Ed Young (illustrator)
Encyclopedia
Ed Young is a Caldecott Medal
-winning illustrator and author of picture books.
. His mother would ring a bell at mealtimes, and he would slide down the banister with his brothers and sisters. “I have never lost the child in me. My father would spin endless tales of his own to entertain our imaginations on summer nights lying on the flat roof of our house. I have never forgotten the images I saw in my mind.” From an early age, Ed loved to create stories and draw pictures and thought he could "disappear" into his own world, brought to life through his illustrations.
In 1951, Young came to America
to study architecture. Instead, he grew more interested in art, and soon switched his major. Young’s first job was with a New York
advertising agency where he spent his lunch breaks sketching animals at Central Park Zoo
. During that time, he received a letter from his father which said, “A successful life and a happy life is one measured by how much you have accomplished for others and not one measured by how much you have done for yourself. “Young said, “I understood then that to realize my potential as an artist was subservient to my worth as a human being. To be truly successful, I needed to find a place where my work would also inspire others to fuller and happier lives. I wished to share with everyone my father’s words about success – work can, in fact, be the rooftop from which we launch ourselves to higher places.” In search of something more expansive, expressive, and timeless, Young discovered all this, and more, in children’s books.
“A Chinese painting is often accompanied by words. They are complementary. There are things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there are images that words can never describe. I feel the story has to be an exciting and moving experience for a child. Before I am involved with a project, I must be moved, and, as I grow, I try to create something exciting. It is my purpose to stimulate growth in the reader as an active participant. To get the story across for me, mostly it’s the feeling. I think that if the book evokes a reaction of some sort, either positive or negative, I think it would have done what it is supposed to do.”
The subject and style of each story provide Young with the initial inspiration for his art and with the motivation for design, sequence, and pace. Accuracy in research is essential to his work, too – whether he is illustrating fantasy, folk tale, or fact. According to Young, a strong foundation of credibility must be established in order to create new and exciting images. Through such images, he hopes to capture his readers and ultimately expand their awareness.
In 1990, his book Lon Po Po, a Red-Riding Hood story
from China, was awarded the Caldecott Medal
. He has also received two Caldecott Honors – for The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice – and was twice nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award
, the highest international recognition given to children's book authors and illustrators who have made a lasting contribution to children's literature
.
According to Young, “Producing a book becomes part of the spirit of each person who touched it and those who’d touched them.” During a Horn Book acceptance speech, Young spoke about the “Eight Matters of the Heart,” the place where he said that he puts his mind before he does his work (for more information, read Young’s book, Voices of the Heart.) When asked to elaborate, he said, “We put ourselves in jeopardy in life if we don’t have our mind and body in the right place. The eight matters must accompany me wherever I tread so that I know the time that I have in this world is well spent.”
. He became one of Cheng's top disciples in America, and was one of his two principal translators. Besides being a master of t'ai chi and Chinese medicine, Cheng was a highly respected master of Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy. Being Chinese and an artist, Young was able to appreciate and absorb much of what Cheng had to say in those fields. Young is now a respected t'ai chi master in his own right, and has been teaching t'ai chi students for over three decades. He also enjoys swimming and says that his favorite sound is the sound of waves lapping the shore.
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
-winning illustrator and author of picture books.
Biography
Ed Young was born on November 28, 1931 in Tianjin, China. When he was three years old, he and his family moved to ShanghaiShanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
. His mother would ring a bell at mealtimes, and he would slide down the banister with his brothers and sisters. “I have never lost the child in me. My father would spin endless tales of his own to entertain our imaginations on summer nights lying on the flat roof of our house. I have never forgotten the images I saw in my mind.” From an early age, Ed loved to create stories and draw pictures and thought he could "disappear" into his own world, brought to life through his illustrations.
In 1951, Young came to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to study architecture. Instead, he grew more interested in art, and soon switched his major. Young’s first job was with a New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
advertising agency where he spent his lunch breaks sketching animals at Central Park Zoo
Central Park Zoo
The Central Park Zoo is a small zoo located in Central Park in New York City. It is part of an integrated system of four zoos and the New York Aquarium managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society , and is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums .The zoo began in the 1860s as a...
