Christine Davenier is a French author and illustrator of children's books. She has illustrated a large number of books, the authors of which include

Jack Prelutsky Jack Prelutsky (born September 8, 1940) is an American writer of children's poetry who has published over 50 poetry collections. He served as the first U.S. Children's Poet Laureate (now called the Young People's Poet Laureate) from 2006–08 ...

, Julie Andrews and her daughter

Emma Walton Hamilton Emma Katherine Walton Hamilton (née Walton; 27 November 1962) is a British-American children's book author, theatrical director, and actress. She is an instructor in the MFA program at Stony Brook Southampton, where she serves as Director of ...

, Madeleine L'Engle, and Juanita Havill, and has received critical acclaim.

Biography

Davenier was born in 1961 in

Tours, France Tours ( , ) is one of the largest cities in the region of Centre-Val de Loire, France. It is the prefecture of the department of Indre-et-Loire. The commune of Tours had 136,463 inhabitants as of 2018 while the population of the whole metrop ...

. She described her grandmother (from whom she received the gift of a box of watercolor paints at the age of fourteen) as a huge artistic inspiration to her.

Reception

Deborah Stevenson of

The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books ''The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books'' is an academic journal established in 1945 by Frances E. Henne (Graduate Library School, University of Chicago).Wedgeworth, Robert. ''World Encyclopedia of Library and Information Services''. Ch ...

praised her watercolor illustrations for ''Leon and Albertine'', stating that they possess an "apparent carelessness adding to the feeling of movement". A review in

Publishers Weekly ''Publishers Weekly'' (''PW'') is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers, and literary agents. Published continuously since 1872, it has carried the tagline, "The International News Magazine of ...

praised "Davenier's luminous watercolors and vivid characterizations" in ''Just Like a Baby''. ''The First Thing My Mama Told Me'', written by Susan Marie Swanson and illustrated by Davenier, was a 2003

Charlotte Zolotow Award The Charlotte Zolotow Award is an American literary award presented annually for outstanding writing in a picture book published in the United States during the preceding year. By contrast, the Caldecott Medal is for outstanding illustration in ...

Honor Book.

Selected works

* ''Leon and Albertine'' (written and illustrated by Davenier) *''The Very Fairy Princess'' (Written by Julie Andrews and Emma Walton Hamilton) *''Miss Lina's Ballerinas'' (Written by Grace Maccarone) *''Sally Jean, the Bicycle Queen'' (Written by Cari Best) *''I Love the Rain' (Written by Margaret Park Bridges) *''Iris and Walter'' series (Written by Elissa Haden Guest) *''Mabel Dancing'' (Written by Amy Hest) *''I Heard It from Alice Zucchini: Poems About the Garden'' (Written by Jaunita Havill) *''Just Like a Baby'' (Written by Juanita Havill) *'' Piper Reed'' series (Written by Kimberly Willis Holt) **''Piper Reed Gets a Job'' **''Piper Reed: The Great Gypsy'' **''Piper Reed: Navy Brat'' *''Mr. and Mrs. Portly and Their Little Dog, Snack'' (Written by Sandra Jordan) *''The Other Dog'' (Written by Madeleine L'Engle) *''Has Anyone Seen My Emily Greene'' (Written by Norma Fox Mazer) *''Me I Am!'' (Written by

) *''Full Moon Barnyard Dance'' (Written by Carole Lexa Schaefer) *''The First Thing My Mama Told Me'' (Written by Susan Marie Swanson) *''Nobody Here But Me'' (Written by Judith Viorst) *''A Day with Miss Lina's Ballerinas'' (Written by Grace Maccarone)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Davenier, Christine French children's book illustrators French women illustrators Living people 1961 births Artists from Tours, France