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Jan Brett

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Jan Brett
Brett at the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, Canada, researching The Three Snow Bears, 2007
Brett at the Arctic Circle in Nunavut, Canada, researching The Three Snow Bears, 2007
Born (1949-12-01) December 1, 1949 (age 75)
Norwell, Massachusetts
OccupationIllustrator, writer
NationalityAmerican
Period1978–present
GenreChildren's picture books
Notable works
  • Annie and the Wild Animals
  • The Mitten
  • The Hat
Website
janbrett.com

Jan Brett (born December 1, 1949) is an American illustrator and writer of children's picture books. Her colorful, detailed depictions of a wide variety of animals and human cultures range from Scandinavia to Africa. Her titles include The Mitten, The Hat, and Gingerbread Baby. She has adapted or retold traditional stories such as the Gingerbread Man and Goldilocks and has illustrated classics such as "The Owl and the Pussycat."

Life

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Brett was born and still lives in Massachusetts.[1] She decided to be an illustrator as a child and recalls, "I felt that I could enter the pages of my beautiful picture books. Now I try to recreate that feeling of believing that the imaginary place I'm drawing really exists."[1] She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, and now travels extensively to research architecture and costume for her books.[1]

Brett's earliest book in the Library of Congress online catalog was published by Atheneum Books in 1978 under her married name: Woodland Crossings, with 43 pages of text by Stephen Krensky and drawings by Jan Brett Bowler.[2] The Library phoned her that September and learned that she would be using her maiden name thereafter.[3] Its catalog covers 13 books she created from 1978 to 1984, all but one as an illustrator with another writer. That one was the self-illustrated picture book Fritz and the Beautiful Horses, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1981. Beginning with Annie and the Wild Animals (Houghton Mifflin, 1985) she created numerous picture books as writer and illustrator. For a few years she continued to work with other writers, especially Eve Bunting, but she has rarely done so since 1990.[3]

On August 18, 1980 Jan Brett married bassist Joseph Hearne, a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra since 1962.

Brett maintains a list of books online that may be complete for her original writings and adaptations. For almost every listing she identifies a specific setting such as Salzburg, Austria, for her first book as a writer, Fritz and the Beautiful Horses (1981), and Novgorod, Russia, for her recent adaptation Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella (2013).[4]

Works

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Illustrated

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Source:[5]

Written & Illustrated

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Source:[5]

  • Fritz and the Beautiful Horses (Houghton Mifflin, 1981)
  • Annie and the Wild Animals (1985)
  • The Twelve Days of Christmas (Dodd, Mead, 1986), an edition of the English song published 1780
  • Goldilocks and the Three Bears (1987)
  • The First Dog (1988)
  • The Mitten: a Ukrainian folktale (1989); issued as a board book in 1996
  • The Wild Christmas Reindeer (1990)
  • The Owl and the Pussycat (1991), an edition of the 1871 poem by Edward Lear
  • Berlioz the Bear (1991)
  • Christmas Trolls (1993)
  • Trouble with Trolls (1994)
  • Town Mouse Country Mouse (1994)
  • Armadillo Rodeo (1995)
  • The Mitten (1996)
  • Comets Nine Lives (1996)
  • Gingerbread Baby (1997)
  • The Hat (1997)
  • The Night Before Christmas (1998), an edition of the 1823 poem by Clement C. Moore
  • Daisy Comes Home (2002)
  • Hedgie's Surprise (2002)
  • Who's That Knocking on Christmas Eve? (2002)
  • On Noah's Ark (2003)
  • The Umbrella (2002)
  • Honey, Honey, Lion! (2005)
  • Hedgie Loves to Read (2006)
  • Hedgie Blasts Off! (2006)
  • The Three Snow Bears (2007)
  • Gingerbread Friends (2008)
  • The Easter Egg (2010)
  • The 3 Little Dassies (2010)
  • Home for Christmas (2011)
  • Mossy (2012)
  • Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella (2013), an adaptation of Cinderella
  • The Animals' Santa (2014)
  • The Turnip (2015), an adaptation of the Russian folk story The Gigantic Turnip
  • Gingerbread Christmas (2016)
  • The Mermaid (2017), an under the sea version of Goldilocks and The Three Bears
  • The Snowy Nap (2018)
  • The Tale of the Tiger Slippers (2019)
  • Cozy (2020)
  • The Nutcracker (2021)
  • Cozy in Love (2022)

