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WEBSITE: http://www.gailgibbons.com/
CITY: Corinth
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COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 392
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PERSONAL
Born August 1, 1944, in Oak Park, IL; daughter of Harry George (a tool-and-die designer) and Grace Ortmann; married Glenn Gibbons, June 25, 1966 (died May 20, 1972); married Kent Ancliffe (a builder), March 23, 1976; children: (stepchildren) Rebecca, Eric.
EDUCATION:University of Illinois, B.F.A., 1967.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Artist and writer. Freelance writer and illustrator of children’s books, 1975—. WCIA-Television, Champaign, IL, artist, 1967-69; WMAQ-TV, Chicago, IL, promotions and animation artist, 1969; Bob Howe Agency, Chicago, staff artist, 1969-70; WNBC-Television, New York, NY, staff artist for House of Animation, 1970-76; United Press International, New York, NY, freelance artist, 1977-88.
AVOCATIONS:Swimming, boating, reading.
AWARDS:New York City Art Director Club award, 1979, for The Missing Maple Syrup Sap Mystery; American Institute of Graphic Arts award, 1979, for Clocks and How They Go; National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)/Children’s Book Council Award, 1980, for Locks and Keys, and 1982, for Tool Book; U.S. Postmaster General Certificate of Appreciation, 1982, for The Post Office Book; Notable Book designation, American Library Association, 1983, for Cars and How They Go, and 1985, for The Milk Makers; Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award, 1987, for contribution to nonfiction children’s literature; Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies designation, National Council of Social Studies, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, 1992; NSTA Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children designation, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1998; Children’s Choice Award, International Reading Association, 1989, 1995; American Bookseller Pick of the Lists designation, 1992; Regina Award, Catholic Library Association, 2010, for contribution to children’s literature.
WRITINGS
Several of Gibbons’s books have been adapted as filmstrips and cassettes, including Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Time, and Valentine’s Day, all by Live Oak Media; Dinosaurs and Check It Out! were adapted as filmstrips with cassettes by Listening Library.
SIDELIGHTS
A prolific author and illustrator of nonfiction books for curious-minded young readers, Gail Gibbons introduces children to subjects ranging from clocks, farming, hurricanes, volcanoes, and post offices to alligators and beavers. Gibbons’s magpie curiosity has inspired many of her children’s books. For example, when she and her husband bought a house on a Maine island, she produced the book Surrounded by Sea: Life on a New England Fishing Island. In Beacons of Light: Lighthouses she shared information on light houses, and she profiled sea creatures in Whales and The Puffins Are Back! When kites caught her fancy, books on wind and weather were the result. Stargazing, sharks, zoos, skyscrapers, dinosaurs, the solar system, and museums have also been fodder for her books. “To me, putting a nonfiction book together is like watching the pieces of a puzzle finally fitting together,” Gibbons noted in an essay on the Holiday House website. “I really enjoy learning about things and introducing them to children in words and pictures.”
Born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944, Gibbons exhibited an interest in both reading and drawing. Shy as a teen, she focused on art, majoring in the subject at the University of Illinois. “I consider myself quite fortunate because I never had to debate with myself as to what I wanted to do with my life,” she later explained in an essay for the Something about the Author Autobiography Series (SAAS). “The answer was always there. I wanted to be a writer and artist.”
After graduating from college, Gibbons worked in the television industry, doing set design, animations, and on-air graphics. In 1971 she became the graphic artist for the NBC children’s program Take a Giant Step, and it was at this point that she first considered creating children’s books. Her life took a radical turn in 1972, when her husband died in an accident and, emotionally distraught, she once again turned to her art. Gibbons’s work in television graphics emphasized crisp images and the use of contrasting colors, and it came in handy when she began illustrating children’s books. The use of bright, flat colors and visual simplicity have become Gibbon’s trademark.
Producing her first few books, Gibbons then relocated from New York City to New England, and after remarrying she moved to rural Vermont with her new husband and two stepchildren. Published shortly thereafter, Clocks and How They Go was the recipient of several awards and set the tone for Gibbons’s subsequent works through its simple text and clear illustration. She also explored technology in Locks and Keys , which traces the history locks and their various mechanisms. Karen Jameyson, writing in Horn Book, noted of Locks and Keys that here Gibbons has “skillfully combined a concise, clear text with explicit, attractive illustrations to acquaint young readers with a mechanical subject.”
One of several works focusing on technology, business, and human commerce, Gibbons’s The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves describes the behind-the-counter activities of postal workers in a “bright and cheerful” format, according to George A. Woods in the New York Times Book Review, the critic adding that the book’s “text and pictures greatly simplify a complex operation.” In Department Store she reveals the workings of large-scale retail enterprises, prompting Barbara S. Worth to note in a Children’s Book Review Service appraisal that she does “a remarkable job of bringing order and organization to a complex topic.”
