Gail Gibbons in her own words
I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.
Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 135 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.
About this site
Children's book author and illustrator, Gail Gibbons, keeps you up to date on recent books, as well as archiving previous titles. Her non-fiction books are richly illustrated and teach children a wide range of real world topics. Here you can learn more about Gail, her family, and even Maple Syrup (in fact, you can also purchase real Vermont Maple Syrup made right in Goose Green!). Learn how to purchase original illustrations and cards in the Original Art and Card Shop. Teachers will surely want to take a look at the teaching resources section.