Ian Falconer
Bestselling author, noted illustrator, and set designer Ian Falconer has had a varied career spanning the worlds of publishing, opera, ballet, and fine arts. Born in Ridgefield, Connecticut, Mr. Falconer studied art history at New York University and painting at Parsons School of Design and Otis Art Institute.
Under the direction of artist David Hockney, he collaborated on the costume designs for the Los Angeles Opera production of Tristan and Isolde (1987); served as co-designer (sets and costumes) with Mr. Hockney on the Lyric Opera's production of Turandot (1992); and designed the costumes for the Royal Opera's production of Die Frau Ohne Schatten at Covent Garden. In 1996 Mr. Falconer designed the sets for The Atlantic Theater's production of The Santaland Diaries, written by David Sedaris.
For New York City Ballet, Mr. Falconer has designed scenery and costumes for Scènes de Ballet, for students from the School of American Ballet (1999), and Variations Sérieuses (2001), both choreographed by Christopher Wheeldon. He also designed scenery and costumes for Boston Ballet's production of Firebird (1999), also choreographed by Mr. Wheeldon. Falconer's most recent theatrical project is Stravinsky's Jeu de Cartes, choreographed by Peter Martins. These works still appear at regional theaters throughout the country.
In addition to his stage work, Mr. Falconer has created more than twenty covers for the New Yorker magazine and has designed floats for the new Main Street Parade at Disneyland. He is the author and illustrator of the critically acclaimed and New York Times bestselling children's books Olivia, a 2001 Caldecott Honor book; Olivia Saves the Circus, a New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2001; Olivia . . . and the Missing Toy, an American Booksellers Association Book Sense Book of the Year nominee; and the concept books Olivia's Opposites and Olivia Counts. His most recent book is Olivia Forms a Band (June 2006).
A conversation with Ian Falconer, creator of Olivia, provided by Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing
Q: We know that the OLIVIA books are about your niece, but are there any autobiographical parts as well? If so, what?
A: Of course. One always draws on one's own experiences as well. I was always a very busy child--making things.
Q: How did you decide to portray OLIVIA as a pig?
A: Pigs are very intelligent creatures. They seem to have a more human quality than, say, chickens--like dogs.
Q: Were you surprised by OLIVIA's enormous success?
A: Yes. I was completely overwhelmed.
Q: You have worked in a wide variety of artistic media, including set design, costume design, magazine illustration, and book illustration. What do you like best about creating children's books?
A: I've always felt that children's books are for the most part condescending toward children and miss how smart children are. Their little hands and mouths may not be able to articulate what is going on in their sharp little brains. Writing children's books is an opportunity to express this, and it seems to be appreciated by both children and adults.
Q: Olivia's family plays a supporting role in both books. Are any of the characters in Olivia's family based on your own family?
A: All of the characters are my sister's family: my niece Olivia's parents, her two little brothers, and their cat and dog. But they are all just peripheral. It's really all about Olivia--at least in her mind!
Q: Why did you choose to illustrate OLIVIA in only black, red, and white, rather than in full color? And what is the significance of the salmon color in OLIVIA SAVES THE CIRCUS?
A: By eliminating most colors, it helps you focus on facial expressions and graphic situations without a lot of color and details obscuring the basic emotional architecture of the story. Salmon comes from Olivia's dream-world palette. More theatrical.
Q: The work of Jackson Pollock has become instantly recognizable to young children since your inclusion of one of his paintings in OLIVIA. How did you come to select that painting in particular?
A: Because most kids would look at it and say, "I could do that in about five minutes."
Q: Many people have remarked upon the unusual portrait of Eleanor Roosevelt on the wall of Olivia's bedroom in OLIVIA SAVES THE CIRCUS. Why did you select Mrs. Roosevelt to be featured in the book and why this particular portrait of her?
A: I chose Eleanor Roosevelt because she is a great role model and because it's totally absurd. This particular picture is animated and funny.
Q: What were some of your favorite books as a child?
A: The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins. Higglety Pigglety Pop! And Eloise, of course.
Q: What artists do you consider to be your greatest influences?
A: Picasso and Matisse (although you wouldn't know it from the books).
Q: Did you have a favorite pet as a child? Do you have any pets now?
