Owen[欧文]

KevinHenkeslivesinMadison,Wisconsin.HisnovelsincludeProtectingMarieandWordsofStone.AmonghispicturebooksareOwen,a1994CaldecottHonorBook;Lilly'sPurplePlasticPurse;andJulius,theBabyoftheWorld.InHisOwnWords..."Irememberdrawingataveryearlyage.Ilovedit.AndmyparentsandteacherstoldmeIwasgoodatit--thatmademeloveitallthemore.""Ialsolovedbooks,andtheonesIwasluckyenoughtoownwerereread,lookedatoverandover,andregardedwithgreatrespect.Tomegreatrespect'meantthatItookthemeverywhere,andtheonesIstillownproveit.They'rebrimmingwithallthetelltalesignsoftruelove:dog-earedpages,fingerprintsonmyfavoriteillustrations,mynameandaddressinscribedonbothfrontandbackcoversininch-highcrayonlettering,andthefaintsmellofstalepeanutbutteronthebindings.""Iwonderedaboutauthorsandillustratorsbackthen--Whatdidtheylooklike?Wheredidtheylive?Didtheyhavefamilies?Howoldwerethey?--butIneverimaginedthatonedayIwouldbeonemyself.""Ibecameanauthor-illustratorwhenIwasnineteenyearsold.IflewfrommyhomeinRacine,Wisconsin,toNewYorkCitywithmyportfolio,hopingtofindapublisher.AndmagicallyenoughSusanHirschmanatGreenwillowBooksmademydreamcometrue.Myfirstpicturebook,AllAlone,waspublishedin1987.SincethenI'vewrittenandillustratedmanypicturebooksandwrittenseveralnovels.Ilikethevarietyoftryingnewwaystofillthepagesbetweentwocovers.Experimentingwithwordsandpaintandinkkeepsmyjobinteresting.""Iusedtolivewithmyparentsandbrothersandsisterandworkatacardtableinmybedroom.NowIlivewithmywife,myson,andmydaughterinourownhouseandworkatadrawingtableinmyownstudio.IneverthoughtI'dbeluckyenoughtobearealauthorandillustrator.Iwouldn'ttradeitforanything."