Holly Meade facts for kids

Holly Meade was an American artist. She was born on September 14, 1956, and passed away on June 28, 2013. She was famous for two main things: her amazing woodblock prints and her beautiful pictures in children's books.

One of her books, Hush!: A Thai Lullaby, earned a special award called the Caldecott Honor in 1997. This award is given for excellent illustrations in children's books.

She also wrote and illustrated a book called John Willy and Freddy McGee. This book was recognized for its creative writing.

About Holly Meade

Holly Meade grew up in Winchester, Massachusetts. Her parents were Russell and Joanne Meade.

She studied art at the Rhode Island School of Design. She graduated in 1978. Later, she lived in Sedgwick, Maine. She had two children, named Jenny and Noah Smick.

Holly Meade's Art Career

Holly Meade was very talented in many art forms. She worked with drawing, collage, and printmaking. She also designed fabrics and made baskets.

In 1992, she started illustrating children's picture books. She called this "the other focus of my work life." It became a very important part of her career.

Woodblock Printing

In 2002, Holly Meade began making woodblock prints. She learned this skill at a workshop. Her teacher was a printmaker named Hester Stinnett.

Some of her woodblock prints are now in a special collection. You can see them at the Portland Museum of Art.

She used woodblock prints in some of her later picture books. These include a series by David Elliott. The books are On the Farm (2008), In the Wild (2010), and In the Sea (2012).

Illustrating Children's Books

Holly Meade used torn paper to illustrate the 1997 book Cocoa Ice. This book received the Lupine Award. The award was given by the Maine Library Association.

Meade talked about the challenge of illustrating Cocoa Ice. The story showed two different places. One was a warm, tropical place. The other was a cold, bare landscape. She had to make the pictures match both settings.

Her book John Willy and Freddy McGee was also honored. It was a 1999 Charlotte Zolotow Award Honor Book.