Paul Zelinsky

Paul O. Zelinsky is a children’s book illustrator and writer whose books have won wide acclaim and many awards, including the Caldecott Medal for his retelling of Rapunzel, and three Caldecott Honors, for Hansel and Gretel, Rumpelstiltskin, and Swamp Angel. He is known for the variety of style and genre in his books, rendering him difficult to recognize from his work alone. He holds an M.F.A. in Painting from the Tyler School of Art and a B.A. from Yale College, where he was in the first class that Maurice Sendak ever taught. His styles range from Renaissance-inspired oil paintings for his fairy tales to the more cartoonish drawings of the recent Z is for Moose (text by Kelly Bingham). His work is perennially popular among children of a wide range of ages; and certain books, particularly The Wheels on the Bus, have been found to communicate strikingly well with children who are learning-disabled or autistic. He sits on the board of the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators, co-chairs the Children’s and Young Adult Committee of PEN American Center, and volunteers with other organizations that promote books and literacy for children.