Colón, Raul

views updated

COLÓN, Raul

Personal

Male.

Addresses

Agent— c/o Author Mail, Atheneum, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. E-mail— [email protected].

Career

Artist and illustrator. Also works as a freelance commercial artist.

Awards, Honors

Silver Medal, and Gold Medal, Society of Illustrators.

Writings

(And illustrator) Orson Blasts Off!, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2004.

ILLUSTRATOR

Sharon Dennis Wyeth, Always My Dad, Knopf (New York, NY), 1995.

Libba Moore Gray, My Mama Had a Dancing Heart, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1995.

John Archambault, Grandmother's Garden, Silver Press (Parsippany, NJ), 1997.

Jane Resh Thomas, Celebration!, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 1997.

Pat Mora, Tomás and the Library Lady, Knopf (New York, NY), 1997.

Bruce Balan, Buoy, Home at Sea, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Robert D. San Souci, A Weave of Words: An Armenian Tale, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Robert Burleigh, Hercules, Silver Whistle (San Diego, CA), 1999.

Deborah Hopkinson, A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 1999.

Helena Clare Pittman, The Snowman's Path, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2000.

Ann Warren Turner, Secrets from the Dollhouse, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Mary Calhoun, A Shepherd's Gift, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.

Robert Burleigh, Pandora, Silver Whistle (San Diego, CA), 2002.

Eileen Spinelli, Rise the Moon, Dial Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2003.

Jane Yolen, Mightier than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 2003.

Susanna Reich, José!: The Story of José Limón, Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2005.

Jonah Winter, Roberto Clemente: Pride of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 2005.

Karma Wilson, How to Bake an American Pie, Margaret K. McElderry Books (New York, NY), in press.

Illustrations have also appeared in periodicals, including Time, New York Times, and Wall Street Journal.

Sidelights

Growing up to become an artist after becoming inspired by the drawings in his favorite comic books, Raúl Colón has illustrated several children's books, including titles by such noted authors as Jane Yolen, Robert D. San Souci, and Robert Burleigh. In 2004 Colón made his authorial debut with Orson Blasts Off!, the story of a young boy who learns to use his imagination. After his computer malfunctions, Orson is first angry, then becomes bored. However, when a toy jack-in-the-box on his bed-side table suddenly comes to life, Orson embarks on an exciting adventure … all by using his own creativity. "Imagination takes flight in Colón's familiar but pleasantly illustrated dream story," stated a Publishers Weekly reviewer, while Ilene Cooper noted in Booklist that although the author is "best known for his gleaming scratchboard-style illustrations," in Orson Blasts Off! "he shows he can craft a good story as well." "A flight not only into imaginary realms but also into the delicious world of language awaits readers in this fanciful journey," added School Library Journal contributor Marianne Saccardi, praising Orson Blasts Off! for its "expansive" watercolor and pencil illustrations.

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 2002, Gillian Engberg, review of Pandora, p. 1711; April 1, 2003, Ed Sullivan, review of Mightier than the Sword: World Folktales for Strong Boys, p. 1394; February 1, 2004, Ilene Cooper, review of Orson Blasts Off!, p. 974.

Horn Book, May-June, 2003, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Mightier than the Sword, p. 362.

Kirkus Reviews, May 1, 2002, review of Pandora, p. 650; January 15, 2003, review of Rise the Moon, p. 147; April 15, 2004, review of Mightier than the Sword, p.614; March 1, 2004, review of Orson Blasts Off!, p.220.

Publishers Weekly, December 17, 2001, review of A Band of Angels: A Story Inspired by the Jubilee Singers, p.94; April 1, 2002, review of Pandora, p. 83; December 16, 2002, review of Rise the Moon, p. 66; March 29, 2004, review of Orson Blasts Off!, p. 62.

School Library Journal, May, 2002, Patricia Lothrop-Green, review of Pandora, p. 134; April, 2003, Rosalyn Pierini, review of Rise the Moon, p. 138; May, 2003, Miriam Lang Budin, review of Mightier than the Sword, p. 143; April, 2004, Marianne Saccardi, review of Orson Blasts Off!, p. 103.