Background
Robert Burleigh was born on January 4, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Robert Burleigh
Robert Burleigh graduated from DePauw University.
Robert Burleigh received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago.
Robert Burleigh graduated from DePauw University.
Robert Burleigh received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago.
(Tiki Can’t Believe It when the ball is knocked out of his...)
Tiki Can’t Believe It when the ball is knocked out of his hand in the Cave Spring Viking’s last preseason game against their rival Knights. And when nobody wants to talk to him the next day at lunch, he feels even worse. So Ronde and Paco start “secret” practices with Tiki, and Coach shows him a special four point ball carry. And after plenty of practice, Tiki is transformed from a runner to a ball carrier, and he feels more confident than ever before. Now he’s a winner - and so is his team!
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007L4GDJU/?tag=2022091-20
2010
(Everyone knows the story of the raft on the Mississippi a...)
Everyone knows the story of the raft on the Mississippi and that ol' whitewashed fence, but now it’s time for youngins everywhere to get right acquainted with the man behind the pen. Mr. Mark Twain! An interesting character, he was even if he did sometimes get all gussied up in linen suits and even if he did make it rich and live in a house with so many tiers and gazebos that it looked like a weddin’ cake. All that’s a little too proper and hog tied for our narrator, Huckleberry Finn, but no one is more right for the job of telling this picture book biography than Huck himself. (We’re so glad he would oblige.) And, he’ll tell you one thing - that Mr. Twain was a piece a work! Famous for his sense of humor and saying exactly what’s on his mind, a real satirist he was - perhaps America’s greatest. Ever. True to Huck’s voice, this picture book biography is a river boat ride into the life of a real American treasure.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILHW67E/?tag=2022091-20
2011
(What if there was but one dragon left in the world? What ...)
What if there was but one dragon left in the world? What if dragons were more than just imaginary creatures? What if long ago they soared through our skies? And what if there was only one dragon left? Where might it hide from our machines, from our technology, from us? And where would it go if it spread its wings for one last flight? New York Times bestselling writer Robert Burleigh and Harry Potter artist Mary GrandPre answer these questions by taking us on one last great journey into the starry night. Read this book with a child and wait for the inevitable moment when he looks to the sky and wonders.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00JPQ298G/?tag=2022091-20
2012
(In 1845 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau be...)
In 1845 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau began a radical experiment: he built a cabin in the woods and lived there, alone, examining the world around him. He spent his days walking the shores of Walden Pond, growing beans, observing plants and animals, and recording his reflections in his notebook. These reflections eventually became his seminal work Walden. In this lovely picture book, Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor imagine a special day spent with the celebrated writer and naturalist through the eyes of a child. Together Thoreau and the young boy watch small but significant wonders such as swimming fish, fighting ants, and clouds in the sky. It is a day full of splendor and appreciation of the outdoor world.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00A27E610/?tag=2022091-20
2012
(Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the sci...)
Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the scientific importance of a star’s brightness - so why has no one heard of her? Learn all about a female pioneer of astronomy in this picture book biography with audio. Henrietta Swan Leavitt was born on July 4, 1868, and she changed the course of astronomy when she was just twenty-five years old. Henrietta spent years measuring star positions and sizes from photographs taken by the telescope at the Harvard College Observatory, where she worked. After Henrietta observed that certain stars had a fixed pattern to their changes, her discovery made it possible for astronomers to measure greater and greater distances - leading to our present understanding of the vast size of the universe. An astronomer of her time called Henrietta Leavitt “one of the most important women ever to touch astronomy,” and another close associate said she had the “best mind at the Harvard Observatory.” Henrietta Leaveitt's story will inspire young women and aspiring scientists of all kinds and includes additional information about the solar system and astronomy. This eBook edition also includes audio accompaniment.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0088Q9PX6/?tag=2022091-20
2013
(Owen and his dog, Sheepie, are best friends. They like to...)
Owen and his dog, Sheepie, are best friends. They like to play, take long walks, and chase each other in the yard. But Sheepie is getting old. He can’t fetch a stick as quickly as he used to, and sometimes Owen has to help him climb the stairs. Then one afternoon, Sheepie falls asleep by the big oak tree and doesn’t wake up. Owen has to part with his old pal, but his father helps him understand that Sheepie will always be part of their happy memories. With warm, gentle watercolor-and-gouache illustrations, this story teaches children about the feelings they have relating to the loss of a beloved family pet.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B009DOORQM/?tag=2022091-20
2013
(In this delightful picture book, loosely inspired by Jack...)
