Steve Johnson – illustratör

Franklin D. Roosevelt was born into one of the wealthiest families in America, yet this ultimate rich kid grew up to do more for ordinary Americans than any other president. This appealing picture book biography shows how, from childhood on, FDR  was compassionate, cheerful, determined, and enormously likable. Though he had private tutors as a young boy and later attended an elite boys'' school, he played pranks and had down-to-earth fun just like any boy today.  Kathleen Krull''s animated picture book biography focuses on FDR''s childhood years through his entry as a young man into politics and his battle with polio. A summary of his achievements as president and a chronology of his life are included. The well-researched text and the evocative illustrations by Steve Johnson and Lou Fancher provide an inspiring introduction to one of our greatest presidents.

Sesame Street and The Muppet Show introduced Jim Henson''s Muppets to the world, making Kermit the Frog, Oscar the Grouch, and Big Bird household names. But even as a child in rural Mississippi, listening to the radio and putting on comedy shows for his family, Jim recognized the power of laughter to bring people together. On Sesame Street, Jim''s Muppets transformed children''s television by making learning fun for kids everywhere. A visionary, Jim always believed that puppets could reach a wider audience. In 1976, he proved it, drawing millions of family viewers to The Muppet Show. With his feature film The Dark Crystal and his Star Wars characters—including Yoda—Jim continued to push the boundaries of what was possible in puppetry until his death in 1990 at the age of 53.Kathleen Krull, recipient of the Children''s Book Guild 2011 Non-fiction Award and many other accolades, once again does what she does so well—illuminating the life of an important figure in history, art, and culture with her informative but approachable writing style.