Diane Goode facts for kids

Diane Goode, born on January 14, 1949, is a talented American author and artist who creates books for children. She has written many kids' books and drawn pictures for more than 60 others! Some of her most famous works include Founding Mothers and Ladies of Liberty, which were bestsellers. She also illustrated When I Was Young in the Mountains, which won a special award called the Caldecott Honor Book. Diane Goode lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Diane Goode's Early Life

Diane Goode's mother was from France. She used to tell Diane old children's stories from memory. Diane loved reading when she was a kid. She especially enjoyed books by Jane Austen and Wuthering Heights. Later, she studied Fine Arts at Queens College.

Her Career as an Artist

Before Diane Goode became a full-time illustrator, she worked as a substitute teacher in New York City for a year. Her first book with her drawings was The Little Pieces of the West Wind in 1978. The first book she wrote herself was I Hear a Noise.

Famous Books and Collaborations

When reviewing her drawings in Thanksgiving Is Here! (2003), The New York Times newspaper said her drawings were lively and detailed. In 1991, Diane Goode created new pictures for a classic children's story called Ballet Shoes by Noel Streatfeild. In 1994, she published her own book, Diane Goode's Book of Scary Stories and Songs.

Diane Goode has also worked with a famous journalist named Cokie Roberts. She drew the pictures for two of Roberts' bestselling books: Founding Mothers (2014) and Ladies of Liberty (2008). These books teach about important women in American history.

Goode has also shared her knowledge by teaching book illustration. She taught at the University of California, Los Angeles.

How Diane Goode Creates Art

Diane Goode draws all her pictures by hand. She doesn't use a computer for her illustrations. She has three different studios in her home. She uses each studio for a different part of her art projects.

Her Artistic Process

Diane's way of drawing changes for each book. For example, when she worked on Founding Mothers, she used thick watercolor paper. First, she drew an outline with sepia ink. Then, she added colors using soft sponges and a tiny brush with pastels. For another book, Ninja Baby, she used watercolor paints on rough paper. In The Best Mother, her drawings combine pen lines with watercolor.

Awards and Exhibitions

Diane Goode has won many important awards for her work. These include the Caldecott Honor, ALA Notables, and Parents' Choice Awards. The Library of Congress also named one of her books a Children's Book of the Year.

Her artwork has even been shown in famous places. Her illustrations have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Diane Goode's Personal Life

Diane Goode is married. She has a son and two dogs.