Ljungkvist, Laura

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Ljungkvist, Laura

Personal

Born in Gothenburg, Sweden. Education: Attended Grundis, RMI-Berghs Communication Arts School (Stockholm, Sweden), 1988.

Addresses

Home and office—Brooklyn, NY. Agent—c/o George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic, 65 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10012. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

Author and illustrator. Worked variously as an instructor and freelance illustrator.

Awards, Honors

Nominated twice for Swedish Golden Egg Award.

Writings

Toni's Topsy-Turvy Telephone Day, Harry N. Abrams (New York, NY), 2001.

Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Harry N. Abrams (New York, NY), 2003.

Follow the Line, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.

Follow the Line through the House, Viking (New York, NY), 2007.

Authors work has been translated into Korean and Japanese.

Sidelights

Swedish-born author and illustrator Laura Ljungkvist once commented in an interview with Nathalie Beeck for Publishers Weekly that she considers herself a "vi-

sual problem solver." Ljungkvist originally began her career as a freelance illustrator before becoming a children's book author and illustrator, creating designs for such esteemed publications as the New Yorker, Harper's Bazaar and the New York Times. She especially enjoys illustrating and writing children's books because it allows her to "solve my own problem," an aspect that is unique to Ljungkvist. While Ljungkvist initially had no

intention of pursuing a profession as a children's book author and illustrator, a serious accident in 1997 caused her to think twice about her career decision. "It took a hit on the head to make me decide, I'm going to do this again," she noted in her Publishers Weekly interview.

Ljungkvist is known for creating stylized gouache images which feature bold colors and straight, geometric lines. Her simple yet vibrant artwork, modernistic in its effect, has been compared by some reviewers to the work of Spanish surrealist painter Joan Miró. In a review of the artist's body of work for Print magazine, Katherine Nelson described Ljungkvist's artistic method as "contemporary yet nostalgic" and capturing a style that is both "vibrant and playful." The use of bright, dramatic colors pairs with her bold line throughout her illustrated works. Karin Snelson, in a review for Booklist, noticed the author/illustrator's unique use of color in her retelling of the childhood fairy-tale classic Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. According to the critic, Ljungkvist's "ultraclean artwork" and her "use [of] color and form" combine "to communicate mood and meaning."

Discussing her craft, Ljungkvist told SATA: "I resisted going digital for a long time, and continued to mix my beloved Windsor & Newton gouache paints. Now, since getting a power Mac, I either draw on my Wacom pen tablet or paint or draw on paper, and then scan my work into the computer. Then I add color and pattern elements using Adobe Photoshop."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Books, May 14, 2006, Mary Harris Russell, review of Follow the Line, p. 7.

Booklist, June 1, 2001, Amy Brandt, review of Toni's Topsy-Turvy Telephone Day, p. 1892; April 15, 2003, Karin Snelson, review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, p. 1473.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, July, 2003, review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, p. 454.

Child, May, 2007, Julie Yates Walton, "Books: The Best New Stories to Inspire Young Minds," p. 38.

Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 2003, review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, p. 536; April 15, 2006, review of Follow the Line, p. 409.

Print, Katherine Nelson, January-February 1999, "Lifeline: Evaluation of Laura Ljungkvist's Works," p. 50.

Publishers Weekly, June 25, 2001, Nathalie Beeck, "Laura Ljungkvist," p. 23; March 31, 2003, review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, p. 66; May 15, 2006, review of Follow the Line, p. 71.

School Library Journal, May, 2001, John Peters, review of Toni's Topsy-Turvy Telephone Day, p. 128; July, 2003, Susan Hepler, review of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, p. 114; May, 2006, Mary Elam, review of Follow the Line, p. 92.