In this delightful picture book, loosely inspired by Jack Kerouac’s On the Road, a scat-singing, bebopping jackrabbit travels across the United States and marvels at all the wonders that the country reveals - from hopping on the subway in New York City to playing a jukebox in Chicago, and from gazing at Mount Rushmore to crossing the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Written in the rhythm and spirit of Beat poetry, Hit the Road, Jack is an exuberant story of experiencing all the country has to offer with wide-eyed awe. Praise for Hit the Road, Jack STARRED REVIEW "It’s not a biography or an introduction to Kerouac’s work; instead, it’s a tribute to his spirit and his era." -Publishers Weekly, starred review "MacDonald’s golden-hued watercolors and pencil crayons present 1940s America as something of a paradise, with the neon diner signs and jazz clubs just as beautiful as the rolling hills and majestic mountains " - Booklist "Joining the ranks of such age- and genre-defying picture books is this homage to Jack Kerouac." - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books "The book pays homage to Kerouac while encouraging a love of the country, writing and wanderlust through Jack." - Reading Today "The illustrations look like something out of a 1950s picture book, and everything - the poetry and the drawings - convey a sense of exuberance and excitement.” - Wired's Geek Dad “Burleigh’s writing has a wonderful rhythm and the book reads aloud beautifully.” - Library Media Connection
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00C8A3IT0/?tag=2022091-20
2013
(As a boy, Edward Hopper knew exactly what he wanted to be...)
As a boy, Edward Hopper knew exactly what he wanted to be when he grew up: on the cover of his pencil box, he wrote the words EDWARD HOPPER, WOULD-BE ARTIST. He traveled to New York and to Paris to hone his craft. And even though no one wanted to buy his paintings for a long time, he never stopped believing in his dream to be an artist. He was fascinated with painting light and shadow and his works explore this challenge. Edward Hopper's story is one of courage, resilience, and determination. In this striking picture book biography, Robert Burleigh and Wendell Minor invite young readers into the world of a truly special American painter (most celebrated for his paintings "Nighthawks" and "Gas").
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00M64TWYI/?tag=2022091-20
2014
(Listen up! The sounds of the city come to life in this vi...)
Listen up! The sounds of the city come to life in this vivid picture book that’s ready-made for repetition and perfect for preschool. From the TING-A-LING-A-LING of an alarm clock in the morning to the RUMBLE RATTLE of the subway and the BEEEEEP-BEEEEP of the streaming traffic, all the way to the SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH hush of evening, the exciting and lively sounds of the city are vibrantly expressed. Experience an energetic day in the city through the eyes and ears of a young boy in this interactive picture book that’s ideal for reading aloud.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00DA98PQE/?tag=2022091-20
2014
(“A finely told, beautifully illustrated biography that sa...)
“A finely told, beautifully illustrated biography that saves a world class scientist from obscurity.” - School Library Journal, starred review “An ideal introduction to a lesser-known scientist and an important understanding about how the Earth works.”- Kirkus Reviews, starred review Filled with gorgeous illustrations by acclaimed artist Raúl Colón, this illustrated biography shares the story of female scientist, Marie Tharp, a pioneering woman scientist and the first person to ever successfully map the ocean floor. Marie Tharp was always fascinated by the ocean. Taught to think big by her father who was a mapmaker, Marie wanted to do something no one had ever done before: map the bottom of the Atlantic Ocean. Was it even possible? Not sure if she would succeed, Marie decided to give it a try. Throughout history, others had tried and failed to measure the depths of the oceans. Sailors lowered weighted ropes to take measurements. Even today, scientists are trying to measure the depth by using echo sounder machines to track how long it would take a sound wave sent from a ship to the sea floor to come back. But for Marie, it was like piecing together an immense jigsaw puzzle. Despite past failures and challenges - sometimes Marie would be turned away from a ship because having a woman on board was “bad luck” - Marie was determined to succeed. And she did, becoming the first person to chart the ocean floor, helping us better understand the planet we call home. Award-winning author Robert Burleigh tells her story of imagination and perseverance. Beautifully illustrated by Raúl Colón, Look Up! is a book that will inspire readers to follow their dreams.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Z7C1LYK/?tag=2022091-20
2016
(Dramatic, lyrical, and beautifully illustrated, O Captain...)
Dramatic, lyrical, and beautifully illustrated, O Captain, My Captain tells the story of one of America’s greatest poets and how he was inspired by one of America’s greatest presidents. Whitman and Lincoln shared the national stage in Washington, DC, during the Civil War. Though the two men never met, Whitman would often see Lincoln’s carriage on the road. The president was never far from the poet’s mind, and Lincoln’s “grace under pressure” was something Whitman returned to again and again in his poetry. Whitman witnessed Lincoln’s second inauguration and mourned along with America as Lincoln’s funeral train wound its way across the landscape to his final resting place. The book includes the poem “O Captain! My Captain!” and an excerpt from “When Lilacs Last in the Dooryard Bloom’d,” brief bios of Lincoln and Whitman, a timeline of Civil War events, endnotes, and a bibliography.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07H1FT1DY/?tag=2022091-20
2019
(As a young man, John James Audubon, the renowned American...)