A: Yes. A dachshund named Runzel and a seagull named Henry.
Q: You had a seagull?
A: I found it after it had been abandoned, so it was semi-wild. Eventually he was released into the wild.
Q: Did you particularly like the circus as a child? Did/do you have a favorite circus attraction? A: Yes, I enjoyed the circus. There was an old clown named Lou Jacobs in the Ringling Brothers circus who did an act as a hunter with a dachshund dressed as a bunny rabbit.
Q: Did you ever tell an outlandish "show and tell" story of your own?
A: No, not that I remember. Although I had a very active imagination, I was very shy in front of other people. (But I dressed up a lot.)
Q: Where is your next OLIVIA book going to take your heroine?
A: Only Olivia knows!
Q: What are you working on right now?
A: Costumes for a production of Turandot at the San Francisco Opera and Olivia Book #3.
Contributor: Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing www.SimonSaysKids.com
Reviews
Olivia
Ian Falconer
Olivia is an oh-so-appealing anthropomorphic pig, good at lots of things but especially good at wearing people out, including, at times, herself. The brief, simple text describes her many activities in the family, at the beach, and even in the museum, where a Degas painting inspires dreams of dancing and a Jackson Pollock leads to an artistic effort on the wall at home. Her mother's reaction is no surprise. The irrepressible Olivia is finally ready for bed, and five stories. She settles for three, and a loving kiss from a worn-out mother. Olivia begins her story standing on the jacket/cover, then trailing items of her clothing across the jacket flap, the front end-pages, and the title pages. Depicted in minimal, fine line drawings with just touches of color, especially her favorite red, in both vignettes and on full pages, she is so bursting with energy that she is still dancing on the back jacket flap. We look forward to further real-life adventures of the perky piggy. 2000, An Anne Schwartz Book/Atheneum Books for Young Readers, $16.00. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Ken Marantz and Sylvia Marantz (Children's Literature).
Olivia is a masterpiece of simplicity that portrays the complex, imaginative psyche of children. Olivia's boundless energy tests her mother's patience and her little brother's endurance, while wrapping herself into the reader's heart. Deciding what to wear takes a full page of choices, all executed in charcoal and gouache with highlights of red. With humor and honest emotions, Olivia is "every child" who accepts Degas, Jackson Pollock and Maria Callas as equals. Her bedroom walls reflect her Pollock phase, which causes Mom to say, "Time out!" When Olivia negotiates with her mother over the number of books to be read at bedtime, every parent smiles. Olivia is a Caldecott Honor Book that proves the maxim that "less is more." 2000, Antheneum, $16.00. Ages 4 up.
Reviewer: Jan Lieberman (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
The Best of Book Sense From the First Five Years, 1999-2004; Book Sense; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars, August 2000; United States
Bulletin Blue Ribbons, 2000; Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books; United States
Capitol Choices, 2000; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, 2001; H.W. Wilson; United States
The Children's Literature Choice List, 2001; Children's Literature; United States
Editors' Choice: Books for Youth, 2000; American Library Association-Booklist; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, August 1, 2000; United States
Los Angeles' 100 Best Books, 2000; IRA Children's Literature and Reading SIG and the Los Angeles Unified School District; United States
Not Just for Children Anymore!, 2001; Children's Book Council; United States
Notable Books for Children, 2001; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, September 2000; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal: Best Books, 2000; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 2001 Picture Books United States
American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award Winner 2001 Children's Illustrated United States
Children's Crown Gallery Award Runner Up 2003 Grades K-2 United States
Marion Vannett Ridgway Award Honor Book 2001 United States
Mitten Award Honor Book 2000 United States
Parent's Choice Award Gold 2003 Best 25 Books in 25 Years United States
Randolph Caldecott Medal Honor Book 2001 United States
White Ravens Award Winner 2001 United States United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
2X2 Reading List, 2001; Ages 4-6; Texas
Arizona Young Readers' Award, 2002; Nominee; Picture Books; Arizona
Black-Eyed Susan Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Picture Books; Maryland
Buckaroo Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; K-3; Wyoming
Children's Crown Gallery Award, 2003; Nominee; United States
Delaware Diamonds, 2001-2002; Nominee; Grades K-2; Delaware
