For Other Professionals
A video interview with
Robert Neubecker
Robert Neubecker's picture books have zip — they burst with color, energy, and fun. Neubecker can really capture the world through a kid's eyes, whether it's the first day of school (Wow! School!), a first trip to the big city (Wow! City!) or the trials and tribulations of being the big sister when the new baby arrives (Sophie Peterman Tells the Truth).
You can watch the interview below, view the interview transcript, read a short biography on Robert Neubecker, or see a selected list of his children's books.
Biography
Robert Neubecker has had a long and successful career as an editorial illustrator on the staff of Slate.com and is a regular contributor to The Wall Street Journal, Business Week, and The Los Angeles Times. His images can be seen everywhere in the print and electronic media. His poster for the movie Sideways won the prestigious Key award for best comedy poster of 2004. To keep the spontaneity in his illustrations, Neubecker works with simple tools — a Mont Blanc pen or a brush and India ink — adding color later in Photoshop.
When Neubecker had children, he knew he was going to read to them and so he thought: why not create a few kids' books of my own? His first picture book, the oversized and full-of-life Wow! City!, perfectly captured a young child's excitement at seeing the bright lights of a big city for the first time. The book won an ALA Notable Book award for 2005.
A growing list of books have followed, including Beasty Bath, Wow! America!, Wow! School!, and Courage of the Blue Boy. He also collaborates with writers and has illustrated a number of popular picture books including I Got Two Dogs, Monsters on Machines, and My Name is Sophie Peterman. In 2010 he teamed up with actor Treat Williams to create Air Show!, a book about two kids who take a magical "road trip" to the biggest air show in the country with their dad — a day that ends with a thrilling ride in a stunt plane.
After many years living and working in all kinds of interesting New York City spaces, Robert now lives on a wooded mountaintop in Park City, Utah with his wife and two children — and moose right outside the door.
Interested in wonderful interviews with tween and teen authors? Hop on over to our sister site, AdLit.org, and browse the library.