Human history has been propelled by advances in the method people have used to traverse challenging terrain and daunting distances, and Gibbons covers these advances in her self-illustrated title Transportation! How People Get Around. She divides her history into four sections based on the mode of transport: by road, rail, air, or water. From sailboats to space ships, she shares the basics of common vehicles in her text and highly detailed line-and-color art, and she also ponders a technological future that might normalize space travel. Writing in School Library Journal, Annette Herbert praised the author/illustrator’s “easy, identifiable style,” adding of Transportation! that it presents “a solid, accessible introduction … for little ones.”
Enjoying one form of transportation—riding on horseback—cowboys and cowgirls are Gibbons’s focus in Yippee-Yay! A Book about Cowboys and Cowgirls, which chronicles the development of the so-called “Wild West” during the three decades immediately following the U.S. Civil War. Employing “her own tried-and-true layout, she has given youngsters yet another useful historical introduction to a popular topic,” wrote John Sigwald in a School Library Journal review of this work. Moving even further back in time, Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs: A Book about Ancient Egypt allows readers to learn about ancient Egyptian beliefs and customs as well as this culture’s treatment of the dead. Appraising this volume, School Library Journal contributor Gloria Koster cited Gibbons’s “usual flair [for] … simplifying complex topics.”
The natural world has been Gibbons’s focus in many picture books. In It’s Raining! her “brief yet descriptive” text introduces youngster to the water cycle, according to Jeanne McDermott in Booklist. A companion volume, It’s Snowing!, “grabs the … audience with stylized bright drawings and short blocks of text,” according to School Library Journal contributor Melissa Smith. In another weather-related work, Hurricanes!, Gibbons “uses a picture-book format to detail [the storms’] destructive powers without the information ever becoming too frightening,” as Booklist reviewer Daniel Kraus observed. The Honey Makers looks at the workings of a hive by following a worker bee from birth through its many jobs. Reviewing this work for Booklist, Kay Weisman asserted that “Gibbons’s signature full-color artwork makes each page a visual delight.”
Featuring Gibbons’s “clear, informative introduction” to basic food groups, The Vegetables We Eat serves as “a simple, effective approach to the topic,” according to Kathy Piehl in School Library Journal. A companion volume, The Fruits We Eat, also offers a primer on edibles, noting fruit’s role in a balanced diet and describing the different ways fruit can seed and develop. Chock full of interesting fruit facts, The Fruits We Eat was recommended as “a charming addition to nutrition and food units” by Marianne Saccardi in School Library Journal. Gibbons offers a detailed look at a very crucial foodstuff in Corn, which also showcases “her characteristic ink and watercolor illustrations and well-organized, accessible narrative,” as Linda Perkins noted in Booklist.
Gibbons examines the similarities and differences between easily confused reptile species in Alligators and Crocodiles, and here her “signature watercolor-and-ink artwork complements the text,” according to a Kirkus Reviews critic. In Beavers she looks at the diet, habitat, and anatomy of a well-known aquatic rodent, and “her signature easy-to-digest format … includes short paragraphs of information and picture captions,” as another Kirkus Reviews writer explained. Gibbons’s “succinct, fact-filled narrative” for Gorillas earned praise from Linda Perkins in Booklist, and Susan Scheps, writing in School Library Journal, called Ladybugs a “simply written, clearly organized, thoroughly researched and exceptionally illustrated volume.”
In Owls, Gibbons focuses on the habitat, physiology, and unique hunting habits of one of New England’s most interesting birds, while Migration expands her focus to a range of winged creatures, in addition to landbound and water animals that also shift their homes depending on the season. In describing the concept of migration, she discusses various methods as well as mapping the routes of several well-known species. While Owls was recommended as “a bright addition to owl lore” by Patricia Manning in School Library Journal, a Kirkus Reviews critic lauded Migration as “a straightforward, wide-ranging survey” that draws on the author/illustrator’s “years of experience” conveying science-based topics to children.
In the nonfiction title Volcanoes, Gibbons provides an overview of volcanoes for young readers. She begins by describing a volcanic eruption and goes on to include information on vents, what causes eruptions, the tectonic plates where most eruptions occur, and the work scientists are doing to learn about these natural wonders. Detailing five different kinds of volcanoes, the picture book describes the damage they can do and what you should do if you are in the area during an erupting volcano. Furthermore, Gibbons showcases famous volcanoes, such as Krakatau and Vesuvius. Booklist reviewer Kay Weisman called the STEM-themed book “informative.” In particular, Weisman appreciated Gibbons’s “distinctive watercolor, ink, and colored-pencil illustrations.” A Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated the “straightforward” text that will be simple for young readers to follow. “Erupt into applause for this picture book of the first magma-tude,” enthused the same critic.
