Artists at Play

Barbara Lehman has illustrated many books for children, including The Red Book, which was awarded the Caldecott Honor in 2005. A full-time illustrator, Barbara says, “Books and art have always held the strongest attraction for me. I have always felt drawn to ‘commercial art’ because of its ability to reach many people. I like the idea of being part of the media in a meaningful and thoughtful way, especially with children as the audience.”

Yuyi Morales is an author/illustrator whose books have won the Pura Belpré Award, the Christopher Award, the Caldecott Honor Award, and the Jane Addams Award. Her books include Just In Case, Viva Frida, Little Night/Nochecita, and Dreamers.

Kathryn Otoshi is an award-winning author/illustrator, best known for her character-building number/color book series: One, Zero, and Two. She travels across the country to encourage children to develop strong character traits and to help readers find creative methods to engage and connect with their students through the power of reading, art, and literature.

Cathryn M. Mercier, PhD is the director for the Center for the Study of Children’s Literature at Simmons University and its associated graduate programs. Her research focuses on multitextuality and the social construction of the child in literature.