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2026-09-17T12:01:37+00:00 Zend_Feed_Writer https://amhersthistoric.org/ Amherst Historic https://amhersthistoric.org 2023-12-05T23:18:35+00:00 2023-12-10T22:37:24+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/61 Olivia Haynes Art dealer, poet, and children’s book author Richard Michelson shows you that it is never too late to try something new, you have no idea where it might take you! Rich grew up in East New York,  Brooklyn, and at 19 he got a job traveling around the Midwest selling fine-art reproductions. Before that, Rich had never stepped foot in a museum or an art gallery! A few years later, after a fateful ping pong match (Clip 1 below), Rich ended up with enough money to open his first art gallery in 1976, and in 1979 Rich ended up in Amherst and opened up R. Michelson Galleries (Clip 2). It was in Amherst, after taking on his first artist, illustrator Barry Moser, that Rich was introduced to the world of illustrated books. Richard says he didn’t grow up reading many books and thought picture books did not have a place in his life. (Clip 3) It was through representing Moser that Richard met prolific children’s book illustrators such as Eric Carle and Jane Yolen, and he decided to learn more and delve deeper into the art form. Through his research, he realized that his love of art and his love of poetry could be combined in a children’s book! (Clip 4) In 1993, Richard published his first children’s book, Did You Say Ghosts? And he’s been publishing children’s books, alongside his poetry for adults, ever since! Many of his books delve into social justice issues and explore the richness of Jewish heritage. Richard had a rather secular upbringing with very little Jewish education, but a transformative moment unfolded as Richard witnessed his wife, Jennifer, and his close friend and fellow writer Julius Lester convert to Judaism. At around the same time that Richard’s children approached the age of Bar and Bat Mitzvah, Aaron Lansky opened the Yiddish Book Center in Amherst, making Richard realize he wanted to learn more about his own Jewish heritage and ancestors. Driven by a newfound desire for connection and understanding, Richard’s books allowed him to explore and learn more about himself, his family, and Judaism. After visiting the Yiddish Book Center with his children he wrote, Too Young For Yiddish, as well as other books exploring Judaism (Clip 5). So far, he has published 19 children’s books and he does not plan on stopping anytime soon! The greatest lesson we can learn from Richard Michelson is to just be curious! Imagine what can happen if you just remain open and curious! What new friendships might you make? What new places might you explore? What new lessons might you learn? (Clip 6)  For more (including 6 sound clips), view the original article. 2023-12-05T02:52:41+00:00 2023-12-11T19:19:31+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/60 Katlyn Durand We’ve reached the end of the Children’s Book Authors and Illustrators Tour of Amherst, but not the end of our adventures together. There is one last thing we’d like you to try! While all of these children’s book authors are grownups, that doesn’t mean you have to be a grownup to create your own story. In fact, children’s book author Tony DiTerlizzi began writing and drawing stories when he was around your age. Remember, his pocket field guide to insects became one of the inspirations for The Spiderwick Chronicles! Angela DiTerlizzi also wrote a book called Have You Seen This Book? about a boy who writes his own words and draws his own drawings and sticks his own stickers in his favorite book. In fact, he changes the book so much, he creates a new story! So, here’s what we want you to do. Remember all of the bugs and plants and things you spied with your little eye as you explored the museums, and the book center, and the park, and the library? Did you write them down? We want you to go home, gather any art supplies you can find, and create your own story using all of the things you spied with your little eye. Do you think you can try that? We know you can. Now you’re a children’s book author too! For more, view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:45:18+00:00 2023-12-10T22:37:24+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/57 Purple Rathburn Shelley Rotner was born in 1951 in New York City. After high school, she attended Syracuse University a private research university in Syracuse, New York and later did postgraduate study at Columbia University and Bank Street College of Education in New York City, a graduate-only teacher training college. Ms. Rotner is the author and photo-illustrator of over thirty books, including the Hello Seasons! series with books on spring, summer, autumn, and winter. She has also published books about diversity, such as Shades of People, and books