“Nonfiction requires a tremendous amount of research,” Gibbons explained in discussing her career in SAAS. “I want it to be accurate and up-to-date information.” In addition to creating books, she visits schools and talks with both children and educators. “Whenever I am speaking to children, teachers, and librarians, I always stress how much I feel that nonfiction is important,” she added. “I am constantly impressed in seeing what is happening in schools and libraries around the country. There is a sincere excitement about good literature coming from these places. I like to encourage others to write, hoping that it will be as exciting and rewarding to them as it has been to me.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Authors of Books for Young People, Scarecrow Press (Metuchen, NJ), 1990.
Children’s Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
Something about the Author Autobiography Series, Volume 12, Gale (Detroit, MI), 1991.
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 1, 1979, Barbara Elleman, review of Clocks and How They Go, p. 448; December 1, 1994, Stephanie Zvirin, author interview, pp. 676-677; December 1, 1995, Carolyn Phelan, review of Bicycle Book, p. 630; March 15, 1997, Kay Weisman, review of The Honey Makers, p. 1245; August, 2000, Gillian Engberg, review of Apples, p. 2144; September 15, 2001, Gillian Engberg, review of Polar Bears, p. 225; April 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Tell Me, Tree: All about Trees for Kids, p. 1330; September 14, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Halloween Is …, p. 245; January 1, 2003, Karin Snelson, review of Giant Pandas, p. 897; July, 2003, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Chicks and Chickens, p. 1893; December 1, 2003, Hazel Rochman, review of Grizzly Bears, p. 680; December 15, 2003, Kay Weisman, review of Horses!, p. 751, and Jennifer Mattson, review of The Quilting Bee, p. 758; June 1, 2004, Gillian Engberg, review of Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs: A Book about Ancient Egypt, p. 1735; March 15, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review of Owls, p. 1298; October 1, 2005, Julie Cummins, review of Dinosaur Discoveries, p. 60; February 1, 2006, Ilene Cooper, review of Valentine’s Day Is …, p. 51; June 1, 2006, Jennifer Mattson, review of Ice Cream: The Full Scoop, p. 76; January 1, 2007, Ilene Cooper, review of Groundhog Day!, p. 108; September 1, 2007, Gillian Engberg, review of The Vegetables We Eat, p. 122; December 1, 2007, Gillian Engberg, review of Coral Reefs, p. 56; February 15, 2008, John Peters, review of Snakes, p. 84; November 15, 2008, Linda Perkins, review of Corn, p. 47; June 1, 2009, John Peters, review of Tornadoes!, p. 60; October 15, 2009, Daniel Kraus, review of Hurricanes!, p. 53; April 15, 2010, Kathleen Isaacs, review of Alligators and Crocodiles, p. 47; April 15, 2011, Linda Perkins, review of Gorillas, p. 48; September 15, 2011, Julie Cummins, review of It’s Snowing!, p. 60; April 15, 2012, Carolyn Phelan, review of Ladybugs, p. 61; October 15, 2013, Francisca Goldsmith, review of Beavers, p. 43; April 15, 2014, Jeanne McDermott, review of It’s Raining!, p. 45; December 1, 2021, Kay Weisman, review of Volcanoes, p. 46.
Childhood Education, summer, 2002, review of Polar Bears, p. 241; fall, 2004, Stacey Haley, review of Horses!, p. 47.
Children’s Book Review Service, spring, 1984, Barbara S. Worth, review of Department Store, p. 122.
Children’s Book Watch, August, 2004, review of Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs, p. 1.
Horn Book, December, 1979, Ann A. Flowers, review of Clocks and How They Go, p. 676; December, 1980, Karen Jameyson, review of Locks and Keys, p. 653; July-August, 1985, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of The Milk Makers, pp. 463-464; November-December, 1987, Nancy Vasilakis, review of The Pottery Place, pp. 758-759; January, 2000, review of Bats, p. 97; July-August, 2002, Danielle J. Ford, review of Tell Me, Tree, p. 484.
Kirkus Reviews, September 1, 2001, review of Polar Bears, p. 1289; March 1, 2002, review of Tell Me, Tree, p. 335; August 1, 2002, review of Halloween Is …, p. 1129; November 15, 2002, review of Giant Pandas, p. 1692; November 1, 2003, review of Horses!, p. 1311; November 15, 2003, review of Grizzly Bears, p. 1359; January 1, 2004, review of The Quilting Bee, p. 36; May 15, 2004, review of Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs, p. 491; February 15, 2005, review of Owls, p. 228; October 15, 2006, review of Galaxies, Galaxies!, p. 1071; October 15, 2007, review of Coral Reefs; February 15, 2008, review of Snakes; September 15, 2008, review of Corn; May 15, 2008, review of Dinosaurs!; November 15, 2008, review of Elephants of Africa; April 15, 2010, review of Alligators and Crocodiles; October 1, 2011, review of It’s Snowing!; August 15, 2013, review of Beavers; March 1, 2014, review of It’s Raining!; March 15, 2015; January 15, 2017, review of Transportation! How People Get Around; May 1, 2018, reviews of Flowers and Dinosaur Discoveries; May 15, 2020, review of Migration; December 1, 2021, review of Volcanoes.
