Jon Klassen facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jon Klassen
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Jon Klassen in 2016.
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| Born | November 29, 1981 Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada |
| Occupation | Illustrator, writer |
| Period | 2005–present |
| Genre | Children's picture books, animation |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Governor General's Award 2010 Caldecott Medal 2013 Greenaway Medal 2014 |
Jon Klassen (born November 29, 1981) is a Canadian writer and illustrator. He creates amazing books for children and also works as an animator. He is famous for winning two big awards for children's books: the American Caldecott Medal and the British Kate Greenaway Medal. He won both for his 2012 picture book called This Is Not My Hat. This was a special achievement, as he was the first person to win both awards for the same book!
This Is Not My Hat is a follow-up to Klassen's first picture book, I Want My Hat Back (2011). He wrote and illustrated both of these popular books. Both books were on the New York Times Best Seller list for over 40 weeks. By 2014, they had sold more than one million copies around the world. They were also translated into 22 languages. These books are part of what people call Klassen's "hat" trilogy. The third book in the series is We Found a Hat (2016).
Early Life and Education
Jon Klassen was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, in 1981. He grew up in other parts of Ontario, including Niagara Falls and Toronto. He went to Sheridan College to study animation. He finished his studies in 2005 and then moved to Los Angeles to start his career.
Jon Klassen's Career
In 2005, Jon Klassen created an animated short film called An Eye for Annai with Daniel Rodrigues. He also worked on animation for big movies like Kung Fu Panda (2008) and Coraline (2009). He was even the art director for a music video by the band U2 in 2009.
Early Illustration Work
In 2010, Klassen became well-known internationally. He won the Governor General's Award for English-language children's illustration. This award was for his illustrations in the picture book Cats' Night Out, written by Carolyn Stutson. He also illustrated several novels in a series called The Incorrigible Children of Ashton Place.
The Hat Books
His first picture book that he wrote and illustrated by himself was I Want My Hat Back. It was published in September 2011. The story is about a bear who is looking for his lost hat. The New York Times Book Review called it one of the "10 Best Illustrated Children's Books for 2011." The book became very successful and even turned into an internet meme. People started making their own funny versions of the story online.
One year later, Klassen released a companion book, This Is Not My Hat (2012). This story features a small fish who steals a hat from a much bigger fish. The little fish tries to get away, but the big fish eventually gets his hat back. This book won the prestigious Caldecott and Greenaway Medals. These awards are given by librarians in America and Britain for amazing children's book illustrations. The award committee praised Klassen's illustrations. They said he used tiny changes in the characters' eyes to tell the story.
Klassen also illustrated The Dark (2013), which was written by Lemony Snicket. This book was also shortlisted for the Greenaway Medal. In 2014, he worked with Mac Barnett again on another picture book called Sam and Dave Dig a Hole. In 2019, all three "hat" books – I Want My Hat Back, This Is Not My Hat, and We Found a Hat – were released together in a special collection called Jon Klassen's Hat Box.
Awards
- 2012 Honor, Irma Black Award
- 2013 Honor, Irma Black Award
- 2013 Honor, Caldecott Medal
- 2013 Winner, Caldecott Medal
- 2013 Winner, Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis for Best Picture Book
- 2015 Winner, Irma Black Award
- 2015 Honor, Caldecott Medal
