E. B. Lewis (illustrator) facts for kids

Earl Bradley Lewis, born on December 16, 1956, is an American artist and illustrator. He is famous for his beautiful watercolor pictures in children's books. Some of his well-known works include The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson and Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim.

Lewis has won many awards for his illustrations. These include the 2016 New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award for Preaching to the Chickens. He also received the 2005 Caldecott Honor Award for Jacqueline Woodson's book Coming on Home Soon.

Today, Lewis lives in Folsom, New Jersey. He also teaches art at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in Philadelphia.

Early Life and Education

Earl Bradley Lewis was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on December 16, 1956. He showed a talent for art from a young age. His two uncles were also artists, and they inspired him.

When he was in the third grade, Lewis already showed great artistic promise. By the sixth grade, he started taking art classes on Saturday mornings. These classes were at the School of Art League at Temple University. Later, he went to the Tyler School of Art at Temple University. There, he discovered his love for using watercolors in his art.

At Temple University, Lewis studied illustration, graphic design, and art education. After he graduated, he taught art for twelve years. He worked in public schools and at the Trenton Psychiatric Hospital. Now, besides creating his own paintings and illustrations, Lewis teaches at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

A Career in Children's Books

E.B. Lewis has illustrated more than seventy books for young readers. His journey as a children's book illustrator began in 1992. His watercolor paintings were featured in Artist Magazine. An art director from Simon & Schuster saw his work. This director was looking for African American artists to illustrate children's books. Lewis joined them, and soon after, he left his teaching job. He then completed the pictures for his first book, Fire On The Mountain, with Jane Kurtz.

Since then, Lewis has created illustrations for many popular books. These include:

• Talkin' About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes
• Down the Road by Alice Schertle
• My Rows and Piles of Coins by Tolowa M. Mollel
• Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis
• My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman
• The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson

One of his illustrated books, Circle Unbroken by Margot Theis Raven, was even turned into music. In 2007, members of Chamber Music Charleston performed this music. They used it for educational shows. A short film with the same name was also made. It showed these performances along with Lewis's beautiful illustrations.

In 2003, a special collection of Lewis’s original watercolors was bought. These were from the first fifty children's books he illustrated. They are now part of The Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota. His artwork can also be found in many private collections across the United States.

Lewis is currently on the board of the Hall of Fame of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. He is also a member of The Society of Illustrators in New York City.

Awards and Special Recognitions

E.B. Lewis has received many awards for his amazing illustrations:

• 1996 - ALA Notable Children's Book Award for Down the Road by Alice Schertle
• 1999 - Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor for The Bat Boy and His Violin by Gavin Curtis
• 2002 - Notable Book for the Language Arts Award for The Other Side by Jacqueline Woodson
• 2003 - Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award Winner for Talkin’ About Bessie: The Story of Aviator Elizabeth Coleman by Nikki Grimes
• 2005 - Caldecott Honor Award for Coming on Home Soon by Jacqueline Woodson
• 2006 - Charlotte Zolotow Award for My Best Friend by Mary Ann Rodman
• 2009 - Orbis Picture Award for The Secret World of Walter Anderson by Hester Bass
• 2016 - New York Times Best Illustrated Book Award, Kirkus Best Illustrated Book Award, and the Golden Kite Honor Award for Preaching to the Chickens: The Story of Young John Lewis by Jabari Asim