. During that time, he received a letter from his father which said, “A successful life and a happy life is one measured by how much you have accomplished for others and not one measured by how much you have done for yourself. “Young said, “I understood then that to realize my potential as an artist was subservient to my worth as a human being. To be truly successful, I needed to find a place where my work would also inspire others to fuller and happier lives. I wished to share with everyone my father’s words about success – work can, in fact, be the rooftop from which we launch ourselves to higher places.” In search of something more expansive, expressive, and timeless, Young discovered all this, and more, in children’s books.
Work
Young’s first book, The Mean Mouse and Other Mean Stories, was published by Harper & Row in 1962. He expected it to be his first and last book, but it won an American Institute of Graphic Arts award and launched a career that has resulted in over eighty books for children. Most of his books are visual masterpieces using colors and images to convey hidden symbolism.The subject and style of each story provide Young with the initial inspiration for his art and with the motivation for design, sequence, and pace. Accuracy in research is essential to his work, too – whether he is illustrating fantasy, folk tale, or fact. According to Young, a strong foundation of credibility must be established in order to create new and exciting images. Through such images, he hopes to capture his readers and ultimately expand their awareness.
In 1990, his book Lon Po Po, a Red-Riding Hood story
Little Red Riding Hood
Little Red Riding Hood, also known as Little Red Cap, is a French fairy tale about a young girl and a Big Bad Wolf. The story has been changed considerably in its history and subject to numerous modern adaptations and readings....
from China, was awarded the Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
. He has also received two Caldecott Honors – for The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice – and was twice nominated for the Hans Christian Andersen Award
Hans Christian Andersen Award
The Hans Christian Andersen Award, sometimes known as the "Nobel Prize for children's literature", is an international award given biennially by the International Board on Books for Young People in recognition of a "lasting contribution to children's literature"...
, the highest international recognition given to children's book authors and illustrators who have made a lasting contribution to children's literature
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
.
According to Young, “Producing a book becomes part of the spirit of each person who touched it and those who’d touched them.” During a Horn Book acceptance speech, Young spoke about the “Eight Matters of the Heart,” the place where he said that he puts his mind before he does his work (for more information, read Young’s book, Voices of the Heart.) When asked to elaborate, he said, “We put ourselves in jeopardy in life if we don’t have our mind and body in the right place. The eight matters must accompany me wherever I tread so that I know the time that I have in this world is well spent.”
T'ai chi
In 1961, Young met the renowned t'ai chi master, Cheng Man-ch'ingCheng Man-ch'ing
Cheng Man-ch'ing was born in Yongjia , Zhejiang Province . He died March 26, 1975; his grave is near the city of Taipei. Cheng was trained in Chinese medicine, t'ai chi ch'uan, calligraphy, painting and poetry...
. He became one of Cheng's top disciples in America, and was one of his two principal translators. Besides being a master of t'ai chi and Chinese medicine, Cheng was a highly respected master of Chinese painting, poetry and calligraphy. Being Chinese and an artist, Young was able to appreciate and absorb much of what Cheng had to say in those fields. Young is now a respected t'ai chi master in his own right, and has been teaching t'ai chi students for over three decades. He also enjoys swimming and says that his favorite sound is the sound of waves lapping the shore.
Awards
- Caldecott MedalCaldecott MedalThe Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
: Lon Po Po: A Red Riding Hood Story from China (1990). - Caldecott HonorCaldecott MedalThe Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
: The Emperor and the Kite. - Caldecott HonorCaldecott MedalThe Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
: Seven Blind Mice - Hans Christian Andersen Medal nominations: 1992 and 2000.
Self-Illustrated; for children
- (With Hilary Beckett) The Rooster's Horns: A Chinese Puppet Play to Make and Perform, 1978.
- (Reteller) The Terrible Nung Gwama: A Chinese Folktale, 1978.
- (Adaptor) The Lion and the Mouse: An Aesop Fable, 1979.
- High on a Hill: A Book of Chinese Riddles, 1980.
- Up a Tree, 1983.
- The Other Bone, 1984.