Golden Sower Award, 2003; Nominee; Primary; Nebraska
Kentucky Bluegrass Award, 2003; Nominee; Kentucky
Michigan Reader's Choice Award, 2002; Nominee; Grades Pre-K - 1; Michigan
Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award, 2002-2003; Nominee; Pennsylvania
Red Clover Children's Choice Picture Book Award, 2001-2002; Nominee; Vermont
ISBN: 0-689-82953-1
Olivia Counts
Ian Falconer
There she is in all her glory. Olivia has red ribbons on her ears, red striped panty hose and a red purse. She is ready to help kids learn to count from one to ten. It is one big beach ball, two bows, and so on from one up to seven. Then a very sophisticated word is introduced, "accessories." Accessories include Olivia's beads, shirt, glasses, and a several other items. Next it is on to eight cousins (I do believe that is a pretty well-known children's book popular some many years ago), nine toys, and the grand finale--a presentation of ten Olivias. It is amusing and also remarkable what Falconer can produce with just black and red in his charcoal and gouache illustrations. 2002, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $6.99. Ages 1 to 3. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
The Children's Literature Choice List, 2002; Children's Literature; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, May 1, 2002; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2002; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 0-689-85087-5
Olivia Forms a Band
Ian Falconer
Olivia dreams grandly, as children do and children should. When she is told the family will be going to see fireworks in the evening, she decides that there must be a band. She boldly proclaims, "We'll be the band!" The expressions on the faces of her parents and the piglets make it clear that Olivia is on her own, so Olivia declares, "I'll be the band." The illustrations of her efforts to collect everything she needs are hilarious. After she finds just the right outfit to wear, Olivia begins to practice. The noise has the family holding their ears and the cat's hair standing on end. Although Olivia is perfectly happy with the sound and convinced that she sounds like a real band, she decides not to bring the band instruments to the fireworks. She does primp and pose while getting ready to head out and, finally, the family leaves to have a picnic. The sunset is striking and they have a wonderful, but exhausting, evening. Olivia sleeps soundly that night, having yet another dream. H'm, Olivia on the Supreme Court? Why not? 2006, Anne Schwartz Books/Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $17.95. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Carolyn Mott Ford (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, May 1, 2006; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, April 3, 2006; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2006; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 1-4169-2454-X
Olivia Saves the Circus
Ian Falconer
Olivia, the irrepressible pig/child, is back, this time with a new little brother William to go along with her old little brother Ian. Olivia gets dressed in her boring uniform which she "accessorizes" with red ribbons, red striped socks, a red purse and red hat. At school, she volunteers to tell about her vacation and, always at her best in front of an audience, invents a fine day at the circus when she takes the place of all performers who have suddenly been stricken with ear infections. As Olivia's imagination takes over, pictures show her dressed in muted pink and black, taming lions, juggling, riding a unicycle and in a superfluous (but no doubt child-pleasing) gatefold, performing trampoline and trapeze acts. Back in real time, her teacher asks if this is true and Olivia says that it's pretty true, to the best of her recollection. Then it's home and bedtime and a reminder from Mom not to jump on the bed--"What do you think you are--Olivia, Queen of the Trampoline?" which echoes a line from Olivia's fabricated story. Falconer's artwork is smoothly rendered in black and gray charcoal and gouache with crisp eye-catching red. While the story is not as fresh as Falconer's award-drenched Olivia, both younger and older fans of the first book as well as new fans will enjoy another chance to laugh at this Eloise-like, self-assured child, er, piglet. 2001, Anne Schwartz/Atheneum, $16.00. Ages 3 to 7. Reviewer: Susan Hepler, Ph.D. (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Amelia Bloomer Project, 2002; American Library Association-SRRT; United States
The Best Children's Books of the Year, 2002; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars, Aug. 1, 2001; United States
Capitol Choices, 2001; The Capitol Choices Committee; United States
Children's Book Sense 76 Picks, Winter 2001; Book Sense 76; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2002; H.W. Wilson; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, September 1, 2001; United States
