Gail Gibbons facts for kids

Gail Gibbons is an American writer and illustrator who creates amazing children's books. Most of her books are non-fiction, meaning they teach you about real things. She started her career designing graphics for television shows. Later, in the 1970s, she began writing and illustrating books for kids.

Gail Gibbons' Early Life

Gail Gibbons was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. From a very young age, she showed a lot of artistic talent. People at her school knew her as an artist. She even made her own small books, drawing pictures of things she loved.

She often visited the Chicago Art Institute, which helped her love for art grow. Gail studied graphic design at the University of Illinois. She once said she felt lucky because she always knew she wanted to be a writer and artist. One of her college professors, who illustrated children's books, inspired her a lot.

When she was 21, Gail married Glenn Gibbons. Her first job was at a TV station in Champaign, Illinois. She designed graphics and sets for children's shows. Later, she moved to Chicago and continued working in TV and advertising. In 1969, she moved to New York City. She even designed some graphics for the famous show Saturday Night Live. In 1971, she became the graphic designer for Take a Giant Step, a children's TV program on NBC.

Her Career as an Author

Gail Gibbons' first book was Willy and His Wheel Wagon. It was a 32-page picture book that she also illustrated. It came out in 1975. By 1978, she had published five children's books. These included Things to Make and Do for Halloween and Salvador and Mister Sam: A Guide to Parakeet Care.

Around 1979, Gail started focusing only on non-fiction children's books. She released Clocks and How They Go, which had a clear teaching style. She continued writing in this way, becoming a very successful non-fiction author and illustrator. Some of her books were even featured on the popular TV show Reading Rainbow. Her most recent book, Planes, was published in January 2019.

Awards and Recognition

Gail Gibbons has received many awards for her wonderful books. Here are some of them:

• City Art Director Club award in 1979 for The Missing Maple Syrup Sap Mystery.
• American Institute of Graphic Arts award in 1979 for Clocks and How They Go.
• National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council Award in 1980 for Locks and Keys. She won it again in 1982 for Tool Book.
• A special certificate from the U.S. Postmaster General in 1982 for The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves.
• American Library Association Notable Book award in 1983 for Cars and How They Go. She also won it in 1985 for The Milk Makers.
• Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award in 1987 for her overall contribution to non-fiction children's literature.
• National Council of Social Studies Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies multiple times.
• National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children multiple times.
• International Reading Association Children's Choice Award in 1989 and 1995.
• American Bookseller Pick of the Lists in 1992.

Selected Books by Gail Gibbons