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I grew up in Muskegon, Michigan (the state shaped like a mitten!). I always loved to draw, paint
and write stories but had no idea then that I could one day have a career doing those things. After high school, I took some general classes at a community college but wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. I also spent much of my time performing in a local dance tour company and dancing in and choreographing some civic theatre shows. That all changed when my friend brought me to a student art show at Kendall College of Art and Design. I was so inspired by the students’ work and excited to learn that there were career opportunities in the art field. I began taking classes the following fall and graduated several years later with a BFA in Illustration. I got a job as a greeting card illustrator at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri. I worked there for 7 1/2 years and really enjoyed it. One night, while falling asleep, I thought of an idea for a kids’ book (see more about this in the BOOKS section). Over the next few weeks I wrote the story and hopped on an airplane to New York City to try to find a publisher. No one seemed interested at the time, but I fell in love with New York so I decided to quit my job, sell my house and move there. Six months later as I was packing my things to move, Christy Ottaviano from Henry Holt and Company, called to tell me that they wanted to publish my story! It was a happy day – one of the happiest in my life. Christy is now my editor and we have a lot of fun working together. I really liked living in New York City but now I live back in the “Mitten State” in a little cottage in the woods along Lake Michigan.
Overview edit
Bibliography
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(2008)
The Scrambled States of America Talent Show
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(2007)
Do Unto Otters
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(2005)
Grandpa Gazillion's Number Yard
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(2003)
Arnie, the Doughnut
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(2000)
Open Wide
Unbound edit
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TAKEN FROM LAURIEKELLER.COM
I grew up in Muskegon, Michigan (the state shaped like a mitten!). I always loved to draw, paint
and write stories but had no idea then that I could one day have a career doing those things. After high school, I took some general classes at a community college but wasn’t sure what I wanted to major in. I also spent much of my time performing in a local dance tour company and dancing in and choreographing some civic theatre shows. That all changed when my friend brought me to a student art show at Kendall College of Art and Design. I was so inspired by the students’ work and excited to learn that there were career opportunities in the art field. I began taking classes the following fall and graduated several years later with a BFA in Illustration. I got a job as a greeting card illustrator at Hallmark Cards in Kansas City, Missouri. I worked there for 7 1/2 years and really enjoyed it. One night, while falling asleep, I thought of an idea for a kids’ book (see more about this in the BOOKS section). Over the next few weeks I wrote the story and hopped on an airplane to New York City to try to find a publisher. No one seemed interested at the time, but I fell in love with New York so I decided to quit my job, sell my house and move there. Six months later as I was packing my things to move, Christy Ottaviano from Henry Holt and Company, called to tell me that they wanted to publish my story! It was a happy day – one of the happiest in my life. Christy is now my editor and we have a lot of fun working together. I really liked living in New York City but now I live back in the “Mitten State” in a little cottage in the woods along Lake Michigan.
