Donald Crews facts for kids

Donald Crews (born August 30, 1938) is a famous American illustrator and writer of children's picture books. He is known for his colorful and engaging books that often feature trains, trucks, and other vehicles.

In 2015, the American Library Association (ALA) gave him the Children's Literature Legacy Award. This award celebrates authors and illustrators who have made a lasting impact on children's literature. Two of his popular books, Freight Train (1978) and Truck (1980), also received special honors called Caldecott Honors.

Early Life and Art Journey

Donald Crews was born in Newark, New Jersey, in 1938. His mother worked as a seamstress, and his father worked for the railroad and did other jobs. While growing up in Newark, Donald spent his summers at his grandparents' home in Cottondale, Florida. He went there with his mother and three siblings. These summer visits later inspired his autobiographical books, Bigmama's (1991) and Shortcut (1992).

A high school teacher encouraged Donald to pursue art as a career. He then attended Cooper Union in New York City. He graduated in 1959. It was at Cooper Union that he met his future wife, Ann Jonas, who was also a graphic artist.

A Career in Children's Books

Donald Crews joined the U.S. Army in 1963 and was sent to Frankfurt, Germany. While in Germany, he started designing a children's alphabet book for his portfolio. After many rejections, the book was finally published in 1967 by Harper & Row (now HarperCollins). It was called We Read: A to Z.

His second children's book, Ten Black Dots, came out the next year. Besides writing children's books, he also worked as a freelance graphic designer and illustrator.

Books About Transportation

A common theme in Donald Crews's work is transportation. You can see this in books like Freight Train (1978), Truck (1980), Harbor (1982), School Bus (1984), and Flying (1986). Both Freight Train and Truck earned Caldecott Honors.

These books use very few words. They focus mostly on bright, clear pictures. Donald Crews explained that he wanted his books to be like designs, using simple shapes and symbols.

Personal Stories in Books

In the 1990s, Donald Crews began to create more personal books. His autobiographical books, Bigmama's (1991) and Shortcut (1992), share memories from his childhood summers. These stories are about visiting his grandparents, "Bigmama" and "Bigpapa," in Florida.

Donald Crews said that Bigmama's came from telling stories to his nieces and nephews. He also talked about these memories with his siblings and parents. He wanted to help young people understand what his childhood looked like. He also wanted to create more books that showed Black families and their lives.

Family Life

Donald Crews and Ann Jonas got married in Germany in 1963. They had two daughters. Their first daughter, Nina, was born in Germany. Their second daughter, Amy, was born in New York. Nina also grew up to become an award-winning children's book author, just like her parents.

The family lived in New York City until 1996. Then, they moved to a renovated farmhouse in the Hudson River Valley. Ann Jonas passed away in September 2013.

Selected Works