on gender, different types of families, friendships, and adoption. Shelley also has books on numerous other subjects, such as nature, our bodies, farming, nutrition, and how we get our food. Her children's books have been chosen as ALA Notable Books, and she received a Bank Street Best Books of the Year award. Previously she was an elementary school teacher and worked at a museum as an educational specialist. Currently, in addition to writing children’s books, Shelley is also a noted photographer and photojournalist. Her photographic work has been published in Time Magazine, Conde Nast Traveler, National Geographic’s World Magazine, Outside Magazine, Boston Globe Travel, Food and Wine Magazine, and the online travel site Gonomad.com. • Website • Bibliography • Publishers Page For more, view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:39:35+00:00 2023-12-10T22:37:24+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/54 Katlyn Durand Angela DiTerlizzi is a natural at writing children’s books. In fact, you might be surprised to hear that she did not start her career as a children’s book author! Before she became a writer, Angela channeled her artistry into doing make-up for television personalities, musicians, and even a former U.S. president. Fortunately for us, Angela loves trying new things. In the 1990s, Angela lived in Brooklyn as a makeup artist with her husband, children’s book author and illustrator Tony DiTerlizzi. In 2002, Angela and Tony moved to Amherst. Angela published her first book, Say What?, in 2013 with illustrator Joey Chou. Say What? was one of ten books featured in that year’s Cheerios “Spoonfuls of Stories” program, a project that gives away millions of bilingual children’s books for free. Angela’s second book, Some Bugs, illustrated by Brendan Wenzel, came out one year later and was one of Buzzfeed’s Best Picture Books of 2014. Even Eric Carle - the author who wrote about that very hungry caterpillar we all know and love - said the book was “A delightful combination of pictures and words that will captivate readers.” Some Bugs encourages children to explore the big world of bugs that live right outside our doors! Exploration and trying new things is a big theme in Angela’s work. In 2020, Angela published a book called The Magical Yet with illustrator Lorena Alvarez that inspires kids to keep trying new things, even when it’s really hard. During the pandemic, Angela co-wrote a book with Tony called A Very Cranky Book, about a book that does not want to be read. The story tackles feeling cranky, how to handle feeling cranky, and reminds children that even when they’re cranky, they’re still loved. Angela lives in Amherst with Tony and their daughter Sophia. You can visit Angela’s website here. For more, view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:33:13+00:00 2023-12-11T03:13:57+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/53 Purple Rathburn Dr. Britt Crow-Miller teaches classes in the Departments of Environmental Conservation and Geosciences at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Before arriving at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, Britt Crow-Miller worked in the science field in China and on the West Coast of the United States. Dr. Crow-Miller was raised in New York and now lives in Amherst with her three young children. Along with illustrator Bruno Valasse, Britt recently completed a science book for elementary and middle school-aged kids called World of Rot. It looks at different fungi, bacteria, worms, and insects that help break down naturally discarded material, such as leaves, into smaller particles that create a new compound. A compound is something made in nature that is a mixture of multiple things. Examples of compounds include sugars, proteins, and vitamins. She has an interest in everything from beekeeping to hiking. Walking is her favored form of transportation. She is the founder of City Wild, a nonprofit organization for youth ages 11 through 18 based in Western Massachusetts whose mission is to inspire curiosity about nature through fun activities, firsthand exploration, and learning for both kids and their families. • Britt Crow-Miller's Website • Britt Crow-Miller's 'X' account (formerly Twitter) • Britt Crow-Miller's Instagram account • CityWild Website For more, view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:20:46+00:00 2023-12-11T03:43:28+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/51 Purple Rathburn Eric Carle was an American-born author and illustrator noted for his picture books for children. Eric was born on June 25, 1929, in Syracuse, New York. His parents were born and raised in Germany and the family moved back there when Eric was six years old. Eric wished to return to the United States, and after the Second World War and completing an education at a German art school, he moved to New York City