- (Translator) Lon Po Po: A Red-Riding Hood Story from China, 1989.
- (Reteller) Seven Blind Mice, 1992 (a version of The Blind men and an elephantBlind Men and an ElephantThe story of the blind men and an elephant originated in India from where it is widely diffused. It has been used to illustrate a range of truths and fallacies...
). - (Reteller) Moon Mother: A Narrative American Creation Tale, 1993.
- (Reteller) Red Thread, 1993.
- (Reteller) Little Plum, 1994.
- (Reteller) Donkey Trouble, 1995.
- (Adaptor) Pinocchio, 1995.
- (Reteller) Night Visitors, 1995.
- Cat and Rat: The Legend of the Chinese Zodiac, 1995.
- (Reteller) Mouse Match: A Chinese Folktale, 1997 (a version of The Mouse Turned into a MaidThe Mouse Turned into a MaidThe mouse turned into a maid is an ancient fable of Indian origin that travelled westwards to Europe during the Middle Ages and also exists in the Far East. Its Classical analogue is the Aesop's Fable of "Venus and the Cat" in which a man appeals to the goddess Venus to change his cat into a woman...
). - (Adaptor) Genesis, 1997.
- Voices of the Heart, 1997.
- (Reteller) The Lost Horse: A Chinese Folktale, 1998.
- Monkey King, 2001.
- What About Me?, 2002.
- I, Doko: The Tale of the Basket, 2004
- Sons of the Dragon King, 2004
- Beyond the Great Mountains, 2005
- My Mei Mei, 2006
- Tiger of the Snows, 2006
- Hook, 2009
Illustrator
- Janice May UdryJanice May UdryJanice May Udry is an American author. She was born in Jacksonville, Illinois and graduated from Northwestern University in 1950. Her first book, A Tree is Nice, was awarded the Caldecott Medal in 1957 for Marc Simont's illustrations...
, The Mean Mouse and Other Mean Stories, 1962. - Leland B. Jacobs and Sally Nohelty, editors, Poetry for Young Scientists, 1964.
- Margaret HillertMargaret HillertMargaret Hillert is an American author and poet. Hillert is known primarily for her children's literature, having written over eighty books for beginning readers. A retired first grade teacher, she currently resides in southeast Michigan...
, The Yellow Boat, 1966. - Jane YolenJane YolenJane Hyatt Yolen is an American author and editor of almost 300 books. These include folklore, fantasy, science fiction, and children's books...
, editor, The Emperor and the Kite, 1968. - Robert Wyndam, editor, Chinese Mother Goose Rhymes, 1968.
- Kermit Krueger, The Golden Swans: A Picture Story from Thailand, 1969.
- Mel Evans, The Tiniest Sound, 1969.
- Jane Yolen, The Seventh Mandarin, 1970.
- Renee K. Weiss, The Bird from the Sea, 1970.
- Diane Wolkstein, Eight Thousand Stones: A Chinese Folktale, 1972.
- Jane Yolen, The Girl Who Loved the Wind, 1972.
- L. C. Hunt, editor, The Horse from Nowhere, 1973.
- Donnarae MacCann and Olga Richard, The Child's First Books, 1973.
- Elizabeth Foreman LewisElizabeth Foreman LewisElizabeth Foreman Lewis , was an American children's book author.She was born Elizabeth Foreman in Baltimore, Maryland and studied art at the Maryland Institute of Fine Arts from 1909-1910...
, Young Fu of the Upper YangtzeYoung Fu of the Upper YangtzeYoung Fu of the Upper Yangtze is a book by Elizabeth Foreman Lewis that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1933. The story revolves around Fu Yuin-fah, the son of a widow from the countryside of western China, who wishes to become a coppersmith in the big city...
, 1973. - Diane Wolkstein, The Red Lion: A Tale of Ancient Persia, 1977.
- Feenie Ziner, Cricket Boy: A Chinese Tale, 1977.
- N. J. Dawood, Tales from the Arabian Nights, 1978.
- Diane Wolkstein, White Wave: A Chinese Tale, 1979.
