productions, using pipe-cleaners and cel animation.
Keller has written and illustrated six books for Henry Holt Books for Young Readers: The Scrambled States of America
The Scrambled States of America
The Scrambled States of America is a children's book by author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Her first book, it was released by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in 1998, and tells the story about the 50 states of America becoming bored and organizing a party, where the states meet each other,...
, an acclaimed geography
Geography
Geography is the science that studies the lands, features, inhabitants, and phenomena of Earth. A literal translation would be "to describe or write about the Earth". The first person to use the word "geography" was Eratosthenes...
book, Open Wide: Tooth School Inside
Open Wide: Tooth School Inside
Open Wide: Tooth School Inside is the second book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in 2000, it tells the story of a day in a tooth school, with all 32 tooth students present. The book reviews the biology of teeth, tooth care, and...
, a dental
Oral hygiene
Teeth cleaning is part of oral hygiene and involves the removal of dental plaque from teeth with the intention of preventing cavities , gingivitis, and periodontal disease. People routinely clean their own teeth by brushing and interdental cleaning, and dental hygienists can remove hardened...
book about tooth
Tooth
Teeth are small, calcified, whitish structures found in the jaws of many vertebrates that are used to break down food. Some animals, particularly carnivores, also use teeth for hunting or for defensive purposes. The roots of teeth are embedded in the Mandible bone or the Maxillary bone and are...
care, Arnie the Doughnut
Arnie the Doughnut
Arnie the Doughnut is the third book by American children's author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released in 2003 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, it is the story of a doughnut named Arnie, who attempts to avoid his fate after being purchased by Mr. Bing.The book was a choice of the...
, about an anthropomorphic
Anthropomorphism
Anthropomorphism is any attribution of human characteristics to animals, non-living things, phenomena, material states, objects or abstract concepts, such as organizations, governments, spirits or deities. The term was coined in the mid 1700s...
doughnut
Doughnut
A doughnut or donut is a fried dough food and is popular in many countries and prepared in various forms as a sweet snack that can be homemade or purchased in bakeries, supermarkets, food stalls, and franchised specialty outlets...
, Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard
Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard
Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard is the fourth children's book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released in 2005 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, it tells, in rhyme, about the numbers 1 through 20 using the character of Grandpa Gazillion, who runs a junkyard full of numbers....
, a number book, Do Unto Otters
Do Unto Otters
Do Unto Otters: A Book about Manners is a children's book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. It was released in 2007 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. Keller brings the "Golden Rule" to life in the form of Mr...
, a book about manners, and The Scrambled States of America Talent Show
The Scrambled States of America Talent Show
The Scrambled States of America Talent Show is the companion to 1998's The Scrambled States of America by children's book author and illustrator Laurie Keller.This book was both a Children's Book-of-the-Month Club and Junior Library Guild selection....
, the follow-up to her 1998 debut.
Authored and illustrated
- The Scrambled States of AmericaThe Scrambled States of AmericaThe Scrambled States of America is a children's book by author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Her first book, it was released by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in 1998, and tells the story about the 50 states of America becoming bored and organizing a party, where the states meet each other,...
- Henry Holt and Co. - 1998 - Open Wide: Tooth School InsideOpen Wide: Tooth School InsideOpen Wide: Tooth School Inside is the second book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers in 2000, it tells the story of a day in a tooth school, with all 32 tooth students present. The book reviews the biology of teeth, tooth care, and...
- Henry Holt and Co. - 2000 - Arnie the DoughnutArnie the DoughnutArnie the Doughnut is the third book by American children's author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released in 2003 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, it is the story of a doughnut named Arnie, who attempts to avoid his fate after being purchased by Mr. Bing.The book was a choice of the...
- Henry Holt and Co. - 2003 - Grandpa Gazillion's Number YardGrandpa Gazillion's Number YardGrandpa Gazillion's Number Yard is the fourth children's book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. Released in 2005 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, it tells, in rhyme, about the numbers 1 through 20 using the character of Grandpa Gazillion, who runs a junkyard full of numbers....
- Henry Holt and Co. - 2005 - Do Unto OttersDo Unto OttersDo Unto Otters: A Book about Manners is a children's book by American author and illustrator Laurie Keller. It was released in 2007 by Henry Holt Books for Young Readers. Keller brings the "Golden Rule" to life in the form of Mr...
- Henry Holt and Co. - 2007 - The Scrambled States of America Talent ShowThe Scrambled States of America Talent ShowThe Scrambled States of America Talent Show is the companion to 1998's The Scrambled States of America by children's book author and illustrator Laurie Keller.This book was both a Children's Book-of-the-Month Club and Junior Library Guild selection....
- Henry Holt and Co. - 2008 - Birdy's Smile Book - 2010
Illustrator
- Marty Frye, Private Eye (Janet TashjianJanet TashjianJanet Tashjian is an American author who writes books targeted at young adults. She is married and has a son.-Works:* 1997: Tru Confessions...
) - Scholastic PressScholastic PressScholastic is a global book publishing company known for publishing educational materials for schools, teachers, and parents, and selling and distributing them by mail order and via book clubs and book fairs. It also has the exclusive United States' publishing rights to the Harry Potter book...
- 2000 - Toys!: Amazing Stories Behind Some Great Inventions (Don Wullfson) - 2000
- Stinky Thinking: The Big Book of Gross Games and Brain Teasers (Alan Katz) - Simon & Schuster, Inc. - 2005
- Fooled You!: Fakes and Hoaxes Through the Years (Elaine Pascoe) - Henry Holt and Co. - 2005
- Me and My Animal Friends
External links
- Henry Holt author biography.
- The Career Cookbook Laurie Keller Profile
- Laurie Keller website