David Ezra Stein is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for his Interrupting Chicken series, which was adapted into an animated television show on Apple TV+ in 2022.[1][2] The first book of the series has been named a Caldecott Honor book.[3][4]

David Ezra Stein
BornBrooklyn, New York, United States
OccupationAuthor, illustrator
GenrePicture books
Notable worksInterrupting Chicken
Children2
Website
davidezrastein.com

Biography edit

Stein was born in Brooklyn, New York.[5] His father was a cartographer, and his mother was a painter and editor, both of which inspired him as an artist.[6] He attended the Parsons School of Design,[7] where he majored in editorial illustration.[8] While studying, he took a year off, during which he lived in Cape Cod and explored puppetry.[6]

Stein's books have been translated in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, French, and Finnish,[5] and his artwork has appeared in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other major publications.[8]

Stein has a wife and two children. They live in Kew Gardens, Queens.[9]

Awards and honors edit

Six of Stein's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Leaves (2007),[10] Interrupting Chicken (2010),[11] Dinosaur Kisses (2013),[12] Ol’ Mama Squirrel (2013),[13] Honey (2018),[14] and The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken (2021).[15]

Leaves was named one of the best picture books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal.[10] In 2011, Bank Street College of Education included Interrupting Chicken on their list of the best children's books for ages 5–9. Amazon named Ol' Mama Squirrel one of the best books of 2013 for ages 3–5.[13] In 2022, The Horn Book Magazine named Don't Worry, Murray one of the best picture books of the year.[16]

Awards for Stein's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
2008 Leaves Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for New Writer Winner [17][6]
2010 Pouch! Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor [18]
2011 Interrupting Chicken! ALSC Notable Children's Books Selection [19]
Golden Kite Award for Picture Book text Honor [20]
Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor [3][4][6][21]
2019 Honey Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor [18]
2019 Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth Selection [22]
2020 Hush, Little Bunny CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards for Sing Nominee [23]

Publications edit

Standalone books edit

  • Leaves (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2007, ISBN 9780399246364)
  • Cowboy Ned & Andy (Paula Wiseman Books, 2006, ISBN 9781416900412)
  • Monster Hug! (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2006, ISBN 9780399246371)
  • Ned's New Friend (Paula Wiseman Books, 2007, ISBN 9781416924906)
  • The Nice Book (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2008, ISBN 9780399250507)
  • Pouch! (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2009, ISBN 9780399246364)
  • Love, Mouserella (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2011, ISBN 9780399254109)
  • Because Amelia Smiled (Candlewick Press, 2012, ISBN 9780763641696)
  • Dinosaur Kisses (Candlewick Press, 2013, ISBN 9780399250514)
  • Ol' Mama Squirrel (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2013, ISBN 9780399256721)
  • I'm My Own Dog (Candlewick Press, 2014, ISBN 9780763661397)
  • Tad and Dad (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015, ISBN 9780399256714)
  • Ice Boy (Candlewick Press, 2017, ISBN 9780763682033)
  • Honey (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018, ISBN 9781524737863)
  • Hush, Little Bunny (Balzer + Bray, 2019, ISBN 9780062845221)
  • Don't Worry, Murray (Harperteen, 2022, ISBN 9780062845245)
  • Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose (Penguin Workshop, 2023, ISBN 9780593094761)

Interrupting Chicken series edit

As illustrator only edit

References edit

  1. ^ Haring, Bruce (2022-08-29). "Apple TV+ Sets Kids & Family Fall Slate Spotlighting Animated Series, Live Action Lineup". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on 2022-08-29. Retrieved 2022-08-29.
  2. ^ "TV: Interrupting Chicken". Shelf Awareness. 2022-11-18. Archived from the original on 2022-12-02. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  3. ^ a b "Interrupting Chicken | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2011-01-10. Archived from the original on 2020-06-22. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  4. ^ a b "Caldecott Medal & Honor Books, 1938-Present". Association for Library Service to Children (ALSC). Archived from the original on 2022-12-29. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  5. ^ a b "About David Ezra Stein". David Ezra Stein. Archived from the original on 2022-01-27. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  6. ^ a b c d Saxon, Antonia (2013-03-19). "Q & A with David Ezra Stein". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  7. ^ Lodge, Sally (2012-06-06). "Book Long in the Making: PW Talks to David Ezra Stein". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2016-01-12. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  8. ^ a b "David Ezra Stein". National Center for Children's Illustrated Literature. Archived from the original on 2022-11-21. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  9. ^ "About David Ezra Stein - Funny with Love". davidezrastein.com. Retrieved 2024-02-24.
  10. ^ a b "Leaves by David Ezra Stein". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  11. ^ "Interrupting Chicken by David Ezra Stein". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  12. ^ "Dinosaur Kisses by David Ezra Stein". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  13. ^ a b "Ol' Mama Squirrel by David Ezra Stein". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  14. ^ "Honey by David Ezra Stein". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2020-10-20. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  15. ^ "The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken by Jennifer Frank". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2021-10-25. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  16. ^ "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. Archived from the original on 2021-10-30. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  17. ^ Saxon, Antonia (2013-03-19). "Q & A with David Ezra Stein". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2013-03-21. Retrieved 2023-03-15.
  18. ^ a b "Booklists". Cooperative Children's Book Center. Archived from the original on 2022-11-27. Retrieved 2023-03-06.
  19. ^ Schulte-Cooper, Laura (2011-01-18). "ALSC announces 2011 Notable Children's Books". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2020-06-19. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  20. ^ "Past Golden Kite Recipients". Archived from the original on 2022-08-20. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  21. ^ Roback, Diane (2011-01-10). "Vanderpool, Stead, Bacigalupi Win Newbery, Caldecott, Printz". Publishers Weekly. Archived from the original on 2022-09-02. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  22. ^ "Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2018". Booklist. 2019-01-01. Archived from the original on 2022-01-07. Retrieved 2023-03-24.
  23. ^ "Hush, Little Bunny". Goodreads. Archived from the original on 2021-06-20. Retrieved 2023-03-24.

External links edit