Gerald Kelley facts for kids

Gerald Kelley is an American artist who illustrates books for children. He is known for his detailed and colorful watercolor artwork. Kelley has illustrated popular books like the Bob the Cat series by James Bowen. He also illustrated A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo, which became a best-selling children's book. This book was written by Jill Twiss.

Early Life and Education

Gerald Kelley was born in Texas. Later, his family moved to Florida. He studied studio art in college. Even though he went to college, he mostly taught himself how to be an illustrator. He learned a lot from another artist.

Kelley looks up to many artists for inspiration. Some of his influences include Albert Uderzo and Peter de Seve. He also gets ideas from television cartoons and animated movies.

Career Highlights

The Bob the Cat Series

In 2014, Gerald Kelley illustrated two books in the popular Bob the Cat series. These books were written by James Bowen. The series began in 2013 with A Street Cat Named Bob. This first book told the true story of Bowen finding a hurt stray cat. He helped the cat get well and also overcame personal challenges.

Kelley's two books in the series are for younger children. My Name is Bob imagines Bob's life before he met James Bowen. It tells how the cat ended up living on the streets. In Bob to the Rescue, Bob helps a lost puppy find its way home.

Grover Cleveland, Again!

In 2016, Kelley created the pictures for an educational children's book. It was called Grover Cleveland, Again! A Treasury of American Presidents. The book was written by documentary filmmaker Ken Burns. It shares information about each of the presidents of the United States.

This book was recognized as an exceptional book for social studies classes. It was nominated for the 2016 Children’s and Young Adult Bloggers Literary Awards. This award celebrates children's books that are both well-written and popular.

Please Please the Bees

Please Please the Bees was published in 2017. This was the first children's book that Kelley wrote himself. The story is about a grumpy bear. He learns an important lesson when the honey bees in his garden decide to go on strike. They want better living and working conditions.

The book received good reviews. It also won the 2017 Frances and Wesley Bock Book Award for Children's Literature. This award is given to books that teach good values and spark curiosity in young readers.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo

In March 2018, Gerald Kelley illustrated a children's book called A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo. For this book, he used the name EG Keller. The book was written by Jill Twiss. It tells a fictional story about a day in the life of Marlon Bundo. Marlon Bundo is the real-life pet rabbit of the Vice President of the United States, Mike Pence.

The story in the book describes a loving relationship between Marlon Bundo and another rabbit named Wesley. This book was created as a playful response to another book. That book was Marlon Bundo's A Day in the Life of the Vice President. It was written by Charlotte Pence and illustrated by Karen Pence. Their book also featured the Pence family's pet rabbit.

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo was launched on a TV show called Last Week Tonight with John Oliver. The book is a real children's story about acceptance and democracy. It became a very popular book right away. It sold much better than expected. All the money earned from the book is given to charities. These charities are The Trevor Project and AIDS United.