Kevin Henkes facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kevin Henkes
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Henkes at the Mazza Museum, 2011
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| Born | November 27, 1960 Racine, Wisconsin, U.S. |
| Occupation | Illustrator, writer |
| Alma mater | University of Wisconsin–Madison |
| Period | 1981–present |
| Genre | Children's literature |
| Notable works | |
| Notable awards | Caldecott Medal 2005 Children's Literature Legacy Award 2020 |
| Spouse |
Laura Dronzek
(m. 1985) |
| Children | 2 |
Kevin Henkes (pronounced HENK-es; born November 27, 1960) is a famous American author and illustrator of children's books. He is especially known for his picture books that feature young anthropomorphic (human-like) mice as the main characters. Henkes also writes longer stories for middle-grade readers.
He won the important Caldecott Medal in 2005 for his illustrations in Kitten's First Full Moon. Two of his books, Olive's Ocean (2004) and The Year of Billy Miller (2014), were recognized as Newbery Medal Honor Books. His picture book Waiting was named both a Caldecott Honor Book and a Geisel Honor Book in 2016. In 2020, Henkes received the Children's Literature Legacy Award for his amazing work over many years.
Contents
Becoming a Writer and Artist
Kevin Henkes was born in Racine, Wisconsin, on November 27, 1960. When he was in high school, a teacher encouraged him to write. He soon realized that children's books were perfect because they let him combine his love for both writing and art.
Henkes wrote his very first book while he was a freshman at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. This book was about how nice it can be to have some quiet time alone. This idea of enjoying solitude (being alone) became a common theme in many of his later books. Henkes often says that his family and the neighborhood where he grew up have inspired many of his stories.
His Books and Awards
So far, Kevin Henkes has written and illustrated about 50 books. These include picture books, early readers, and novels. His first book, All Alone, was published in 1981. Many popular books followed, such as Chrysanthemum and Lilly's Purple Plastic Purse.
In 1994, Henkes was a runner-up for the Caldecott Medal for his book Owen. This award is given for the best illustrations in a children's picture book. In 2004, he was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal for Olive's Ocean. The Newbery Medal is for the best children's book written in the United States.
The next year, in 2005, he won the Caldecott Medal for Kitten's First Full Moon. This was a big honor, recognizing it as the best children's picture book of that year. All of Henkes's books have been published by Greenwillow Books.
In 2013, he won the first-ever Phoenix Picture Book Award for Owen. This award celebrates great books that didn't win major awards when they were first published twenty years earlier. In 2014, The Year of Billy Miller received a Newbery Honor. In 2020, he was given the Children's Literature Legacy Award. This award celebrates an author's entire collection of work and its lasting impact on children's literature.
Kevin Henkes and his wife, Laura Dronzek, have also worked together on a series of picture books about the four seasons. Henkes writes the stories, and Dronzek creates the beautiful acrylic paintings.
Life Outside of Books
Kevin Henkes lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife, Laura Dronzek. They have two children.
Special Recognitions
Kevin Henkes has received many awards for his books and his work as an author. In 2007, he gave the Arbuthnot Honor Lecture. This is a special talk given by someone important in children's literature. In 2008, he won the Council for Wisconsin Writers' Major Achievement Award.
In 2009, Henkes was a finalist for the Astrid Lindgren Prize. He also won the Jeremiah Ludington Award, which honors people who have made a big difference in the paperback book business. In 2020, he won the Children's Literature Legacy Award. This award celebrates authors or illustrators whose books have made a "significant and lasting contribution to literature for children."
Many of Henkes's books have been recognized as bestsellers or top picks by different groups. For example, Kitten's First Full Moon was added to the Picture Book Hall of Fame in 2017. The Year of Billy Miller and Waiting were both on the New York Times bestselling list. Many of his books have also been included on "best of the year" lists by magazines like Kirkus Reviews and The Horn Book Magazine.
