Douglas Florian
Artist and poet Douglas Florian was born and raised in New York City, and educated at Queens College and the School of Visual Arts. Florian was a cartoonist for the New Yorker before a chance encounter with William Cole’s anthology of children’s verse, Oh, That’s Ridiculous (1977), inspired him to try his hand at the art.
Florian’s illustrated poetry books for children often incorporate elements of collage, watercolor, and gouache on a surface of primed paper bags. He frequently takes the natural world as his subject, using wordplay, neologisms, rhyme, and humor to engage young readers. In a BookPage interview with Heidi Henneman, Florian spoke of the linguistic and syntactic pliability his poems flex, noting “poetry is not black and white. It is more like the gray and purple area that connects all the things we live in.”
Since 1980, Florian has written and illustrated dozens of books of children’s poetry, including Poetrees (2010); Dinothesaurus (2009), a Kirkus Reviews Best Book of the Year, a Horn Book Fanfare List selection and a Junior Library Guild selection; Lizards, Frogs and Polliwogs (2005), a Bulletin Blue Ribbon Book; and Gryphon Award-winner and Parents Magazine Best Book of the Year Bow Wow Meow Meow (2003).
Florian’s abstract paintings have been exhibited in numerous solo and group shows, several of which have been favorably reviewed in the New Yorker and the New York Times.
Florian lives in New York City with his family.
When and why did you begin writing and/or illustrating children's books?
I began to write and illustrate children’s books about 1980. I had been doing drawings for The New Yorker and The New York Times, but I wanted something with the freedom and energy of children’s books. I looked in the Times book review section and decided that Greenwillow Books was the place to be for me. Susan Hirschman there immediately gave me a book to illustrate, and I went on to write my first book as well,A Bird Can Fly. I’ve gone on to write and illustrate more than 60 books.
What inspires or informs your writing and/or art?
Most of my ideas for books come from my study of the natural world we live in. I try to use primary sources and field guides to bring accurate information to my readers. I sometimes get ideas for books at schools, from something I hear or see. For example I was at a school in Long Island and I saw incredible and funny drawings of space by 1st graders in the hallways. I went on to create my book Comets, Stars, the Moon, and Mars.
What do you want young readers to learn or take away from your work?
I hope children will discover how poetry can be fun to read and create, and come away from my work with a love of wordplay and nature, as well as art. And I hope they take away a few laughs, but give them back when they’re done.
Is there an artist or writer you would consider and mentor and why?
My father Harold Florian was an artist and my first teacher. I also studied book art with Marvin Bileck (Rain Makes Applesauce) at Queens College. The mentor for my poetry was Ogden Nash, whose verse I discovered in the fifth grade. I enjoyed his wit and economy of means.
Did you have any formal writing or art education, if so, where?
I studied painting and drawing at Queens College and The School of Visual Arts, both in New York City. I also took a course on poetry at Queens College where we delved into “Paradise Lost” by Milton. It was largely lost on me.
Do you have a favorite published book? If so, what makes it special?
It’s hard to say which is my favorite book, as I favor different books for different reasons. I will say that I am very proud of Dinothesaurus, insectlopedia, mammalabilia, and for pure fun, Laugheteria. I also love my new books UnBEElievables and Poem Runs.
