Kevin Henkes is an author and illustrator of children's books, including picture books, beginning readers’ books and novels for older readers. His first ambitions came as a young child inspired to become an artist. It was not until his high school days that Kevin Henkes realized his true calling, an author and illustrator.
Kevin Henkes was born in Wisconsin in 1960. He grew up admiring art. During his later years in high school Kevin Henkes gained a new interest in both writing and illustrating, specifically for children. Kevin Henkes attended the University of Wisconsin, at Madison. During his first year he put together a portfolio of his work and headed to New York to find a publisher. The top of his list brought him to Greenwillow Books where he met Susan Hirschman. Susan Hirschman had Kevin Henkes create a dummy book, which after approval became his first published book, All Alone in 1981. Kevin Henkes was only nineteen years old at this point.
Kevin Henkes illustrations have grown over the years. In the beginning Kevin Henkes kept to a more realistic approach to his illustrations, making the characters look life like. With the expansion of Kevin Henkes characters, the illustrations also evolved into more cartoon-like styles with a humanistic aspect of the animals. He has always used a wide spectrum of color within his illustrations, with the exception of Kitten's First Full Moon, which is done completely in black and white. Kevin Henkes very simple, basic tools to create his illustrations and also uses a type writer to type his books.
Kevin Henkes is very family orientated. He has a wife and two children. The importance of family is clearly expressed in all of Kevin Henkes’s books. Parents and teachers play important roles in supporting children in his books. Henkes also expresses an understanding of children emotions through his books by relating to events children go through, such as beginning school. His books are about children; changing, growing and adapting to different events. His newer picture books tend to be more humorous and fun while the earlier ones seemed more serious and realistic. His creation of the world of his mice has extended his capabilities to more fanciful lives, going beyond the real life to realistic fantasy. Henkes enjoys being able to go in more depth within his novels, he is able to create more serious stories and create complex characters and situations. Kevin Henkes books tend to have a certain problem that arises within the book and by the end of the book that problem is happily resolved.
Kevin Henkes was born in Wisconsin in 1960. He grew up admiring art. During his later years in high school Kevin Henkes gained a new interest in both writing and illustrating, specifically for children. Kevin Henkes attended the University of Wisconsin, at Madison. During his first year he put together a portfolio of his work and headed to New York to find a publisher. The top of his list brought him to Greenwillow Books where he met Susan Hirschman. Susan Hirschman had Kevin Henkes create a dummy book, which after approval became his first published book, All Alone in 1981. Kevin Henkes was only nineteen years old at this point.
Kevin Henkes illustrations have grown over the years. In the beginning Kevin Henkes kept to a more realistic approach to his illustrations, making the characters look life like. With the expansion of Kevin Henkes characters, the illustrations also evolved into more cartoon-like styles with a humanistic aspect of the animals. He has always used a wide spectrum of color within his illustrations, with the exception of Kitten's First Full Moon, which is done completely in black and white. Kevin Henkes very simple, basic tools to create his illustrations and also uses a type writer to type his books.
Kevin Henkes is very family orientated. He has a wife and two children. The importance of family is clearly expressed in all of Kevin Henkes’s books. Parents and teachers play important roles in supporting children in his books. Henkes also expresses an understanding of children emotions through his books by relating to events children go through, such as beginning school. His books are about children; changing, growing and adapting to different events. His newer picture books tend to be more humorous and fun while the earlier ones seemed more serious and realistic. His creation of the world of his mice has extended his capabilities to more fanciful lives, going beyond the real life to realistic fantasy. Henkes enjoys being able to go in more depth within his novels, he is able to create more serious stories and create complex characters and situations. Kevin Henkes books tend to have a certain problem that arises within the book and by the end of the book that problem is happily resolved.