David McPhail (author)

David McPhail
Born	(1940-06-30) June 30, 1940 (age 84) Newburyport, Massachusetts, USA
Alma mater	School of the Museum of Fine Arts
Occupation	Writer
Spouse(s)	Janis Lazarian ​ (m. 1966)​ Jan L. Waldron
Children	7

David Michael McPhail (born 1940) is an American writer and illustrator of over 200 children's books.

Early life and education

David Michael McPhail was born June 30, 1940, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, ^[1] to Bernard E. and Rachel ( née  Cutter) McPhail. His father worked in sales, and his mother was a secretary. ^[2]

He attended the Vesper George School of Art from 1957 to 1968, then the School of the Museum of Fine Arts from 1963 to 1966. ^[2]

Career

McPhail published his first book, The Bear's Toothache, in 1972. ^[3] He has since published over 200 children's books, including illustrating some of his wife's books. ^{[4] [5]}

Notable awards and honors

Illustration

Two books McPhail illustrated are Junior Library Guild selections: Martha Freeman's The Orphan and the Mouse (2014) ^[6] and Albert Lamb's Tell Me the Day Backwards (2011). ^[7]

In 1975, The New York Times named X. J. Kennedy's One Winter Night in August among their "Outstanding Books of the Year". ^[8] The same year, Emilie Warren McLeod's The Bear's Bicycle was an honor book for the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Picture Book. ^[9]

In 2012, the Association for Library Service to Children named Albert Lamb's Tell Me the Day Backwards one of the year's Notable Children's Books. ^[10]

Writing

Five books McPhail's wrote and illustrated are Junior Library Guild selections: Edward and the Pirates (1997), ^[11] Mole Music (1999), ^[12] Edward in the Jungle (2002), ^[13] The Teddy Bear (2002), ^[14] and Beatrix Potter and Her Paint Box (2015). ^[15]

In 1997, The New York Times named Edward and the Pirates in their "Notable Books of the Year 1997" list. ^[16] In 2009, the Smithsonian Institution included Budgie & Boo on their list of "Notable Books for Children". ^[17]

Other

Big Brown Bear's Up and Down Day, a 24-minute video adaptation, was named a 2008 Notable Children's Video by the Association for Library Service to Children. ^[18]

Personal life

McPhail married Janis Lazarian on July 2, 1966. The couple had three children (Tristian, Joshua, and Gabrian) before divorcing. ^[2]

McPhail later remarried, becoming the father to three step-children. He also had a child (Jaime) with his second wife. ^[2]

As of 2010, McPhail was married to author and artist Jan L. Waldron. ^[19]

Selected publications

Authored

• McPhail, David M. (1984), Fix-it, New York: E. P. Dutton, ISBN   978-0-525-44093-2, OCLC   1200362204 ^[20]
• McPhail, David (1987). First Flight. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN   978-0-316-56323-9. OCLC   14904342.
• McPhail, David (1990). Lost!. New York: Little, Brown, and Company. ISBN   978-0-316-56336-9. OCLC   235945704.
• McPhail, David (1997). Edward and the Pirates. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. ISBN   978-0-316-56344-4. OCLC   33078567. ^[21]
• MacPhail, David (1999). Mole Music. New York: Holt. ISBN   978-0-8050-2819-5. OCLC   245700637.
• McPhail, David (2005). The Teddy Bear. New York: Henry Holt & Company. ISBN   978-0-8050-7882-4. OCLC   1003804456.
• McPhail, David (2015). Beatrix Potter and her Paint Box. New York: Henry Holt and Company. ISBN   978-0-8050-9170-0. OCLC   904011808.

Illustrated

• McPhail, David; Folkmanis, Inc (1972), The Bear's Toothache, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, ISBN   978-0-316-56325-3, OCLC   45075577
• Valen, Nanine (1978). Tee Devil's Tail. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. ^[22]

References

1. Clark, Karen (July 7, 2023). "David McPhail Aims to 'Provide Enjoyment'". Publishers Weekly. New York, NY. Archived from the original on July 22, 2024. Retrieved January 20, 2025.
2. "McPhail, David M(ichael) 1940-". Encyclopedia.com . Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
3. McPhail, David; Folkmanis, Inc (1972), The Bear's Toothache, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, ISBN   978-0-316-56325-3, OCLC   45075577
4. Waldron, Jan L.; McPhail, David (1997). Angel Pig and the Hidden Christmas. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN   978-0-525-45744-2. OCLC   36074328.
5. Waldron, Jan L.; McPhail, David (1998). John Pig's Halloween. New York: Dutton Children's Books. ISBN   978-0-525-45941-5. OCLC   38936709.
6. "The Orphan and the Mouse". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
7. "Tell Me the Day Backwards". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
8. "Outstanding Books of the Year". The New York Times . November 16, 1975. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 24, 2025.
9. "Past Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Winners". The Horn Book . Archived from the original on January 14, 2023. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
10. "Tell Me the Day Backwards". American Library Association . Archived from the original on July 18, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
11. "Edward and the Pirates". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
12. "Mole Music". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
13. "Edward in the Jungle". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
14. "The Teddy Bear". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
15. "Beatrix Potter and Her Paint Box". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
16. "Notable Books of the Year 1997". The New York Times . December 7, 1997. ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 24, 2025.
17. Burke, Kathleen (December 17, 2009). "Smithsonian Notable Books for Children 2009". Smithsonian Magazine . Retrieved January 24, 2025.
18. "Big Brown Bear's Up and Down Day". American Library Association . Archived from the original on August 11, 2024. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
19. McCartin, Jeanné (July 10, 2010). "Works by Jan L. Waldron on exhibit at several local galleries". Portsmouth Herald. Retrieved January 24, 2025.
20. Burck, Frances Wells (August 12, 1984). "IT Written and illustrated by David McPhail. Unpaged. New York: E. P. Dutton. $7.95. (Ages 3 to 5)". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 24, 2025.
21. Babbitt, Natalie (May 18, 1997). "Read This, It's Good for You". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 24, 2025.
22. McHargue, Georgess (December 10, 1978). "Fools, Kings, Mice, Things". The New York Times . ISSN   0362-4331 . Retrieved January 24, 2025.

External links

• Works by David McPhail at Open Library
• "David McPhail". Library Thing. Retrieved January 20, 2025.