Peter Catalanotto

When Peter Catalanotto was in first grade, his mother would take him to the bookmobile on Thursday afternoons. He loved climbing the steps and entering the library on wheels. This was not the inspiration to be a writer or illustrator when he grew up, especially since he was writing backwards and would continue to do so until the end of third grade, but rather a bookmobile driver. He thought this had to be the greatest job in the world, checking out books for patrons between sips of soda.

At the age of eight, he decided to work as an artist when he grew up, but his notion of that was moving to New York City, spending his whole life drawing and painting, slowly starving to death, and then after he was dead, everyone would buy his paintings. He loved discovering as an adult that he could work as an artist and live to talk about it!

Upon graduating from Pratt Institute, Catalanotto illustrated for print publications such as Reader's Digest, Family Circle, Woman's Day, and American Girl Magazine. He then began illustrating Young Adult book jackets and after painting the cover for Judy Blume's Just as Long as We're Together, the editor, Richard Jackson, approached him to illustrate a picture book; All I See, written by Cynthia Rylant. When the editor saw how Catalanotto extended the story with his paintings, he encouraged Catalanotto to write his own stories.

Catalanotto has published 50 books for children, 20 of which he's written, including Ivan the Terrier, Matthew A. B. C., and Emily's Art. The latest of his Monkey & Robot series are early-reader graphic novels; Monkey & Robert: Friends and Neighbors and Monkey & Robot: Flights of Fancy.

Catalanotto has presented his creative process, from inspiration to finished book, at conferences, colleges, and in more than 1,600 elementary schools in 40 states. Catalanotto currently teaches Children’s Book Writing at Columbia University and Pratt Institute.