"I remember drawing
at a very early age. I
loved it. And my
parents and teachers
told me I was good at
it - that made me love
it all the more.
Author Study
Heather Hough
Children’s Literature
Mouse books
Kevin is
famous
for his
mouse
books.
Click on
a
picture
and it
will take
you to a
page
about
the
book.
Meet Kevin
Chrysanthemum loves her
name but when she goes
to school people giggle
and make fun of her.
Chrysanthemum starts to
wish her name wasn’t so
unique until she learns
what her music teacher
Mrs. Twinkle’s name is.
Back to Mouse Books
*Lets children know it is ok
to be different*
Chester and William have
their own way of doing
everything. Everything
they do they do together.
That’s the way it was at
least until Lilly moved into
the neighborhood. She
had her own way of doing
everything.
Back to Mouse Books
*Shows cooperation
and that there is
never just one way to
do something. *
*Good book for siblings
who are going to have a
new baby in the house.*
Julius’ parents say he is the
“baby of the world”. His older
sister Lilly disagrees. She
thinks he is disgusting, but
when Cousin Garland has some
things to say about Julius, Lilly
has a change of heart.
Back to Mouse Books
Lilly loves everything, even her
stinky baby brother. She loves
school and most of all she loves
her teacher Mr. Slinger. One
day Lilly is misbehaving and Mr.
Slinger has to take away her
new purple plastic purse. She
gets very mad and no longer
likes school or her teacher. In
the end Lilly learns her lesson
and goes back to loving school.
“Shows that even a little
problem isn’t the end of the
world*
Back to Mouse Books
Owen has a yellow blanket
named Fuzzy that goes
everywhere he goes. When
Owen starts to get too old for
a blanket he gets very upset.
What will Owen do without his
blanket? Owen’s mother
knew just what to do with his
blanket when it was time to
start school.
*This is an issue every child
has to go through whether it
is a blanket or something
else. Very realistic story. *
Back to Mouse Books
*Helps kids appreciate
their siblings. *
Sheila Rae wasn’t afraid of
anything. She didn’t like to
share with her scaredy-cat
little sister. But what
happens when she finds
herself lost…luckily her
sister wasn’t far behind.
Back to Mouse Books
Wemberly worried about
everything. Big things, little
things, and things in between.
When it is time to start school
Wemberly worries even more.
How will she survive her day
of school?
*Helps with the anxiety
of the first day of
school.*
Back to Mouse Books
*Cooperation and
making friends*
Wendell is spending the
weekend at Sophie’s house
and he must make up all the
rules. He plays tricks on
Sophie. When Wendell
decides to give Sophie a new
hairdo with shaving cream
Sophie comes up with a
game of her own that leaves
even Wendell speechless.
Back to Mouse Books
“Behind each open book
is a wide-open heart,
one readers can’t help
but respond to, that
makes all of Henkes’s
books of special value to
children.”
-Publisher Weekly
•Born in Racine, Wisconsin in November 1960
•Attended University of Wisconsin at Madison
•Currently lives in Madison with his wife Laura and
their son and daughter
•Remembers drawing at an early age and was
encouraged by his parents and teachers
•It was while he was a junior in high school that he
decided to combine his love for books and his
drawing talent.
•At the age of 19 he flew to New York with his
portfolio to find a publisher. His first book All Alone
was published in 1981.
*Henkes says he always comes up with the story first and the
illustrations come second.
*His drawings come from the security he felt at his home when
growing up.
*He uses the mice to accurately portray how children act.
*He takes some of his characters from everyday life. For
example he once saw a girl in an airport bothering her father with
a purple purse that played music. This turned into Lilly’s purple
plastic purse.
*Henkes continues to rely on pen and ink drawing with watercolor
“It is Henkes' keen eye and ear and his gentle warmth and wit
that keep his books fresh and his readers coming back for more.
(“http://www.nccil.org/exhibit/henkes.html)
Henkes has his own warm style that draws
people to his stories. They relate to
common things that happen to all of us on a
daily basis. It is very easy for children to
relate to his books and his cheerful
illustrations make them all the more
enjoyable.
All of Henkes’ books are useful as readalouds in the classroom. After the story is
read the class can talk about the issues
brought up in the story and how it relates to
them.
Henkes states: “My main goal is to
create books that please me. But of
course I’m happy when teachers,
parents, or librarians thank me because
for them one of my books says
something important about tolerance,
loyalty, or individuality. But I’m most
pleased when children tell me that they
loved one of my books, that it made
them laugh, that they sleep with it under
their pillow.”
Bibliography
www.kevinhenkes.com
http://www.carolhurst.com/newsletters/newsletters11d.html
http://www.nccil.org/exhibit/henkes.html
Henkes, Kevin. Chester’s Way New York: Greenwillow Books, 1988.
Henkes, Kevin. Lilly’s Purple Plastic Purse New York: Greenwillow
Books, 1996.
Henkes, Kevin. Owen New York: Greenwillow Books, 1993.
Henkes, Kevin. Sheila Rae, The Brave New York: Greenwillow Books,
1987.
Henkes, Kevin. A Weekend with Wendell New York:Greenwillow
Books, 1986.
Henkes, Kevin. Wemberly Worried New York: Greenwillow Books,
2000.