Awards

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Brett's works have been nominated for and won multiple awards over the years.[10]

Reception

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The Mitten: The Mitten has been positively perceived by libraries and parents alike. Fulton County's Library reviewed it by saying how its seemingly simple premise may seem unappealing for a book, but the beautiful illustrations make the story come alive. The library called it a book families would read and reread to their children again and again.[12] Common Sense Media wrote in their "Parents Need to Know" section that The Mitten is a special book that families can treasure. This is because of the whimsical, wholesome illustrations, and charming story that bring the story to life.[13]

Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella: According to Kirkus Reviews, Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella is a captivating retelling and rendition of Cinderella.[14] Publishers Weekly also commented on how detailed and charming the illustrations are, adding to the enchantment of the classic fairy tale. [15]

Mossy: Kirkus Reviews recommended Mossy for plant and animal lovers for a wide array of reasons. These reasons include the unique heroine, (a turtle growing a garden on the back of her shell) and themes covered in the book, (the art in nature and all living things.) [16] Publishers Weekly called Brett's meticulous illustrations and beautiful rendering of nature in Mossy as delightful and attention-grabbing.[17]

In May 2023 at the Fenimore Art Museum in Cooperstown, New York, there was an exhibition dedicated to Brett's Illustrations. The exhibition director, Chris Rossi, commented on how the details in Brett's paintings are eye-catching and intricate. The amount of studying she puts into her books also adds to making her art feel more lively and detailed.[18]

Readers respond very positively to her signature, intricate art style. They'll often describe it as beautiful, adorable, imaginative, and enchanting. They believe the art complements the whimsical stories Brett writes well.[19]

References

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  1. ^ a b c "Jan Brett". Jan Brett. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  2. ^ "Woodland crossings". Library of Congress Catalog. Retrieved 2014-05-12.
  3. ^ a b "Brett, Jan, 1949–". Library of Congress Authorities. Retrieved 2014-05-12. For catalog records in sequence, select "LC Online Catalog" and sort by "Date (oldest to newest)".
  4. ^ "Books by Jan Brett". Jan Brett (janbrett.com). Retrieved 2014-05-12. Some books are represented by later editions.
  5. ^ a b "Books by Jan Brett and Complete Book Reviews". PublishersWeekly.com. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  6. ^ Bunting, Eve (1988). Happy Birthday, Dear Duck. Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-89919-541-4.
  7. ^ Bunting, Eve (1986). The Mother's Day Mice. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. ISBN 978-0-89919-702-9.
  8. ^ Bunting, Eve (1986). Scary, Scary Halloween. Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-89919-799-9.
  9. ^ Jane, Pamela (November 1988). Noelle of the Nutcracker. Random House Children's Books. ISBN 978-0-553-15673-7.
  10. ^ "Jan Brett | Author | LibraryThing". LibraryThing.com. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  11. ^ "Jan Brett Receives Regina Medal from Catholic Library Association". 15 February 2021.
  12. ^ "Picture Book Review: The Mitten by Jan Brett". www.fulcolibrary.org. 2022-03-03. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  13. ^ Movie & TV reviews for parents. "The Mitten (20th Anniversary Edition) Book Review | Common Sense Media". www.commonsensemedia.org. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  14. ^ "Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella". www.kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Media LLC. 13 November 2013. Archived from the original on 18 March 2018. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  15. ^ "Cinders: A Chicken Cinderella". www.publishersweekly.com. PWxyz LLC. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Mossy". www.kirkusreviews.com. Kirkus Media LLC. 22 July 2012. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  17. ^ "Mossy". www.publishersweekly.com. PWxyz LLC. Retrieved 6 June 2015.
  18. ^ Barry, Rebecca Rego (2021-05-03). "The Cozy, Homey, Intricate Illustrations of Jan Brett". Literary Hub. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
  19. ^ "The Mitten". Goodreads. Retrieved 2024-03-18.
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