LIBRARY
SMARtS
LEARN ABOUT AUTHORS
AND ILLUSTRATORS
LISA OWINGS
For my parents, who taught me to follow my dreams
and who believed I could make them come true
Copyright 2014 by Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
All rights reserved. International copyright secured. No part of this book
may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any
form or by any meanselectronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or
otherwisewithout the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group,
Inc., except for the inclusion of brief quotations in an acknowledged review.
Lerner Publications Company
A division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
241 First Avenue North
Minneapolis, MN 55401 U.S.A.
Website address: www.lernerbooks.com
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Owings, Lisa.
Learn about authors and illustrators / by Lisa Owings.
pages cm. (Library smarts)
Includes index.
ISBN 9781467715027
ISBN 9781467717526 (eBook)
1. AuthorshipJuvenile literature. 2. AuthorsJuvenile literature.
3. IllustratorsJuvenile literature. 4. BooksJuvenile literature.
5. LibrariesJuvenile literature. I. Title.
PN153.O95 2014
808.02dc23 2012049759
Manufactured in the United States of America
1 CG 7/15/13
Table of Contents
Authors and Illustrators
What is one of the best things about books? Books
have words. The words tell a story. But how did the
words get into the book? Someone had to write
those words. Someone had to tell that story. That
person is the author. An author writes books.
Authors write all kinds of books. Some write
books that are true. Others write stories they
make up. Authors can write long or short
books. They can write one book or many.
Each author writes differently. You will love
some authors. You might not like others.
Its fun to find your favorites!
What is another great thing about books?
Lots of books have pictures. Pictures tell
stories too. But how did the pictures get
into the book? Someone had to make
them. That person is the illustrator. An
illustrator makes pictures to go in books.
Illustrators read an authors story. Then they
make pictures to help tell the story. The pictures
are called illustrations. The illustrations have
to make sense with the story.
Some illustrators use pencils and pens. Others
use paints. Still others use computers. What
illustrations do you like best?
Authors and illustrators work together.
They tell the same story in different ways.
The words help you understand the pictures.
The pictures help you understand the words.
Look and Learn
The library is full of good books. Each one
has an author. Its easy to find out who wrote
a book. Look on the front cover. Youll see
the title. The authors name is there too. Its
written in smaller letters. Sometimes it has the
word by in front of it. Can you find it?
Picture books have illustrators. The illustrators
name is also on the cover. Some picture books
have only one name. That person is the author
and the illustrator!
You can find more than names on a book.
Check the back of the book. Look for a
summary of what the book is about.
Ask a librarian to help you.
Some books have shiny stickers. That means the
book won an award. Some stickers say Newbery.
Newbery awards are for authors. Those books
have wonderful stories. Other stickers say
Caldecott. Caldecott awards are for illustrators.
Those books have beautiful pictures.
Who Are Authors
and Illustrators?
Authors are regular people. The best authors are
great storytellers. They love to write. Illustrators
are regular people too. The best ones love to
make art. They make beautiful pictures for books.
Can you be an author or an illustrator? Do you