New York Times Notable Books, 2001; New York Times; United States
Notable Books for Children, 2002; American Library Association-ALSC; United States
Publishers Weekly Best Children's Books, 2001; Cahners; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, August 2001; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, October 2001; Cahners; United States
School Library Journal: Best Books, 2001; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
ABC Children's Booksellers Choices Award Winner 2002 Picture Books United States
American Booksellers Book Sense Book of the Year (ABBY) Award Winner 2002 Children's Illustrated United States
New York Times Best Illustrated Children's Books of the Year Winner 2001 United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Colorado Children's Book Award, 2003; Nominee; Colorado
Georgia Children's Literature Awards, 2003; Nominee; Grades K-4; Georgia
Maryland Children's Book Award, 2003; Nominee; Maryland
ISBN: 0-689-82954-X
Olivia's Opposites
Ian Falconer
Our porcine heroine is appearing again and this time in books for the truly younger set. A pair of board books, one that relates to the concept of opposites and the other that stresses counting, is now available. These are not your typical opposites. There is Up and Down, Long and Short, Open and Closed, but Coming and Going as well as Plain and Fancy are pretty sophisticated for the board book crowd. The Falconer humor is there--in particular in the spread featuring Quiet and Loud. No one can top Olivia when it comes to shouting. Olivia's Opposites is another enjoyable offering for those who have grown to love this perky little pig. 2002, Atheneum/Simon & Schuster, $6.99. Ages 6 mo. to 2. Reviewer: Marilyn Courtot (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, May 1, 2002; United States
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, June 2002; Cahners; United States
ISBN: 0689850883
Olivia and the Missing Toy
Ian Falconer
Olivia is back, and one night--"and it was a dark and stormy night"--she discovers the awful truth about her missing toy. I don't want to spoil the surprise, but it is delightful. The expression on Olivia's face as she carries the candelabra in the dark, is priceless. Falconer's monochromatic palette, with the required touches of red (and green), and the expressive line drawings complement a fully-developed plot, that is full of pathos (Olivia is dramatic!), humor, and suspense. The endpapers are wonderful. I waited expectantly for this book (being an Olivia fan) and the wait was worth it. 2003, Atheneum, $16.95. Ages 3 to 6. Reviewer: Jennifer Ralston (Children's Literature).
Adorable piglet Olivia must have her way when it comes to her soccer uniform. She does not want to be like everyone else and wear an unattractive green shirt. She must wear red--her favorite color. While mom sews the impatient tyke a new t-shirt, Olivia wanders outside to play with her favorite toy rag doll. After returning home, Olivia realizes the toy is missing. She has a hissy fit and searches everywhere for her beloved dolly. Finally, during a dark and stormy night, she discovers her dog chewing on the toy. Although her daddy promises to buy her a new toy, she patches the doll back together. The story humorously portrays the emotions of a young child who knows what she wants out of life. The story is brought to life in black in white drawings that are highlighted with red and green. Fonts also play a huge role in telling the tale and emphasizing the emotions involved. Olivia and the Missing Toy is a fun read for any child who has a favorite toy he or she just can't part with. 2003, An Anne Schwartz Book/Simon & Schuster, $16.95. Ages 5 to 8. Reviewer: Patricia Silverberg (Children's Literature).
Best Books:
Best Children's Books, 2003; Publisher's Weekly; United States
Best Children's Books of the Year, 2004; Bank Street College of Education; United States
Booklist Book Review Stars, Sep. 1, 2003; United States
Children's Catalog, Eighteenth Edition, Supplement, 2004; H.W. Wilson
Children's Choices, 2004; International Reading Association; United States
Choices, 2004; Cooperative Children's Book Center; United States
Kirkus Book Review Stars, September 15, 2003; United States
Publishers Weekly Book Review Stars, September 1, 2003; Cahners; United States
Awards, Honors, Prizes:
Book Sense Book of the Year Award Finalist 2004 Children's Illustrated United States
National Association of Parenting Publications Awards (NAPPA) Gold 2003 Preschool and Kindergarten United States
Parent's Choice Award Gold 2003 Picture Book United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists:
Blue Hen Book Award, 2005; Nominee; Primary; Delaware
Buckeye Children's Book Award, 2004-2005; Nominee; Grades K-2; Ohio
Georgia Children's Picture Storybook Award, 2005-2006; Nominee; Georgia
ISBN: 0-689-85291-6
Updated 08/25/06
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