Peter Parnall
Peter Kommer Parnall is an American artist and writer, best known for his work on books for younger readers. His work has earned him high praise and a number of awards. Some of his books have become collector items.
Biography
Peter Parnall was born in Syracuse, New York on May 23, 1936. He was raised in a little town called Willow Springs in the Mojave Desert. He went to Cornell in 1954 because he wanted to become a veterinarian, but got pneumonia and failed his freshman mid-terms. After leaving Cornell he went west to train horses. When his father's birthday came around he drew him a picture of a horse. His father hung it on the wall and told him he should go back to school for art. He attended the Pratt Institute for two years, until he got bored and left. He had a freelance advertising business, which he enjoyed but eventually "got tired of convincing people they should buy stuff they don’t need."Works
He has illustrated over eighty books written by others and hasauthored and self-illustrated several books of his own, often studies of habitats. His favorite medium is pen and ink of subjects from the natural world.
Many of his works have been separately published in limited editions as signed and numbered prints.
As Author and Illustrator1973: The Great Fish 1975: Alfalfa Hill 1977: A Dog's Book of Birds 1984: Daywatchers 1986: Winter Barn 1988: Apple Tree 1988: Feet! 1989: Quiet 1989: Cats from Away 1990: Woodpile 1991: The Rock 1991: Marsh Cat 1991: Mountain 1992: Stuffer 1993: Spaces 1993: Waterpup
As illustrator1960: A Picture Book of Interesting Words, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Judith Klugman 1962: Beyond Your Doorstep, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text Hal Borland 1965: Of House and Cats, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text Eunice De Chazeau 1966: A Tale of Middle Length, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Mary Francis Shura 1967: A Dog's Book of Bugs, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Elizabeth Griffen 1967: Knee-Deep in Thunder, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Sheila Moon 1968: Desert Solitaire, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Edward Abbey 1968: Tall Tales of the Catskills, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Frank L. DuMond 1969: A Beastly Circus, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Peggy Parish 1969: Apricot ABC, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Miska Miles 1970: But Ostriches, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Aileen Fisher 1970: Doctor Rabbit, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Jan Wahl 1971: A Squirrel of One's Own, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Douglas Fairbairn 1971: Big Frog, Little Pond, illustrated by Peter Parnall; George Mendoza 1971: Annie and The Old One, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Miska Miles 1971: The Nightwatchers, illustrated by Peter Parnall ; text Anugus Cameron 1973: A Little Book of Beasts, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Mary Ann Hoberman 1974: Everybody Needs A Rock, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1976: The Desert is Theirs, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1976: A Natural History of Marine Mammals, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Victor Blanchard Scheffer 1977: Hawk, I'm Your Brother, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1978: The Other Way to Listen , illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1979: The Way to Start a Day, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1980: If You Are a Hunter of Fossils, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1981: Desert Voices, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1985: Between Cattails, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Terry Tempest Williams 1986: I'm In Charge of Celebrations, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor 1986: Cat Will Rhyme With Hat, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Jean Chapman 1992: Become A Bird And Fly, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Michael E. Ross 1994: The Table Where Rich People Sit, illustrated by Peter Parnall; text: Byrd Baylor