David Ezra Stein
David Ezra Stein is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for his Interrupting Chicken series, which was adapted into an animated television show on Apple TV+ in 2022. The first book of the series has been named a Caldecott Honor book.
Biography
Stein was born in Brooklyn, New York. His father was a cartographer, and his mother was a painter and editor, both of which inspired him as an artist. He attended the Parsons School of Design, where he majored in editorial illustration. While studying, he took a year off, during which he lived in Cape Cod and explored puppetry.Stein's books have been translated in Chinese, Korean, Japanese, Spanish, Catalan, Dutch, French, and Finnish, and his artwork has appeared in The New York Times and The New Yorker, among other major publications.
Stein has a wife and two children. They live in Kew Gardens, Queens.
Awards and honors
Six of Stein's books are Junior Library Guild selections: Leaves, Interrupting Chicken, Dinosaur Kisses, Ol’ Mama Squirrel, Honey, and The Worm Family Has Its Picture Taken.Leaves was named one of the best picture books of the year by Kirkus Reviews, Publishers Weekly, and School Library Journal. In 2011, Bank Street College of Education included Interrupting Chicken on their list of the best children's books for ages 5–9. Amazon named Ol' Mama Squirrel one of the best books of 2013 for ages 3–5. In 2022, The Horn Book Magazine named Don't Worry, Murray one of the best picture books of the year.
| Year | Title | Award | Result | Ref. |
| 2008 | Leaves | Ezra Jack Keats Book Award for New Writer | Winner | |
| 2010 | Pouch! | Charlotte Zolotow Award | Honor | |
| 2011 | Interrupting Chicken! | ALSC Notable Children's Books | Selection | |
| 2011 | Interrupting Chicken! | Golden Kite Award for Picture Book text | Honor | |
| 2011 | Interrupting Chicken! | Randolph Caldecott Medal | Honor | |
| 2019 | Honey | Charlotte Zolotow Award | Honor | |
| 2019 | Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise | Booklist Editors' Choice: Books for Youth | Selection | |
| 2020 | Hush, Little Bunny | CLEL Bell Picture Book Awards for Sing | Nominee |
Publications
Standalone books
Leaves Cowboy Ned & Andy Monster Hug! Ned's New Friend The Nice Book Pouch! Love, Mouserella Because Amelia Smiled Dinosaur Kisses Ol' Mama Squirrel I'm My Own Dog Tad and Dad Ice Boy Honey Hush, Little Bunny Don't Worry, Murray- ''Beaky Barnes: Egg on the Loose''
''Interrupting Chicken'' series
Interrupting Chicken Interrupting Chicken and the Elephant of Surprise- ''Interrupting Chicken: Cookies for Breakfast''