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Erin E. Stead facts for kids

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Erin E. Stead
Erin and Philip Stead at the Mazza Museum Fall Conference 2012
Erin and Philip Stead at the Mazza Museum Fall Conference 2012
Born (1982-12-27) December 27, 1982 (age 42)
Farmington Hills, Michigan
Occupation Illustrator
Period 2010–present
Genre Children's picture books
Notable works A Sick Day for Amos McGee
Notable awards Caldecott Medal
2011
Spouse Philip C. Stead

Erin E. Stead is a talented American illustrator. She creates beautiful pictures for children's books. In 2011, she won a big award called the Caldecott Medal. This award is for the best-illustrated U.S. picture book of the year. Her first book, A Sick Day for Amos McGee, won this special honor.

About Erin Stead

Erin Stead was born on December 27, 1982. Her hometown is Farmington Hills, Michigan. She met her husband, Philip Christian Stead, in art class. They went to Divine Child High School in Dearborn, Michigan.

Life and Work

Erin and Philip got married in September 2005. After that, they moved to New York City. Philip worked at the Brooklyn Children's Museum. Erin worked at a bookstore called Books of Wonder. She also helped the creative director at HarperCollins Children's Books. This is a big company that publishes books.

Later, they moved back to Ann Arbor, Michigan. There, they worked together on a special book. It was called A Sick Day for Amos McGee. This story is about a zookeeper who stays home because he is sick.

Creating Amos McGee

A Sick Day for Amos McGee was Philip's second book. But it was Erin's very first book as an illustrator! Philip wrote the story with Erin in mind. He knew her art style would be perfect for the characters.

Erin used special techniques for her illustrations. She used wood blocks to add color to her pictures. She also used pencils to draw all the fine details. The book was a big success. The New York Times named it one of the "10 Best Illustrated Children's Books" for 2010.

Other Books and Awards

Erin's second book was And Then It's Spring. Julie Fogliano wrote this book. It was a runner-up for another award in 2012. This award is called the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award. In 2015, she illustrated Lenny & Lucy.

Today, Erin and Philip Stead live in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Philip teaches at Washtenaw Community College.

Books Illustrated by Erin Stead

Erin E. Stead has illustrated many books written by other authors. Most of her picture books are published by Roaring Brook Press. This company is in New York City. Many of her books are part of the Neal Porter Books collection. Neal Porter also worked on Philip Stead's first book.

Here are some of the books Erin Stead has illustrated:

  • A Sick Day for Amos McGee, written by Philip C. Stead (2010)
  • And Then It's Spring, written by Julie Fogliano (2012)
  • Bear Has a Story to Tell, written by Philip Stead (2012)
  • If You Want to See a Whale, written by Julie Fogliano (2013; ISBN: 9781596437319)
  • Lenny & Lucy, written by Philip C. Stead (2015; ISBN: 9781596439320)
  • The Purloining of Prince Oleomargarine, by Mark Twain and Philip Stead (2017)
  • Music for Mr. Moon by Philip Stead (2019; ISBN: 9780823441600)
  • Amos McGee Misses the Bus (2021; ISBN: 9781250815422)
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