with only $40 in his pocket. He began a job as a graphic designer in the promotions department at the noted newspaper The New York Times. After a period in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, Eric returned to New York City and eventually worked for an advertising agency. In the mid-1960s, educator and author Bill Martin Jr. noticed a red lobster Eric had created for a magazine advertisement. He then asked Erik to collaborate with him on the book Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See? After that book became a bestseller in 1967, Eric began writing and illustrating his own stories. His first famous work is The Very Hungry Caterpillar. Eric Carle’s art has a very unique and recognizable style. His artwork was created in collage technique, using hand-painted papers that he cut and layered to form colorful joyful images. Many of his books are also interactive, using die-cuts to pop out and play with, twinkling lights in The Very Lonely Firefly, and sounds such as the cricket's song in The Very Quiet Cricket. Eric Carle has illustrated more than 70 books, most of which he also wrote. His books have been translated into more than 62 languages and have sold over 41 million copies. By the early 1990s, Eric and his wife Barbara “Bobbie” Morrison, an early childhood educator, moved to Northampton, Massachusetts. In 2002 they founded the Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art in Amherst, Massachusetts. It displays original illustrations from many children’s books, both Erik's and other authors, and has an art room for children and a giant caterpillar for fun photos and videos. The museum was founded to encourage a love of art and promote the joy of reading. Eric Carle passed away in May 2021 a month before his 92nd birthday. • Eric Carle Website • Bibliography • Eric Carle's Blog (Now Archived) • Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art For more, view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:18:09+00:00 2023-12-12T00:15:19+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/49 Katlyn Durand Tony has been publishing children’s books for over twenty years, but he has been writing stories and illustrating for much longer. In the 1970s, Tony grew up in a Florida town called Jupiter. “After the planet!” Tony says. “It was a small beach town, dirt roads, lots of fishing, snorkeling, catching snakes and lizards. And I probably had one of the biggest insect collections in my neighborhood.” Growing up around nature inspired Tony to draw and write stories about the insects and birds that he saw in his backyard. One of his earliest books was a pocket field guide to insects, made using only an encyclopedia and spiral-bound index cards. He also wrote a story about dinosaurs in North America using parchment paper his mom purchased for him. Some of the stories and drawings Tony made as a kid inspired the books we know and love today. The pocket field guide on insects became the inspiration for Arthur Spiderwick’s field guide in The Spiderwick Chronicles! Tony realized he wanted to be a children’s book author in high school. With the encouragement of his art teacher, Mr. Thomas Wetzel, and after a conversation between Tony and his younger brother Adam, Tony began redesigning and illustrating the characters from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. He spent the entire semester drawing his own versions of characters such as the Mad Hatter and the Cheshire Cat, and when it was done, he and Mr. Wetzel bound it into a little book. Tony says, “I knew from then on I wanted to illustrate books, maybe even create books for children. It took me a while to get there, but at seventeen I knew what I wanted to do.” (You can hear more about this below in Clip 1.) After high school, Tony attended the Art Institute of Ft. Lauderdale to study graphic design. Upon graduation in 1992, Tony moved back home with his parents while he was looking for illustrator jobs. Some of his friends also moved back home, and they started to get together and talk about things they loved doing as children. That’s when they started playing Dungeons & Dragons together, just as they did when they were kids. Tony's friends urged him to start sketching some of the Dungeons & Dragons characters for their game. By that fall, he scored his first freelance job illustrating for Dungeons & Dragons. (You can hear more about this below in Clip 2.)  