John Parra (illustrator) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
John Parra
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Parra at the 2018 Gaithersburg Book Festival
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| Born | 1972 (age 52–53) |
| Alma mater | Art Center College of Design |
| Occupation | Illustrator |
| Awards | Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award Golden Kite Award Christopher Award International Latino Book Award |
John Parra (born in 1972) is a talented American artist. He is famous for illustrating children's books. His artwork has won many important awards. These include the Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award, the Golden Kite Award, and the Christopher Award. John Parra also creates art for companies and teaches art to students.
Contents
Early Life and Art Beginnings
John Parra was born in 1972. His hometown is Santa Barbara, California. He loved art from a young age. Later, he studied art at the Art Center College of Design. This school is in Pasadena, California.
Illustrating Amazing Books
John Parra has illustrated many popular children's books. His very first book was My Name is / Me llamo Gabriela. It won an International Latino Book Award in 2006. This award was for the best children's book illustrations.
In 2009, his book Gracias / Thanks won two big awards. It received a Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award. It also won a SCBWI Golden Kite Award. Later, in 2012, his book Waiting for the Biblioburro earned a Christopher Award.
In 2015, Parra's book Green Is a Chile Pepper won another Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award. That same year, his art was shown at the famous Metropolitan Museum of Art. His works have been displayed in many art shows.
A year later, he illustrated Marvelous Cornelius: Hurricane Katrina and the Spirit of New Orleans. This book tells a real-life story. It is about Cornelius Washington, a sanitation worker in New Orleans. The book shows how people helped after Hurricane Katrina. It also won a Golden Kite Award.
Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos
In 2017, John Parra illustrated Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos. This book was a huge success. The New York Times and the New York Public Library named it a Best Illustrated Children's Book. The story is about the artist Frida Kahlo when she was young. It also features the animals that were part of her childhood.
This book received many other honors. It won the Barnes & Noble Best Book of 2017 award. The Smithsonian also listed it among their Top Ten Best Children's Books of 2017. It was John Parra's third Pura Belpré Illustrator Honor Book Award.
In 2019, Parra presented an illustration to Justice Sonia Sotomayor. This artwork was from the book We Are the Change: Words of Inspiration from Civil Rights Leaders. It was based on a quote from her career.
Growing an Artist
In 2022, John Parra released a special picture book. It is called Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper and His Son. The book is available in both English and Spanish. It tells the story of his own childhood. He worked with his father's landscaping company. This experience helped him discover his love for drawing and art.
Sharing Art Skills
John Parra also enjoys teaching. He has led workshops for young artists. He has also taught high school students. He even served as an instructor at the Carnegie Art Museum.
Other Creative Work
In 2017, John Parra created designs for the Delicioso Forever Stamps. The US postal service distributed these stamps. Over two years, Parra designed six stamps. They featured popular dishes from Mexico, Central and South America, and the Caribbean. He used bright colors to show these foods. The dishes included tamales, flan, empanadas, chile rellenos, ceviche, and sancocho.
As an illustrator, he has also worked on advertisements. He created campaigns for companies like Jeep and United Airlines. He also worked for PBS and National Geographic. His art has been used for film, book, and computer companies too.
