David Ezra Stein is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for his Interrupting Chicken series, which was adapted into an animated television show on Apple TV+ in 2022. The first book of the series has been named a Caldecott Honor book.
Biography Stein was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a cartographer, and his mother was a painter and editor, both of which inspired him as an artist. He attended the Parsons School of Design, where he majored in editorial illustration. While studying, he took a year off, during which he lived in Cape Cod and explored puppetry.
Stein's books have been translated in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, French, and Finnish, and his artwork has appeared in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other major publications.
Stein has a wife and two children. They live in Kew Gardens, Queens.
Awards and honors Six of Stein's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Leaves (2007), Interrupting Chicken (2010), Dinosaur Kisses (2013), Ol’ Mama Squirrel (2013), Honey (2018), and The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken (2021).
Leaves was named one of the best picture books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. In 2011, Bank Street College of Education included Interrupting Chicken on their list of the best children's books for ages 5–9. Amazon named Ol' Mama Squirrel one of the best books of 2013 for ages 3–5. In 2022, The Horn Book Magazine named Don't Worry, Murray one of the best picture books of the year. +Awards for Stein's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2008LeavesEzra Jack Keats Book Award for New WriterWinner2010Pouch!Charlotte Zolotow AwardHonor2011Interrupting Chicken!ALSC Notable Children's BooksSelectionGolden Kite Award for Picture Book textHonorRandolph Caldecott MedalHonor2019HoneyCharlotte Zolotow AwardHonor2019Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of SurpriseBooklist Editors' Choice: Books for YouthSelection2020Hush, Little BunnyCLEL Bell Picture Book Awards for SingNominee
Publications
Standalone books
Leaves (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2007, ) Cowboy Ned & Andy (Paula Wiseman Books, 2006, ) Monster Hug! (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2006, ) Ned's New Friend (Paula Wiseman Books, 2007, ) The Nice Book (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2008, ) Pouch! (G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers, 2009, ) Love, Mouserella (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2011, ) Because Amelia Smiled (Candlewick Press, 2012, ) Dinosaur Kisses (Candlewick Press, 2013, ) Ol' Mama Squirrel (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2013, ) I'm My Own Dog (Candlewick Press, 2014, ) Tad and Dad (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2015, ) Ice Boy (Candlewick Press, 2017, ) Honey (Nancy Paulsen Books, 2018, ) Hush, Little Bunny (Balzer + Bray, 2019, ) Don't Worry, Murray (Harperteen, 2022, ) Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose (Penguin Workshop, 2023, )
Interrupting Chicken series
Interrupting Chicken (Candlewick Press, 2010, ) Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise (Candlewick Press, 2018, ) Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast (Candlewick Press, 2021, )
As illustrator only
The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken, with Jennifer Frank (Anne Schwartz Books, 2021, )
References
External links
Official website