By the time Tony published his first children’s book in 2000, (Jimmy Zangwow’s Out-of-this-world Moon Pie Adventure, a story about a boy named Jimmy who builds a spaceship so he can travel to the moon for his favorite snack), he lived in Brooklyn with his wife, makeup artist Angela DiTerlizzi. In late 2002, Angela and Tony moved to Amherst, Massachusetts. Tony credits their move to Amherst in part because of the area’s rich literary history, which includes children’s book authors Norton Juster, Jane Yolan, and Eric Carle. Angela and Tony first heard about the Eric Carle Museum when they lived in Brooklyn. Tony says, “That was exciting to us, that a town would celebrate children’s books enough to build a museum. That seemed like the place we wanted to be.” Angela and Tony hadn’t even unpacked their new home before Tony went on the road to promote his third children’s book, The Spider and the Fly. When Tony came back home to Amherst, he and author Holly Black immediately began work on The Spiderwick Chronicles, a book series that starts when siblings Jared, Simon, and Mallory Grace find a field guide to another world in the attic of their new house. “We placed [the story] in Maine, but the house itself was inspired by a couple of houses, one in Greenfield and another in Northampton,” Tony says. “I would take walks and hikes on the rail trail and think about the creatures that would inhabit the Spiderwick stories. And so it’s steeped in Amherst and Northampton, right through its very core…I don’t think The Spiderwick Chronicles would be what they were if I wasn’t living in Amherst.” Tony worked on The Spiderwick Chronicles with fantasy author Holly Black, who eventually moved to Amherst as well. Among Tony’s other collaborators is his wife, Angela, who published her first children’s book in 2013. “Angela and I collaborate on just about everything,” Tony says. “Even if only one of our names is on the cover of the book.” Their first published collaboration came out in 2023, entitled A Very Cranky Book, a story about how to handle being cranky and knowing that even when we’re cranky, we’re still loved. (You can hear more about Tony's collaboration with Holly Black below in Clip 3.) Tony’s other accomplishments include Ted, The Tales of Kenny Rabbit, and The Wondla Trilogy. The Spiderwick Chronicles was adapted into a film in 2008, and Tony also helped create a Star Wars picture book with Lucasfilm and illustrator Ralph McQuarrie, called Star Wars: The Adventures of Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. Tony and Angela still live in Amherst with their daughter Sophia, where they love to go to the Archive, walk on the rail trail, and visit Groff Park. You can visit Tony’s website here. For more (including 3 sound clips), view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:10:49+00:00 2023-12-11T03:33:03+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/46 Olivia Haynes<br /> Hannah Moushabeck is a second-generation Palestinian American author, editor, and book marketer from Amherst, Massachusetts, which resides on the homelands of the Pocumtuc and Nipmuc Nations (Clip 1 below). She was born in Brooklyn, NY, and her parents emigrated in the 1970s; however, after an unfortunate misunderstanding between Hannah’s mother and the cats of Brooklyn about the use of a sandbox…they moved to Leverett, MA! (Clip 2) When they left Brooklyn, they also left behind a full community of Arab Americans and other displaced immigrants. In Leverett, Hannah’s family was the only family of color in the school. Hannah noticed that she was unlike her neighbors and classmates and she found refuge and felt seen when she read Sitti’s Secrets by Naomi Shihab Nye– at the time, Sitti’s Secrets was the only picture book written by a Palestinian American (Clip 3). The next traditionally published picture book to be written by a Palestinian American would be Hannah's book, Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine, written almost 30 years later! Homeland: My Father Dreams of Palestine is about Hannah and her sisters growing up listening to their father tell them stories about their faraway homeland, Palestine, a place they have never been able to visit but grew up loving so deeply (Clip 4). They listen to their father’s memories of the beautiful people, sounds, and smells of the Old City of Jerusalem. What family stories does your adult share with you? Although Homeland is Hannah’s first book she is not new to the world of books and publishing! She grew up amidst stacks upon stacks of books watching her parents dedicate themselves to publishing works broadening the representation of Arab people in literature through their publishing house, Interlink Publishing based in Northampton, MA! (Clip 5) Hannah continues with this work and continues to look for the stories that are not typically told. Her advice to kiddos who might want to write their own stories is to write about what makes you special or different or about your interests that might be uncommon because what is unique to you is one of the best things you can share! (Clip 6) For more (including 6 sound clips), view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:10:19+00:00 2023-12-10T22:37:55+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/45 Timothy Hastings Diane deGroat is the illustrator of over 150 books, including the Charlie