Hans Wilhelm
Encyclopedia
Hans Wilhelm is a German-American writer
, children’s book
author
and illustrator
, and artist
. Hans Wilhelm has written and/or illustrated over 200 books – mostly for children. They have been translated in twenty languages and have won numerous international awards and prizes. Many of them have been made into animated television series. Presently there are over thirty five million books by Hans Wilhelm in print. Some of his best-known books include “I’ll Always Love You”, “Bunny Trouble” series, “Tyrone The Horrible” series, “Waldo” series, and the “Noodles” books.
Wilhelm was born in Bremen
, Germany
where he grew up. Following his studies of art
and business
, he moved for 12 years to South Africa
where he worked, paint
ed, and was an acting member of a satirical
theater group. His writing career began when he embarked on a three-year trip around the world where he lived in Bali
, Spain
, England
and many other places. Finally he came to America
where he lives with his wife Judy Henderson in Weston
, Connecticut
.
, the Kerlan Collection at University of Minnesota
, and the De Grummond Children's Literature Collection of University of Southern Mississippi.
as one of the best Best Children’s Book of the Year. Blackberry Ink (written by Eve Merriam
) received the Parent’s Choice Award. A New Home – A New Friend received the Children’s book Award from the International Reading Association
. Blackberry Ink (written by Eve Merriam), The Funniest Knock-Knock Book Ever, and Let’s Be Friends Again were chosen as one of Child Study Association of America’s Children’s Book of the Year. What Does God Do? was awarded the Gold Medallion Book Award
by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association
.
Writer
A writer is a person who produces literature, such as novels, short stories, plays, screenplays, poetry, or other literary art. Skilled writers are able to use language to portray ideas and images....
, children’s book
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...
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...
, and artist
Artist
An artist is a person engaged in one or more of any of a broad spectrum of activities related to creating art, practicing the arts and/or demonstrating an art. The common usage in both everyday speech and academic discourse is a practitioner in the visual arts only...
. Hans Wilhelm has written and/or illustrated over 200 books – mostly for children. They have been translated in twenty languages and have won numerous international awards and prizes. Many of them have been made into animated television series. Presently there are over thirty five million books by Hans Wilhelm in print. Some of his best-known books include “I’ll Always Love You”, “Bunny Trouble” series, “Tyrone The Horrible” series, “Waldo” series, and the “Noodles” books.
Wilhelm was born in Bremen
Bremen
The City Municipality of Bremen is a Hanseatic city in northwestern Germany. A commercial and industrial city with a major port on the river Weser, Bremen is part of the Bremen-Oldenburg metropolitan area . Bremen is the second most populous city in North Germany and tenth in Germany.Bremen is...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
where he grew up. Following his studies of art
Art
Art is the product or process of deliberately arranging items in a way that influences and affects one or more of the senses, emotions, and intellect....
and business
Business
A business is an organization engaged in the trade of goods, services, or both to consumers. Businesses are predominant in capitalist economies, where most of them are privately owned and administered to earn profit to increase the wealth of their owners. Businesses may also be not-for-profit...
, he moved for 12 years to South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
where he worked, paint
Paint
Paint is any liquid, liquefiable, or mastic composition which after application to a substrate in a thin layer is converted to an opaque solid film. One may also consider the digital mimicry thereof...
ed, and was an acting member of a satirical
Satire
Satire is primarily a literary genre or form, although in practice it can also be found in the graphic and performing arts. In satire, vices, follies, abuses, and shortcomings are held up to ridicule, ideally with the intent of shaming individuals, and society itself, into improvement...
theater group. His writing career began when he embarked on a three-year trip around the world where he lived in Bali
Bali
Bali is an Indonesian island located in the westernmost end of the Lesser Sunda Islands, lying between Java to the west and Lombok to the east...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
and many other places. Finally he came to America
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
where he lives with his wife Judy Henderson in Weston
Weston, Connecticut
Weston is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut. The population was 10,179 at the 2010 census. The town is served by Route 57 and Route 53, both of which run through the town center. About 19% of the town's workforce commutes to New York City, about to the southwest.Like many towns in...
, Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
.
Books by Wilhelm (selected)
- I’ll Always Love You
- The Trapp Family Book (also TV series)
- Bunny Trouble (series)
- Tyrone the Horrible (series)
- Waldo (book and TV series)
- Wake Up, Sun (written by David L. Harrison)
- What Does God Do?
- The Bremen Town Musicians
- Dinofour (series) written by Steve Metzger
- Holiday Cats (series, written by Jean Marzollo)
- Noodles book series
- The Book of Courage
- and 200 more.
Art
Wilhelm’s art is in permanent collections of the Mazza Museum, the Dodd Center of University of ConnecticutUniversity of Connecticut
The admission rate to the University of Connecticut is about 50% and has been steadily decreasing, with about 28,000 prospective students applying for admission to the freshman class in recent years. Approximately 40,000 prospective students tour the main campus in Storrs annually...
, the Kerlan Collection at University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
, and the De Grummond Children's Literature Collection of University of Southern Mississippi.
Awards
The Trapp Family Book was named Best Book of the Year by Eltern magazine, Germany. Tales From the Land Under My Table was selected by Time magazineTime (magazine)
Time is an American news magazine. A European edition is published from London. Time Europe covers the Middle East, Africa and, since 2003, Latin America. An Asian edition is based in Hong Kong...
as one of the best Best Children’s Book of the Year. Blackberry Ink (written by Eve Merriam
Eve Merriam
-Writing career:Merriam's first book was the 1946 Family Circle, which won the Yale Younger Poets Prize.Her book, The Inner City Mother Goose, was described as one of the most banned books of the time. It inspired a 1971 Broadway musical called Inner City and a 1982 musical production called Street...
) received the Parent’s Choice Award. A New Home – A New Friend received the Children’s book Award from the International Reading Association
International Reading Association
The International Reading Association is an international professional organization that was created in 1956 to improve reading instruction, facilitate dialogue about research on reading, and encourage the habit of reading....
. Blackberry Ink (written by Eve Merriam), The Funniest Knock-Knock Book Ever, and Let’s Be Friends Again were chosen as one of Child Study Association of America’s Children’s Book of the Year. What Does God Do? was awarded the Gold Medallion Book Award
Gold Medallion Book Award
The Christian Book Award is an annual award given by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association to honor Christian content in several categories, including Bibles, Fiction, Children, Inspiration, Bible Reference, and Non-Fiction. Winners are announced each year at the industry's Executive...
by the Evangelical Christian Publishers Association
Evangelical Christian Publishers Association
The is an international non-profit trade association whose member companies are involved in the publishing and distribution of Christian content worldwide...
.