Why Do Birds Sing?

I always knew I'd become an artist and studied art in college in Texas. After graduating from college, I became an Art Director at a graphic design firm. I moved from Texas to New York to work in children's publishing. I got a job as Associate Art Director in children's books at Scholastic, where I designed books and enjoyed working with editors and illustrators. This was excellent experience.

I illustrated my first children's book in 1992 and soon began illustrating full time. I had always written stories, but I began completing manuscripts and mailing them out to publishers in the early 1990's. In 1996, I sold my first two manuscripts -- Boo Who? (Scholastic) and Pen Pals (Grosset & Dunlap) -- both published in 1997.

Now I write and illustrate full time. It is a great job. When I think of a idea, I write it down so that whenever I finish one story I'll have a bunch of ideas waiting that I can begin working on next. I especially love reading and writing funny stories, weird stories, and animal stories.

Books I've written and illustrated include:

Cinderdog and the Wicked Stepcat Albert Whitman, 2001 (ages 4-8, picture book)
Abby Cadabra, Super Speller, Grosset & Dunlap, 2000 (ages 6-8, easy reader)
How to Find Lost Treasure in All Fifty States and Canada, Too Aladdin, 2000 (ages 8-12, NF)
The Haunted States of America Aladdin, 2001 (ages 8-12, NF)
Vincent Van Gogh: Sunflowers and Swirly Stars, 2001 Grosset & Dunlap (ages 6-9, NF)
Happy Monster Day! Scholastic,1999
Pen Pals Grosset & Dunlap, 1997 (ages 6-8, easy reader)
Ivy Green, Cootie Queen Troll, 1998 (ages 7-9)
Red, Yellow, Green What Do Signs Mean? Scholastic, 1998 (ages 4-8)
Boo Who? A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book Scholastic, 1997 (ages 1-6)
Eek-A-Boo! A Spooky Lift-the-Flap Book Scholastic, 2000 (ages 1-6)

Books I've written include:

I Have A Weird Brother Who Digested A Fly, Albert Whitman, 1999 (picture book)
Light the Candles, A Hanukkah Lift the Flap Book, Puffin, 2000
The Garden That We Grew Viking/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)
The Pizza That We Made Viking/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)
Scat Cats! Viking/Puffin, 2001(ages 4-7, easy reader)
Backwards Day, Scholastic, 2000
Why Do Dogs Bark? Puffin, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)
Why Do Cats Meow? Puffin, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)
The Spooky Sleepover, Grosset & Dunlap, 1999 (ages 6-8, easy reader)
Pajama Party Grosset & Dunlap, 1998 (ages 4-7, easy reader)
Space Dogs on Planet K-9 Troll, 1998 (ages 7-10)

Books I've illustrated include:

Breakout at the Bug Lab Dial, 2001(ages 6-8, easy reader)
Hector's Hiccups Random House, 1999
Shadows Everywhere Scholastic, 1999
Hot Cha-Cha! Winslow Press
No Fair! Scholastic, Hello Math
The 100th Day of School Scholastic
Ten Little Ballerinas Grosset & Dunlap
I Love You Mom Troll
I Love You Dad Troll
My First Book of Sign Language Troll

Answers to questions people sometimes ask me:

1. Where do you get your ideas?

I get ideas many different ways. Sometimes, ideas just pop into my head. I also listen to and watch the people around me for ideas. I read to get ideas. I daydream to get ideas. When I get an idea, I write it down in an idea notebook, so I won't forget it. I think ideas are the easy part of writing. I get lots of ideas for books all the time. Developing them into a boo