New York Times Book Review, September 26, 1982, George A. Woods, review of The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves, p. 31.
Publishers Weekly, February 18, 1983, review of Paper, Paper Everywhere, p. 129; July 27, 1984, Jennifer Crichton, “Picture Books That Explain,” pp. 88-89; March 20, 2000, review of Rabbits, Rabbits, and More Rabbits, p. 94; August 4, 2003, review of Halloween Is …, p. 82.
School Library Journal, December, 1984, Harriet Otto, review of The Seasons of Arnold’s Apple Tree, p. 70; April, 1985, Eldon Younce, review of The Milk Makers, p. 78; June-July, 1987, Martha Rosen, review of Deadline! From News to Newspaper, p. 82; September, 1989, Mary Lou Budd, review of Marge’s Diner, p. 226; March, 1998, John Sigwald, review of Yippee-Yay! A Book about Cowboys and Cowgirls, p. 195; April, 1998, p. 116; March, 2000, Jill O’Farrell, review of Rabbits, Rabbits, and More Rabbits, p. 224; September, 2000, Louise L. Sherman, review of Apples, p. 216; November, 2000, Meghan R. Malone, review of My Basketball Book, p. 142; September, 2001, Edith Chang, review of Polar Bears, p. 214; March, 2002, Anne Chapman Callaghan, review of The Berry Book, p. 214; December, 2002, Sally Bates Goodroe, review of Giant Pandas, p. 122; July, 2003, Shauna Yusko, review of The Pumpkin Book, p. 74, and Anne Champan Callaghan, review of Chicks and Chickens, p. 113; December, 2003, Carol Schene, review of Horses!, p. 134; March, 2004, Sally Bates Goodroe, review of Grizzly Bears, p. 193; May, 2004, Teri Markson, review of The Quilting Bee, p. 132; June, 2004, Gloria Koster, review of Mummies, Pyramids, and Pharaohs, p. 127; September, 2004, Gloria Koster, review of Thanksgiving Is …, p. 186; April, 2005, Patricia Manning, review of Owls, p. 122; November, 2005, John Peters, review of The Planets, p. 115; February, 2006, Patricia Manning, review of Dinosaur Discoveries, p. 118; March, 2006, Blair Christolon, review of Valentine’s Day Is …, p. 208; August, 2006, Kara Schaff Dean, review of Ice Cream, p. 104; December, 2006, John Peters, review of Galaxies, Galaxies!, p. 122; March, 2007, Maura Bresnahan, review of Groundhog Day!, p. 195; July, 2007, Kathy Piehl, review of The Vegetables We Eat, p. 91; January, 2008, Nicki Clausen-Grace, review of Coral Reefs, p. 105; April, 2008, Patricia Manning, review of Snakes, p. 131; October, 2008, Anne L. Tormohlen, review of Corn, p. 131; April, 2011, Cathie Bashawa, review of Gorillas, p. 160; November, 2011, Melissa Smith, review of It’s Snowing!, p. 99; April, 2012, Susan Scheps, review of Ladybugs, p. 151; November, 2013, Susan E. Murray, review of Beavers, p. 126; March, 2014, Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, review of It’s Raining!, p. 172; June, 2014, Elizabeth Elsbree, reviews of Chicks and Chickens, Alligators and Crocodiles, Owls, Polar Bears, and Pigs, all p. 62; March, 2015, Marianne Saccardi, review of The Fruits We Eat, p. 169; February, 2017, Annette Herbert, review of Transportation!, p. 114.
Science Books, January-February, 1983, Richard J. Merrill, review of Tool Book, p. 149.
ONLINE
Gail Gibbons website, https://www.gailgibbons.com (October 24, 2022).
Holiday House website, http://www.holidayhouse.com/ (September 1, 2014), “Gail Gibbons.”
Reading Rockets, https://www.readingrockets.org/ (October 20, 2020), 1998 author interview.
Time for Kids website, https://www.timeforkids.com/ (April 14, 2017), Kent Ancliffe, author interview.*
Gail Gibbons in
her own words
I was born in Oak Park, Illinois, in 1944. Even as a little child, I was always busy putting books together. Sometimes I would bind them with yarn to hold the pages together. I've always loved drawing and painting. I was also a very curious child. My parents tell me that I was always asking lots and lots of questions.
Later, I went on to the University of Illinois, where I studied graphic design. Then I moved to New York City, where I got a job doing artwork for television shows. Eventually I was asked to do the artwork for a children's show. While doing that show, some of the children asked me if I had ever thought of doing children's books. My mind immediately recalled how much I enjoyed doing that type of thing when I was a child. So I put an idea for a book together and right away a publisher bought it. That book was called Willy and His Wheel Wagon. Since then, over 170 books that I have written and illustrated have been published. The type of books I write are non-fiction books. This is because I love researching so much. I get to ask lots of questions, just like when I was a kid. I also get to travel and meet lots of interesting people. While doing research for my book Nature's Green Umbrella: Tropical Rain Forests, I traveled to two islands where there are tropical rain forests, Saba and Dominica. I also had a great time writing and illustrating the book. I get a lot of pleasure from doing the type of work I do.
