Peter Brown

I was born and raised in Hopewell, New Jersey, which is a great place to live especially if you like mosquitoes and poison ivy. I’ve always loved to write and draw, and I even made a few picture books when I was just a lil’ guy.

When I was growing up I divided my time between drawing animals and running from them. That’s why I’m so fast. I loved drawing animals at the zoo, but when I couldn’t go to the zoo I drew the animals at the farms near my home, and became the punch line to many bad farm animal jokes. It was tough being me.

My Grandfather wasn’t a professional artist, but he loved to paint. He showed me that making art was a good use of my time. When I got to high school I met a funny art teacher named Mr. O’Boyle who was probably the most important person in my young artistic life. During my teenage years “Doc” helped me steer clear of the local riffraff by showing me that if I worked hard I might actually become a semi-respectible artist.

I spent four long years studying at Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. I studied drawing, painting, Art History and I was a wiz at building up large student loans. I also took writing classes and when I realized that making picture books would allow me to both write and paint, I knew how I wanted to pay my bills.

After I graduated from Art Center I spent a year in Europe asking for directions, missing flights, and wandering aimlessly. I traveled by myself but quickly made many well-dressed friends and ate many cheese-based meals. They really know how to cook over there.

I finally ended up in New York City and it wasn’t long before I got my first book deal for FLIGHT OF THE DODO.

Despite all of my hard work it’s still difficult to write a good story, which is why picture books are so perfect for me. I say as much as possible with my paintings, and whatever I can’t say with the art I say with words. My stories don’t have many words, but it takes me a long time to think up the words that

Read Interview

When and why did you begin writing and/or illustrating children's books?

I wrote my first book when I was six years old (with a little help from my mom), and I’ve enjoyed visual storytelling ever since. I’ve always loved playing with the relationship between words and pictures to tell imaginative stories. I went to Art Center College of Design, thinking I wanted to work in animation, and realized that I would be more able to tell my own stories by working in picture books, and I’ve never looked back.

What inspires or informs your writing and/or art?

I like to tell stories that make my readers think in a new way. Whether it be a story of flightless birds in a hot air balloon, or a city transforming into a giant garden, or a bear bringing home a pet boy, I’m always trying to tell stories with from an unfamiliar perspective.

What do you want young readers to learn or take away from your work?

When kids read my books, I hope they take away a greater sense of curiosity, open-mindedness, and compassion (and silliness). I’ve often found that the best way to convey those messages is with an appealing, likable, complicated character, like Chowder the bulldog or Lucille Beatrice Bear.

Is there an artist or writer you would consider and mentor and why?

Like basically everyone working in picture books, I’d probably choose Maurice Sendak as a mentor.

Did you have any formal writing or art education, if so, where?

I studied illustration and creative writing at Art Center College of Design.

Do you have a favorite published book? If so, what makes it special?

I get this question a lot, and I always say the same thing: asking me which of my books is my favorite is like asking a mother which of her children is her favorite. I love all of my books for different reasons.