Eugene Yelchin

Eugene Yelchin (born Yevgeny Arkadievich Yelchin, , born October 18, 1956) is a Russian-American artist best known as an illustrator and writer of books for children.

His novel '' Breaking Stalin's Nose'' was awarded a Newbery Honor in 2012. ''The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge'' he co-authored with M. T. Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature in 2018.

His nephew was actor Anton Yelchin.

Education and early career

Yelchin was born in Leningrad, Russia, to a Jewish family. In 1979, Yelchin graduated from Leningrad State Theater Academy.

From 1979 to 1983 he designed sets and costumes for leading Russian theater companies including Alexandrinsky (Pushkin's) Theater and Akimov Comedy Theater in Leningrad.

In 1979–80, with a group of peers from the Theater Academy he co-founded Tomsk Children's Theater in Siberia.

In 1983 Yelchin emigrated to the United States. In 1988 Yelchin graduated from the Southern California Film School in Los Angeles and began directing TV commercials and illustrating advertising campaigns.

Books for children

In 2006 at the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators conference Yelchin received Tomie DePaola Illustration Award and began writing and illustrating books for children.

His books have been published by Scholastic Press, Henry Holt, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Roaring Brook Press, Candlewick Press, Clarion Books and Harcourt. They were translated into French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Romanian, Estonian, and Polish.

Selected awards

In 2018 ''The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge'' he co-authored with Matthew Tobin Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist.

In 2012 ''Breaking Stalin's Nose'', a middle grade novel that he wrote and illustrated received the Newbery Honor.

In 2010 his illustrations for ''The Rooster Prince of Breslov'' received a National Jewish Book Award