About this site
Children's book author and illustrator, Gail Gibbons, keeps you up to date on recent books, as well as archiving previous titles. Her non-fiction books are richly illustrated and teach children a wide range of real world topics. Learn how to purchase original illustrations. Teachers will surely want to take a look at the teaching resources section.
More About Gail Gibbons
"Gail Gibbons has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children’s writer-illustrator."
–Washington Post
Gail Gibbons has been described as having a face that holds wonder like a cup." It is out of this natural curiosity for how things work and how things are made that she has based a successful career as an author and illustrator of children’s books. From life on a fishing island (Surrounded by Sea) to the history and makings of kites (Catch the Wind.’), she has taught children – and adults – about the inner workings of things and places in our environment.
As a child growing up in Chicago, Gail was always asking how does that work?" She created her first picture book at the age of four. It was four pages long and bound together with yarn. Recognizing Gail’s artistic talents, her kindergarten teacher alerted Gail’s parents to it, and Gail began taking art lessons. Soon thereafter she started writing her own stories. After high school graduation Gail attended the University of Illinois where she studied graphic design. Upon graduation she went to work for a small TV station doing graphic work and later moved to New York City where she worked on " Take a Giant Step" the children’s show that was the forerunner to PBS’ "The Electric Company." The children that participated in the show were the first to suggest that Gail should create children’s books. And that is exactly what she did.
Gail Gibbons’s books are particularly accurate because she goes right to the source when researching a topic. She has been on the seventeenth floor of a skyscraper in progress, has spoken with truck drivers about the workings of their rigs, has dismantled every clock in her home, and would have donned scuba diving gear to research a sunken ship had the sea waters not been too turbulent. Gail says "I had a lot of ‘whys’ when I was a child. I guess I still do."
Gail Gibbons and her husband divide their time between a landlocked house in Vermont and a house surrounded by sea off the coast of Maine.
Most of the time I live in Corinth, Vermont, in the middle of three hundred acres. I live with my husband, Kent Ancliffe. Kent and I have two adult children, Rebecca and Eric. Our son, Eric, is married to Veronica. Rebecca is married to Roger so now Kent and I are grandparents to Greta and Lorenzo. My life in Vermont is very secluded. There are lots of wild animals that live on our property. We also spend a lot of time on an island off the coast of Maine where we have a little farmhouse. In fact, my book, Christmas on an Island, is about Christmas on this island.
I have many hobbies, like swimming and boating, but my favorites are reading and creating books.
Gail Gibbons has written more than 120 books and has been called a “master of picture book nonfiction” by Booklist. The Washington Post has said “Gail Gibbons has taught more preschoolers and early readers about the world than any other children’s writer-illustrator.” In recognition of her “distinguished contribution to children’s literature,” Gail was awarded the Regina Medal Award. She is also the recipient of the Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC Nonfiction Book Award, then cosponsored by The Washington Post, that honors “an author or author-illustrator whose total work has contributed significantly to the quality of nonfiction for children.”
Gail’s informational books cover a vast range of topics and have received innumerable awards and honors that range from American Library Association Notable Children’s Books to National Science Teachers Association-Children’s Book Council Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children to International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council (IRA-CBC) Children’s Choice Books, beloved by young readers across the country. She has even received a Certificate of Appreciation from the U. S. Postmaster General!
Gail Gibbons Photo
SELECT AWARDS & HONORS
American Bookseller Pick of the Lists
American Institute of Graphic Arts Award
American Library Association Notable Children’s Books
Certificate of Appreciation from U.S. Postmaster General
Children’s Book Guild of Washington, DC / The Washington Post Nonfiction Book Award
City Art Director Club Award
Correll Book Award for Excellence in Early Childhood Informational Text (First Annual)
International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council (IRA-CBC) Children’s Choice Books
National Council of Social Studies-Children’s Book Council (NCSS-CBC) Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People
National Science Teachers Association-Children’s Book Council (NSTA-CBC) Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students K-12
Regina Medal Award
A Deep Dive into the Work of Gail Gibbons
Jaime Herndon Apr 14, 2023
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If you have young kids, there’s a really good chance you’ve come across books by Gail Gibbons. Her children’s nonfiction is often on seasonal or holiday displays at the library, and if your child has an interest in something specific, especially about the natural world, she’s probably written a book about it. As a homeschooling parent of an early elementary-age kid, her books are in heavy rotation over here, and I’m constantly scouring the internet to see if there’s a book of hers that we need but don’t yet have for an upcoming or current area of study. Topics that Gibbons has written about include, but are not limited to: galaxies, hurricanes, tornadoes, sharks, deserts, Groundhog Day, gorillas, farming, the moon, bats, coral reefs, bicycles, fruits, vegetables, dinosaurs, snow, rain, pumpkins, monarch butterflies, how a house is built, elephants of Africa, and skyscrapers.
