David Small (born February 12, 1945) is an American writer and illustrator who is best known for children's picture books. His books have been awarded a Caldecott Medal and two Caldecott Honors, among other recognition.
Biography
David Small was born in Detroit, Michigan, the second son of Edward Pierce Small, Jr. and Helen "Elizabeth" née Murphy Small.[1][2] He began drawing at the age of two years, and health problems that kept him home for much of his childhood, also led to his developing his drawing skills.[3] He attended Cass Technical High School and wrote plays throughout his teenage years.
At age 21, he switched to art. He earned a bachelor of fine arts degree at Wayne State University and a master of fine arts degree at Yale University. Small taught art for many years on the college level, ran a film series, and made satirical sketches for campus newspapers. His first book, Eulalie and the Hopping Head, which he wrote and illustrated, was published in 1981.[4]
In 2001 Small won the Caldecott Medal for So You Want to Be President?, combining political cartooning with children's book illustration.[5][6] He received a second Caldecott Honor in 2013 for illustrating Toni Buzzeo's One Cool Friend.[7] Small's drawings have appeared in the New Yorker and the New York Times.[5] On July 15, 2014, he was announced as a finalist for the 2015 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.[8]
In 2020 it was announced that Western Michigan University Libraries would acquire David Small and Sarah Stewart's archives, including their original artwork, sketchbooks, journals, published and unpublished writings.[9]
David Small and his wife Sarah Stewart make their home in an historic manor house in Mendon, Michigan.[10]
Small's graphic memoir, Stitches, was published in September 2009. It tells the story of Small's journey from sickly child to cancer patient, to troubled teen who ran away from home at sixteen to become an artist.[11]Stitches was reviewed by the New York Times[12] and the Los Angeles Times.[13]
It was a #1 New York Times Best Seller,[14] and was named one of the ten best books of 2009 by Publishers Weekly and Amazon.com.[15][16] It was a finalist for the 2009 National Book Award for Young People's Literature.[17]Stitches has been translated into seven different languages and published in nine different countries.