the Ranch Dog series. She is also the author-illustrator of 26 books, including the Gilbert and Friends series, and her latest book, The Adventures of Robo-Kid. She grew up in New Jersey and later moved to New York City to attend Pratt Institute. She now lives in Amherst where the community of authors and illustrators has helped her flourish for the last 25 years (Clip 1 below). During her life she has collected nearly 2,500 picture books, and she spends time admiring the illustrations! Is there anything you like to collect? As a child, Diane drew all the time. Even in school she would draw on the back of her test papers! She knew that when she grew up, she wanted to be an artist. When she started working at a children’s book publisher after college, she realized that she wanted to illustrate children’s books as a freelance artist. A freelance artist works at home, gets to sleep in late, and doesn’t have a boss! For twenty years she illustrated books until she started writing books as well, which, for her, was harder than drawing because she didn’t read a lot as a child. To become an artist, Diane says, you have to draw every day as much as you can, and to become a writer, you have to write a lot, but you also have to read or be read to! Many children already like to draw and make up stories, and practicing these skills can make you into an artist and writer (Clip 2)! How do you like to express yourself? What types of activities do you enjoy doing? The characters in the Gilbert and Friends series are various types of animals. Gilbert is a possum, his classmate Patty is a hedgehog, and all the books have funny titles. Diane created the funny titles to get children interested, but the way children relate to the stories is what creates a lasting impact. Gilbert always has problems that any kid would have—siblings, bullies, teachers, and homework—and he has to deal with them in interesting and relatable ways (Clip 3). By putting themselves in Gilbert’s shoes, children can feel empowered and not feel alone. The stories and lovely illustrations in Diane’s books demonstrate just how powerful creativity can be! For more (including 3 sound clips), view the original article. 2023-12-05T01:08:03+00:00 2023-12-10T22:37:55+00:00 https://amhersthistoric.org/items/show/44 Timothy Hastings David Hyde Costello—author and illustrator of books including Little Pig Joins the Band, Little Pig Saves the Ship, Here They Come! and I Can Help—grew up in rural places. He lived in upstate New York and central Massachusetts, but most of his childhood was spent in Connecticut. In fact, a river in Connecticut inspired the river that Little Pig sails his ship on in Little Pig Saves the Ship! He moved to Amherst nearly twenty years ago, and loves living here because he can hike, go canoeing, and enjoy the outdoors (Clip 1 below)! What do you like about where you live? What activities do you enjoy doing? From an early age David was creative. As a child, he used to draw, invent stories and songs, and make models out of clay. As a grown up, he’s used these skills in his work as an author and illustrator of children’s books, as a movie set designer and as a puppeteer. Among his many notable projects is his work on Wes Anderson’s film Moonrise Kingdom, his own Little Pig book series, and an adaptation of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow featuring puppets. David’s projects do not always fit into just one mode of creativity. When he is creating a story with words and pictures, it might be accompanied in his imagination by music or movement – or both! When he’s imagining a story, not only do words and drawings appear in his mind, but music also accompanies the story (Clip 2). Do you ever create stories? How do you like to express your imagination? Remember, making stories is as easy as having an imagination! (Clip 3) Among the many reasons books and stories have been important to him, David cites simple enjoyment, and the way a book can help us through tough situations. Hearing a story read in a funny voice, or acting out a scene with a caregiver is a fun experience that children will often remember for years. If something hard comes along in their life or they experience a difficult situation—maybe something sad or scary—having stories in their memory that relate to that situation can give them strength and support. Even if the experience is fantastical, hearing that someone else has gone through the same situation, helps children feel less alone (Clip 4). Is there a particular story that you love being told? Has there ever been a time when you felt sad or scared? How have stories helped you deal with those times? __ David has kindly shared with us an assortment of images from the process of making the Little Pig books, including clay models of different characters! Enjoy! For more (including 7 images and 4 sound clips), view the original article.