Each of her books has a main storyline, but then there are plenty of scientific or related terms that are listed and defined on each page, along with colorful and clear illustrations. At the end of the book, there are usually facts, an infographic, or a fun activity. Last year, she released a workbook that corresponded with her monarch butterfly book, along with one that went with From Seed to Plant, and in a perfect homeschool world, there’d be a workbook for each of her books. They were filled with such fun activities that my son had a blast and loved working on them.
But before we get into her books, who is Gail Gibbons, and how did she start writing children’s nonfiction books?
Born in 1944, Gibbons was always a curious kid, constantly asking questions. She studied graphic design at the University of Illinois and later moved to NYC to do artwork for a variety of television shows. When she was working on a show called Take a Giant Step, some kids asked her if she worked on children’s books — as a child herself, Gibbons loved constructing books. So she began to look at the books for kids that were out there, and saw that almost all of the nonfiction books were either filled with photographs or only black and white drawings. Gibbons showed her artwork to a children’s book editor, who asked if she could do nonfiction with colorful illustrations. And so, she got to work putting together some ideas for books, and the rest is history.
What makes a good children’s nonfiction book?
I’m always looking for good nonfiction books for homeschool that are fun but informative, and since I also work in the science field, I also look for books that are accurate and have good information in them. Many children’s nonfiction books are light on the facts, which I don’t love, or they barely scratch the surface and don’t inspire one to do more exploring. On the other end, the big heavy books like the DK nonfiction books are wonderful, but they don’t lend themselves to easy transport and can be pretty clunky.
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Gibbons has been writing children’s nonfiction for over 30 years, publishing over 170 books. Her books are consistently being updated and revised, but aside from that, what accounts for their enduring popularity and success? Children’s nonfiction is what it is, right?
Well…not quite. Kids are often underestimated, along with their desire to learn. Kids are naturally curious, and Gibbons’s books take advantage of that instinct. They’re packed with science and facts, but conveyed in an easy-to-understand way — and yet at the same time, the books never read as though they’re talking down to the reader. Gibbons herself wrote to me that she never likes talking down to children because they’re “smart and can figure out a lot on their own.” Her books help kids do that: she provides information, context, and material, and kids put it all together and actively learn as they read her books.
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You can tell the amount of work that goes into a good nonfiction book, and Gibbons shared some of her research and work process.
“Naturally, the idea must be exciting. Then there is research in libraries and going to places to learn as much as I can. I also must make sure what I have written is accurate, so I always have an expert on the topic read the manuscript for accuracy. Often there is also photo research. Then there are the rough sketches that my publishers look at. They have a lot of input and wonderful suggestions.” And all of that is before the typeset layout is done and final artwork is drawn.
That’s what makes the difference between a Gail Gibbons book and other children’s nonfiction books.
How I Use Gail Gibbons Books Throughout the Year
Okay, so Gibbons’s books are great and there’s a lot of them, but how do I actually use them during the year, you might be wondering. The good news is, they can be used in any way. You don’t have to read the holiday books at holiday times only, and even if you do a snow unit in July, it’s fine. But here are some of the ways in which I’ve utilized her books in our homeschooling.
Groundhog Day cover
It’s springtime now, which might be a great time to start using her books because so many of them are on topics in the natural world and this is when these subjects naturally come up with kids. I used her book Groundhog Day! back in February, and then during some rainy days, we read her book It’s Raining! We just finished up a weather unit, and so we used her books Weather Words and What They Mean and Weather Forecasting. During the Spring Equinox, I broke out her Monarch Butterfly book. We had already used the corresponding workbook last year for the book, but otherwise it would have been a perfect addition for spring activities! There’s also the great book From Seed to Plant, which also has a workbook and is great for spring.
When summertime comes along, we’ll dive into books like Flowers, The Vegetables We Eat, The Fruits We Eat, and Bicycle Book. Depending on what catches my son’s interest this summer and what we decide to study, books like Ladybugs might also be on the table. My son loves ice cream, and so it might also be the perfect time to pick up her book Ice Cream: The Full Scoop.
Reasons for the Seasons cover
For the fall, during the Montessori Great Lessons, we’ll use books like Galaxies, Galaxies! and Planet Earth/Inside Out. She also has some great holiday and seasonal books for the fall, like The Pumpkin Book and Apples. Then as winter creeps in, we’ll read Migration, Thanksgiving Is…, and The Reasons for the Seasons. Even though we’ve read these last year, what I love about the books is that you can engage with them on different levels: if your kid is too young for the scientific terms and definitions, just skip them and read the main story. Return to the book later when they’re ready, and there are new things for them to learn. If the last few pages of a book, with infographics and facts, are too much, come back the next year for it. I love that I can use the books for a long time.