- Priscilla Jaquith, Bo Rabbit Smart for True: Folktales from the Gullah, 1981.
- Al-Ling Louie, Yeh-Shen: A Cinderella Story from China, 1982.
- Mary Scioscia, Bicycle Rider, 1983.
- Rafe Martin, Foolish Rabbit's Big Mistake, 1985.
- Jean FritzJean FritzJean Guttery Fritz, born November 16, 1915, is an American children's author and biographer.-Life:Jean Fritz was born to American missionaries in Hankow, China, where she lived until she was thirteen. She was an only child . Growing up, Fritz kept a journal about her days in China with Lin Nai-Nai...
, The Double Life of Pocahontas, 1985. - Margaret Leaf, Eyes of the Dragon, 1987.
- James Howe, I Wish I Were a Butterfly, 1987.
- Tony Johnston, Whale Song, 1987.
- Richard Lewis, In the Night, Still Dark, 1988.
- Nancy Larrick, editor, Cats Are Cats, 1988.
- Robert FrostRobert FrostRobert Lee Frost was an American poet. He is highly regarded for his realistic depictions of rural life and his command of American colloquial speech. His work frequently employed settings from rural life in New England in the early twentieth century, using them to examine complex social and...
, Birches, 1988. - Oscar WildeOscar WildeOscar Fingal O'Flahertie Wills Wilde was an Irish writer and poet. After writing in different forms throughout the 1880s, he became one of London's most popular playwrights in the early 1890s...
, The Happy Prince, 1989. - Lafcadio Hearn, The Voice of the Great Bell, retold by Margaret Hodges, 1989.
- Ruth Y. Radin, High in the Mountains, 1989.
- Nancy Larrick, editor, Mice Are Nice, 1990.
- Richard Lewis, All of You Was Singing, 1991.
- Nancy White Carlstrom, Goodbye, Geese, 1991.
- Barabara Savage Horton, What Comes in Spring?, 1992.
- Mary Calhoun, While I Sleep, 1992.
- Audrey Osofsky, Dreamcatcher, 1992.
- Laura Krauss Melmed, The First Song Ever Sung, 1993.
- Eleanor Coerr, Sadako, 1993.
- Isaac Olaleye, Bitter Bananas, 1994.
- Shulamith Levey Oppenheim, reteller, Iblis, 1994.
- Penny Pollock, reteller, The Turkey Girl: A Zuni Cinderella Story, 1996 ( a Native AmericanIndigenous peoples of the AmericasThe indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
version of CinderellaCinderella"Cinderella; or, The Little Glass Slipper" is a folk tale embodying a myth-element of unjust oppression/triumphant reward. Thousands of variants are known throughout the world. The title character is a young woman living in unfortunate circumstances that are suddenly changed to remarkable fortune...
) - Lisa Westberg Peters, October Smiled Back, 1996.
- Jack LondonJack LondonJohn Griffith "Jack" London was an American author, journalist, and social activist. He was a pioneer in the then-burgeoning world of commercial magazine fiction and was one of the first fiction writers to obtain worldwide celebrity and a large fortune from his fiction alone...
, White FangWhite FangWhite Fang is a novel by American author Jack London. First serialized in Outing magazine, it was published in 1906. The story takes place in Yukon Territory, Canada, during the Klondike Gold Rush at the end of the 19th-century, and details a wild wolfdog's journey to domestication...
, 1999. - Mary Casanova, The Hunter: A Chinese Folktale, 2000.
- Dorothea P. Seeber, A Pup Just for Me—A Boy Just for Me, 2000.
- Tony Johnston, Desert Song, 2000.
- Nikki GrimesNikki GrimesNikki Grimes is an American author and illustrator of books written for children and young adults, as well as a poet and journalist. Grimes was born in Harlem, New York....
, Tai Chi Morning: Snapshots of China, 2004 - Andrea Cheng, Shanghai Messenger, 2005.
- Dennis Haseley, Twenty Heartbeats, 2008.
- Mark Reibstein, Wabi Sabi, 2008.
- Kimiko Kajikawa, Tsunami!, 2009.
- Brenda Z. Guiberson, Moon Bear, 2010.