As a young man, John James Audubon, the renowned American woodsman and artist, had to make a choice between following his father's dreams for him and discovering his own special destiny. In this beautifully conceived book, Robert Burleigh imagines a conversation in which Audubon tells his father why he has chosen to forgo the ordinary life of a shop-keeper and instead live out in nature to develop his art and his relationship with the world. Illustrated not only with sumptuous images by Wendell Minor, but with actual drawings by Audubon himself, this book will appeal to his fans of all ages.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILHW5YI/?tag=2022091-20
(Growing up at the foot of Mount Everest, a Sherpa boy nam...)
Growing up at the foot of Mount Everest, a Sherpa boy named Tenzing Norgay dreamed about one day being the first to climb the giant in his backyard. For years he practiced, carrying loads of rocks in his backpack to grow stronger, prowling the mountain's lower levels; later, carrying loads of equipment for other adventurers, but always, always, wanting to climb himself. But his dream never seemed possible until he met Edmund Hillary, a New Zealand beekeeper who shared Tenzing's dream. By working together every step of the way, two men from entirely different backgrounds climbed into the clouds, to the peak of Mount Everest. However, as the years passed, only Hilary's name lived on in the history books while, in the west, Norgay's was mostly forgotten. In Tiger of the Snows, Robert Burleigh introduces young readers to one of the Far East's greatest heroes and tells the long-neglected story of a litle boy with an unimaginable dream, who refused to be daunted by the world's most daunting mountain, and who came to be known as the tiger of the snows. Caldecott winner Ed Young brings Everest to life with hauntingly, subtly beautiful animal imageries and resplendent colors, capturing the breathtaking grandeur and life force of the mountain the Nepalese call Mother Goddess of the Earth.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00ILHW5YS/?tag=2022091-20
2014
Robert Burleigh was born on January 4, 1936 in Chicago, Illinois, United States.
Robert Burleigh graduated from DePauw University and later received an MA in humanities from the University of Chicago.
A writer of informational books of biography and history as well as a poet, Robert Burleigh is noted for introducing difficult historical topics to young readers in an accessible and effective manner. Characteristically using a picture book format, the author presents facts about his subjects - most often notable Americans such as Henry David Thoreau, Charles Lindbergh, Babe Ruth, and Admiral Richard Perry - in simple language and present-tense narration. Burleigh favors clipped, staccato texts in both his prose and his poetry, a style credited with expressing the ideas, drama, and importance of each of his topics in an evocative fashion. Reviewers also note the successful marriage of the author’s texts with the illustrations of such artists as Lloyd Bloom, Mike Wimmer, and Stephen T. Johnson.
At a certain period of time, Burleigh started an artist career. He took the "art-name" Burleigh Kronquist (Kronquist is his mother's maiden name) partly to separate himself from his writing life and partly because in making art he felt entering a space where he felt himself moving more widely and freely.
(What if there was but one dragon left in the world? What ...)
2012(In this delightful picture book, loosely inspired by Jack...)
2013(Henrietta Levitt was the first person to discover the sci...)
2013(As a young man, John James Audubon, the renowned American...)
(Dramatic, lyrical, and beautifully illustrated, O Captain...)
2019(Everyone knows the story of the raft on the Mississippi a...)
2011(In 1845 in Concord, Massachusetts, Henry David Thoreau be...)
2012(As a boy, Edward Hopper knew exactly what he wanted to be...)
2014(Tiki Can’t Believe It when the ball is knocked out of his...)
2010(Listen up! The sounds of the city come to life in this vi...)
2014(“A finely told, beautifully illustrated biography that sa...)
2016(Owen and his dog, Sheepie, are best friends. They like to...)
2013(Growing up at the foot of Mount Everest, a Sherpa boy nam...)
2014
Quotations:
"My work is wide-ranging because, basically, I'm a generalist by experience - and inclination!"
"While the subjects vary, my books are linked philosophically, stylistically and structurally by my wish to capture where possible the emotional intensity - the essence - of whatever the subject is. I believe the hard facts (historical and biographical) are extremely important, and I always weave them into the narrative. But beyond that, I like the book to convey the feeling of immediacy, of being there - whether there is flying an airplane, hitting a baseball, or painting a picture."
Robert Burleigh describes himself as a generalist by experience and inclination.
Robert Burleigh is married and has three children.