The best part is that there are so many random topics that I usually don’t even think about, but my son does, like gorillas. (He just watched a documentary on Dian Fossey). And yes, Gibbons has written a book about that. Her books capture the wonder and whimsy of the natural world, holidays, and everyday life, but also explain why things happen the way they do — and they do it in developmentally-appropriate ways.
Have you read Gail Gibbons? Do you have a favorite book of hers?
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Gail Gibbons
Born Gail Jane Gibbons
November 24, 1944 (age 79)
Oak Park, Illinois, United States
Nationality American
Occupation(s) Writer, Illustrator
Years active 1959-P
Website https://www.gailgibbons.com
Gail Gibbons is an American writer and illustrator of children's books, most of which are non-fiction. She started her career as a graphic artist for television, but transitioned to writing and designing children's books in the 1970s.
Early life
Gibbons was born in Oak Park, Illinois in 1944, and she was described as exhibiting "artistic talents at an early age."[citation needed] She gained a reputation in school as an artist, eventually creating her own small books that she personally described as "writing and drawing pictures of what I loved and where I wanted to be." She often visited the Chicago Art Institute nearby which likely fueled her passion for art.[citation needed] She studied graphic design at the University of Illinois. Gibbons herself quoted in the Something about the Author Autobiography Series, "I consider myself quite fortunate because I never had to debate with myself as to what I wanted to do with my life. The answer was always there. I wanted to be a writer and artist." Gibbons was inspired by one of her professors at the University of Illinois who was a professional children's book illustrator.[citation needed]
When she was 21, she married Glenn Gibbons, and started her first job with a television station in Champaign, Illinois. She worked on children's show designing on-air graphics and set design.[citation needed] Later, the couple moved to Chicago, and Gibbons continued her work with the TV station, WMAQ-TV while also picking up jobs in advertising. In 1969, she moved to New York City, worked for WNBC-TV, and ended up designing a few graphics for Saturday Night Live. In 1971, she became the graphic designer for Take a Giant Step, a children's television program on NBC.[citation needed]
Career
Gail Gibbons first book was Willy and His Wheel Wagon,[1] a 32-page self-illustrated picture book published by Prentice-Hall. By 1978, Gibbons had published 5 children's books, including Things to Make and Do for Halloween and Salvador and Mister Sam: A Guide to Parakeet Care. By 1979, Gibbons was pushed to publish solely non-fiction children's books, and she released Clocks and How They Go, which exhibits a more direct teaching style in writing.[citation needed] Gibbons continued with this style of writing, growing into a prolific non-fiction children's book author and illustrator. Some of her books were even chosen as Reading Rainbow selections. Her most recent book was Planes, published in January 2019.
Awards
Source:[2] City Art Director Club award, 1979, for The Missing Maple Syrup Sap Mystery
American Institute of Graphic Arts award, 1979, for Clocks and How They Go
National Science Teachers Association/Children's Book Council Award, 1980, for Locks and Keys, and 1982, for Tool Book
Certificate of appreciation from U.S. Postmaster General, 1982, for The Post Office Book: Mail and How It Moves
American Library Association Notable Book citation, 1983, for Cars and How They Go, and 1985, for The Milk Makers
Washington Post/ Children's Book Guild Award, 1987, for contribution to nonfiction children's literature
National Council of Social Studies Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies, 1983, 1987, 1989, 1990, and 1992
National Science Teachers Association Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children, 1983, 1987, 1991, 1998
International Reading Association Children's Choice Award, 1989, 1995; American Bookseller Pick of the Lists, 1992
Selected works
Willy and His Wheel Wagon (Prentice-Hall, 1975), self-illustrated
Salvador and Mister Sam: A Guide to Parakeet Care (P-H, 1975), self-illustrated
Behold ... the Dragons
Behold ... the Unicorns!
Farming
Fire! Fire!
Giant Pandas
How a House Is Built
Knights in Shining Armor
My Basketball Book
Penguins
Pigs
The Seasons of Arnold's Apple Tree (1984)
Tell Me, Tree: A Book About Trees for Kids
The Milk Makers
The Vegetables We Eat
The Reasons for Seasons
Emergency!
Catch the Wind!: All About Kites
Sunken Treasure
Department Store
Zoo
Beacons of Light: Lighthouses
Flying
Up Goes the Skyscraper
Country Fair
Click!: A book about cameras and taking pictures
How a house is built
Paper, Paper Everywhere
Exploring the deep, dark sea
Deadline!: From News to Newspaper
My Football Book
The Post Office Book: Mail and How it Moves
Fill It Up!
