Yerxa, Leo 1947–

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Yerxa, Leo 1947–

Personal

Born 1947, on Little Eagle Reserve, Ontario, Canada; son of Ojibwa parents. Ethnicity: "Ojibwa." Education: Algonquin College, degree (graphic arts); University of Waterloo, degree (fine arts).

Addresses

Home and office—Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.

Career

Author and illustrator.

Awards, Honors

Mr. Christie's Book Award, Christie Brown & Co., Elizabeth Mrazik-Cleaver Canadian Picture Book Award, International Board on Books for Young People, and Amelia Frances Howard-Gibbon Illustrator's Award, Canadian Library Association, all 1994, all for Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall; Governor General's Literary Awards in Children's Literature—Illustration, Canada Council for the Arts, 2006, for Ancient Thunder.

Writings

Renegade: The Art of Leo Yerxa: March 16-May 6, 1984, The Centre (Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada), 1984.

Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, Orchard Books (New York, NY), 1994.

A Fish Tale; or, The Little One That Got Away, Douglas & McIntyre (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada), 1995.

Tomson Highway, Johnny National, Super Hero, Health Canada (Ottawa, Ontario, Canada), 2001.

Ancient Thunder, Groundwood Books (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), 2006.

Sidelights

Native American author and illustrator Leo Yerxa infuses simple poetry with vibrant illustrations in order to depict the natural world. In his 2006 self-illustrated title, Ancient Thunder, Yerxa portrays how wild horses are interconnected to North America's native peoples through a series of short poems. His illustrations in the book feature backdrops composed of traditional textiles against which are set images of wild horses roaming the Great Plains. School Library Journal reviewer Carol Schene remarked that in Ancient Thunder Yerxa incorporates beautiful images with a sparse "but poetically perceptive text," the critic adding that the illustrator and poet artfully blends these elements "to create a unique vision of the mystical allure of horses." While some critics noted that the book lacks a linear story, a reviewer for Publishers Weekly maintained nonetheless that "older readers … may well find much to linger over."

In Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall Yerxa again highlights elements of the natural world, this time following the changes that occur as season shift and autumn moves into winter. In her review for Booklist, Karen Hutt called Last Leaf First Snowflake "a lovely, poetic introduction to winter" and remarked on Yerxa's "beautifully constructed collages." Also praising the work, Publishers Weekly critic acknowledged the author/ illustrator for his ability to fashion verses that "mirror nature's own repetitive cycles."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Books, November 19, 2006, review of Ancient Thunder, p. 7.

Books in Canada, November, 1993, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 58.

Booklist, October 1, 1994, Karen Hutt, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 335.

Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, September, 1996, review of A Fish Tale, p. 39.

Canadian Review Annual, 1994, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 514; 1995, review of A Fish Tale, p. 491.

Emergency Librarian, November, 1994, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 45; March, 1995, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 18.

Kirkus Reviews, August 15, 2006, review of Ancient Thunder, p. 855.

Publishers Weekly, September 19, 1994, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 70; April 29, 1996, review of A Fish Tale, p. 72; October 23, 2006, review of Ancient Thunder, p. 48.

Quill & Quire, September, 1993, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 66; September, 1995, review of A Fish Tale, p. 72.

Resource Links, February, 1997, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 142.

School Librarian, May, 1996, review of A Fish Tale, p. 58; November, 1997, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 202.

School Library Journal, December, 1994, Cynthia K. Richey, review of Last Leaf First Snowflake to Fall, p. 92; November, 2006, Carol Schene, review of Ancient Thunder, p. 126.

Times Educational Supplement, December 8, 1995, review of A Fish Tale, p. 12.