Carson Ellis facts for kids

Carson Ellis (born October 5, 1975) is an American artist and illustrator of children's books. She was born in Canada. Her book Du Iz Tak? (2016) won a special award called the Caldecott Honor. Carson Ellis gets ideas for her art from folk art, history, and magical stories.

About Carson Ellis

Carson Ellis grew up in New York. She studied painting at the University of Montana. There, she learned a lot from art history. She especially liked artists like Egon Schiele and Max Beckmann. She also liked a style called German Expressionism. Carson Ellis has written poetry since she was a teenager.

She started her art career in San Francisco. She even had her own art show there. Her first illustration job came when she met Colin Meloy. She designed posters for his college band, Tarkio.

Her Amazing Work

Carson Ellis has illustrated many popular children's books. These include the New York Times bestseller Wildwood. Her husband, Colin Meloy, wrote this book. She also illustrated The Composer Is Dead by Lemony Snicket. Another famous series she worked on is The Mysterious Benedict Society. This series was written by Trenton Lee Stewart.

In 2010, she won a Silver Medal from the Society of Illustrators. This was for her art in the book Dillweed's Revenge. She worked with Colin Meloy again on the Wildwood Chronicles series. She illustrated Under Wildwood (2012) and Wildwood Imperium (2014).

Music and Art

Carson Ellis is also famous for her work with the band The Decemberists. This is an indie folk rock band. She has created many things for them. This includes album covers, T-shirts, and even stage sets for their concerts.

Some of her album art for The Decemberists includes:

• 5 Songs (2001)
• Castaways and Cutouts (2002)
• Her Majesty the Decemberists (2003)
• The Tain (2004)
• The Crane Wife (2006)
• The Hazards of Love (2009)
• What a Terrible World, What a Beautiful World (2015)
• I'll Be Your Girl (2018)

She was even nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Boxed or Special Limited Edition Package twice! This was in 2015 and 2018. She has also made album art for other musicians. These include Laura Veirs and Weezer.

Her Own Books

In 2015, Carson Ellis wrote and illustrated her first solo children's book. It was called Home. This book explores many different kinds of homes. It shows homes around the world, underwater, and even in space!

Her second solo children's book was Du Iz Tak?. It came out in 2016. This book is special because it's written entirely in an invented "bug language." Du Iz Tak? won the Caldecott Honor Award in 2017. It also won an E. B. White Read Aloud Award in 2017.

Other Cool Projects

In 2016, Carson Ellis worked with a wallpaper company. They created a wallpaper design called Barn Owls and Hollyhocks. This design was inspired by her own home. She had moved to a small barn outside of Portland.

She also created the cover and inside pictures for Colin Meloy's book. It was a middle-grade book called The Whiz Mob and the Grenadine Kid (2017).

Carson Ellis also illustrated a board game called Illimat. This game was published in 2017. It was designed by The Decemberists and Keith Baker.

In 2019, she created illustrations for Susan Cooper's book The Shortest Day. Carson Ellis also works as an illustrator for magazines. She has worked for The New York Times and The New Yorker.

Wildwood Chronicles

The Wildwood Chronicles is a popular book series. Carson Ellis illustrated it, and her husband, Colin Meloy, wrote it. When she drew for this series, she was inspired by other famous illustrators. She looked at the work of Pauline Baynes. Pauline Baynes illustrated The Chronicles of Narnia. Carson Ellis also got ideas from drawings in The Wind in the Willows.

Books by Carson Ellis

Written and Illustrated by Her

• Home (2015)
• Du Iz Tak? (2016)
• In the Half Room (2020)

Illustrated by Her (Series)

• The Mysterious Benedict Society series, written by Trenton Lee Stewart:
  • The Mysterious Benedict Society (2008)
  • The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Perilous Journey (2008)
  • The Mysterious Benedict Society and the Prisoner's Dilemma (2009)
  • Mr. Benedict's Book of Perplexing Puzzles, Elusive Enigmas, and Curious Conundrums (2011)
  • The Extraordinary Education of Nicholas Benedict (2012)
• The Wildwood Chronicles series, written by Colin Meloy:
  • Wildwood (2011)
  • Under Wildwood (2012)
  • Wildwood Imperium (2014)

Illustrated by Her (Standalones)

• The Composer Is Dead, written by Lemony Snicket (2009)
• The Beautiful Stories of Life, written by Cynthia Rylant (2009)
• Stagecoach Sal, written by Deborah Hopkinson (2009)
• Dillweed's Revenge, written by Florence Parry Heide (2010)
• Illimat, board game created by Keith Baker and The Decemberists (2017)
• The Shortest Day, written by Susan Cooper (2019)
• What Is Love?, written by Mac Barnett (2021)

Her Life at Home

Carson Ellis is married to Decemberists singer Colin Meloy. They met in college. They have two children, Henry "Hank" Meloy and Milo Cannonball Meloy.

She lives on a farm with her family. Their home is outside Portland, Oregon.