Weather Forecasting
Pottery Place
Playgrounds
My Basketball Book
Trains
The Reasons for Seasons
Caves and Caverns
Locks and Keys
The Milk Makers
The Honey Makers
Tunnels
Yippee-Yay!: A Book About Cowboys and Cowgirls
Sun Up, Sun Down
My Soccer Book
GIBBONS, Gail. Monarch Butterfly. rev. ed. 32p. Holiday House. Jan. 2021. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780823448319.
Gr 1-4--There are many offerings about the monarch butterfly, but this new and updated version of the 1989 title stands out because of its clear, descriptive explanation of how monarchs grow and develop. The illustrations work seamlessly to support and enhance the words, and the text's use of numbers helps readers understand the monarch butterfly's life cycle. Readers who are familiar with Gibbons's other titles will recognize her engaging, informative style. The narrative quickly focuses on the setting: "It's summertime in North America. A breeze stirs the stem of the milkweed plant." The text then proceeds to break down the process of how a monarch egg is laid on a milkweed plant, hatches, molts, forms a chrysalis, and migrates. New vocabulary' is explained and used within the descriptive text. There are two notable features. The first is the description of the processes of molting and metamorphosis. On the verso, an illustration shows a caterpillar beginning to molt. On the recto, there are four sequential illustrations that depict the process. Observant readers will spot interesting details that illuminate the text. The explanation of metamorphosis is featured in a remarkable eight-page sequence. The vivid prose that accompanies this sequence is informative. A second commendable feature is the use of numbers throughout. Readers learn data-based facts, including how fast and how far the butterflies travel. A collection of illustrated facts is found in the back matter. VERDICT An outstanding choice for instructional use and enjoyable reading.--Myra Zamowski, City Univ. of New York
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Zarnowksi, Myra. "GIBBONS, Gail. Monarch Butterfly." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2021, p. 84. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A647994247/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=9b6452df. Accessed 3 May 2024.
GIBBONS, Gail. Frogs. illus. by Gail Gibbons. rev. ed. 32p. Holiday House. Jan. 2021. Tr $ 18.99. ISBN 9780823448340.
Gr 1-3--Readers learn about the life cycle of frogs in this new and updated edition of the 1993 title. Before the title page, text proclaims: "It is springtime at a pond." A colorful illustration with a smaller insert provides a closer look at the pond from which frogs will emerge. The narrative then proceeds to follow the development of a frog from egg to adult, showing the various changes after one week, one month, two months, and three months. The presentation of information is a standout, and the style is descriptive and engaging. The text describes a frog's beginnings: "A jellylike cluster of eggs floats among the waterweeds at the pond's surface. These eggs are the beginning of ... FROGS." Gibbons's enthusiasm for frogs shines. At the end of the book, readers are told that it's "fun" to learn about frogs and that they can become a "frog expert, too!" There is also a strong, supportive relationship between the words and the illustrations. When new vocabulary is introduced, it's accompanied by a labeled diagram and then used in the text on that page. However, youngsters are encouraged to make discoveries for themselves. Side-by-side labeled illustrations of a frog and a toad have the title "The Difference Between a Frog and a Toad," but it is up to readers to spot those differences. That's engaging! VERDICT A welcome addition to animal study units, for read-alouds, and for enjoyment and learning. Truly a winner.--Myra Zamowski, City Univ. of New York
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2021 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Zarnowski, Myra. "GIBBONS, Gail. Frogs." School Library Journal, vol. 67, no. 1, Jan. 2021, pp. 83+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A647994245/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=1dd79dac. Accessed 3 May 2024.
GIBBONS, Gail. De semilla a planta. ISBN 9780823456659.
--. Mariposa monarca. ISBN 9780 823456642.
ea vol: tr. by Maria A. Cabrera Arus. illus. by Gail Gibbons. 32p. Holiday House. Dec. 2023. pap. $8.99. SP
K-Gr 3--Educators everywhere are rejoicing because Gibbons's science-themed picture books are being translated into Spanish. These two volumes focus on subjects that are immensely kid-friendly. Each title's subject is broken down in digestible language without overly simplifying. Gorgeously illustrated diagrams, inserts, and close-ups make the science accessible for all students, and the Spanish versions can now reach even more readers. The colorful and precise images depict the stages of a butterfly in Mariposa and the process a seed undergoes to become a plant in De semilla. Each entry includes a page of fast facts and a ready-made experiment (how to raise a monarch butterfly; how to grow a bean plant) that classes can do together at school or families can carry out at home. VERDICT Purchase these for all Spanish-language nonfiction picture book collections, especially where they can be used as curricular tie-ins.--Shelley M. Diaz
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2023 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
Source Citation
Source Citation
MLA 9th Edition APA 7th Edition Chicago 17th Edition Harvard
Diaz, Shelley M. "GIBBONS, Gail. De semilla a planta." School Library Journal, vol. 69, no. 12, Dec. 2023, p. 74. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A779118634/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e5305528. Accessed 3 May 2024.