Schneider, Christine M. 1971–

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Schneider, Christine M. 1971–

Personal

Born 1971; married; children: one daughter. Education: University of Kansas, B.A. (illustration). Hobbies and other interests: Reading, sewing, dollhouses, gardening, letterpress.

Addresses

Home—Lawrence, KS. Agent—Maggie Byer-Sprinzeles, 5800 Arlington Ave., No. 16C, Riverdale, NY 10471. E-mail—[email protected].

Career

Writer, illustrator, and designer. Art director for a monthly magazine.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

Picky Mrs. Pickle, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 1999.

Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire!, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 2001.

Saxophone Sam and His Snazzy Jazz Band, Walker & Co. (New York, NY), 2002.

ILLUSTRATOR

Laura F. Nielsen, Jeremy's Muffler, Atheneum Books for Young Readers (New York, NY), 1995.

Jessica Perez, Under Construction (popup books), Piggy Toes Press, 2004.

Margaret Wang, Who Stole the Cookie from the Cookie Jar?, Piggy Toes Press, 2005.

Dana Meachen Rau, Look for Ladybugs, Children's Press (New York, NY), 2006.

Sidelights

Children's book writer and illustrator Christine M. Schneider is the imaginative talent behind such children's books as Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire!, Picky Mrs. Pickle, and Saxophone Same and His Snazzy Jazz Band. Her first book, Picky Mrs. Pickle, was praised by a Publishers Weekly contributor for its humorous story about an eccentric pickle-lover, as well as for Schneider's unique illustrations. Noting the author/illustrator's "wildly skewed perspectives," the reviewer also cited the "impressive array of … distorted shapes and loads of funny details" that enhance her "buoyant story."

Imparting a subtle lesson about teamwork, Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire! features a magician who is frustrated with his assistants. Irwin the rabbit complains that his allergies are aggravated by the dusty top hat he is conjured out of on stage, while Horace's lovebird is depressed over being separated from his mate. Meanwhile, stage assistant Trixie is getting more than a little miffed about the scratches she receives during the magician's famous sword trick. When the three assistants share their complaints and decide to leave the show for better opportunities elsewhere, Horace learns that it takes more than his appearance for the show to be a success. "Young readers will enjoy the action-packed illustrations," commented Alison Kastner in School Library Journal, while Ellen Mandel stated in a Booklist review that "Schneider's colorful, humorous artwork … ensures that the book will levitate right into children's eager hands."

In Saxophone Sam and His Snazzy Jazz Band Schneider tell her story at a jazz-rhythm pace. Homebound during a rainy day, a brother and sister hear big-band jazz and must search the entire house to discover its source: an old-fashioned radio containing a tiny swing band. In her accompanying artwork, Schneider tracks the siblings' path to the source of the sound, utilizing what School Library Journal contributor Ginny Gustin dubbed "innovative" inset drawings that slowly expose the miniature musicians. Schneider's "brightly colored and very fluid" art "is well suited to the brassy musicality of the text," commented Kay Weisman in a Booklist review.

Schneider told SATA: "I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on the planet: I get to draw and write for a living while raising my beautiful daughter at home. It is a wonderful feeling to know that children all over the world experiencing the joy of reading from what I create."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, December 15, 1995, Hazel Rochman, review of Jeremy's Muffler, p. 709; September 15, 2001, Ellen Mandel, review of Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire!, p. 233; December 1, 2002, Kay Weisman, review of Saxophone Sam and His Snazzy Jazz Band, p. 678.

Kirkus Reviews, August 1, 2001, review of Horace P. Tuttle, p. 1131; August 15, 2002, review of Saxophone Same and His Snazzy Jazz Band, p. 1236.

Publishers Weekly, August 30, 1999, review of Picky Mrs. Pickle, p. 83; July 30, 2001, review of Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire!, p. 85.

School Library Journal, December, 1995, Judith Gloyer, review of Jeremy's Muffler, p. 89; October, 2001, Alison Kastner, review of Horace P. Tuttle, Magician Extraordinaire!, p. 131; November, 2002, Ginny Gustin, review of Saxophone Sam and His Snazzy Jazz Band, p. 135.