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David Wisniewski, Author and Illustrator
Titles written and illustrated by David Wisniewski
Visit the Caldecott Medal Home Page for information on Golem, the 1997 Caldecott Medal Winner.
David Wisniewski died on September 11, 2002 in a nursing home in Alexandria, VA after a brief illness. He was 49.
Photograph of David Wisniewski.
David Wisniewski trained for his career in the arts by attending the
Ringling Brothers and Barnum and Bailey Clown College. A 1973 graduate of
the school, he spent two seasons as a Ringling Brothers clown before joining
the country's largest tent show, Circus Vargus, for an additional year.
Clowning taught David Wisniewski two important lessons: good children's
entertainment appeals to adults as well as kids; and, the best stories and
jokes are those that amuse the performer and the audience.
After tiring of life on the road, David Wisniewski returned home to
Washington, D.C. and freelanced as an actor and special effects/prop
designer for local theatre and opera companies. In 1975, he was hired as a
puppeteer for a local troupe run by Donna Harris. The two married six months
later.
In 1980, they left to form Clarion Shadow Theatre, which enjoyed
immediate success in area schools. The group staged adaptations of "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi"
and "Kaa's Hunting" from Kipling's Jungle Book. They also ventured
into puppet pantomimes with a quintet of original supernatural tales
entitled "The Witching Hour." By the year's end, the troup had
played the Smithsonian Institution's Discovery Theatre and the Kennedy
Center's Programs for Children and Youth.
Clarion Shadow Theatre quickly grew to handle larger productions
including Stravinsky's "The Firebird," which combined rod and
shadow puppetry. The production led the Washington Post to hail the
Wisniewskis as "the leading figures of shadow puppetry in the United
States. In 1984, the troupe won the first of two Henson Foundation grants
(established by the late Jim Henson, creator of the Muppets, to "foster
excellence in the field of American puppetry") to mount a production of
Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." The production was
highly acclaimed at theatre festivals and won a Citation of Excellence from
the Union Internationale de Marionette, the international organization of
puppeteers. The second Henson Grant was applied to a production of
"Peter and the Wolf" that was commissioned by the Smithsonian.
By 1985, the Wisniewskis discontinued regular performances by Clarion
Shadow Theatre so they could work from home while raising their two
children. They established Clarion Graphics in 1987 to service clients in
the performing arts and educational fields.
David Wisniewski's first children's book, The Warrior and the Wise Man,
was published in 1989. Based on Japanese culture, the original tale shows
that might cannot win a battle against wisdom. The book was chosen by
Parents Magazine, the New York Public Library, and the Library of Congress
as one of the best that year. His second book, Elfwyn's Saga, comes
from Icelandic myth and tells of the origin of the Northern Lights. Artwork
from both of these books, which are published by Lothrop, Lee and Shephard,
was displayed at the 1991 Biennale Illustrations Bratislava. This
Czechoslovakian exhibit of children's book illustration is the largest of
its kind in the world. The United States Board on Books for Young People
chose David Wisniewski as one of only fourteen U.S. artists to have work
featured at this exhibit.
In 1991, David Wisniewski's third book, Rain Player, was published
by Clarion Books. The ancient Mayan belief that the future is divinely
decreed and cannot be changed was the basis for this book which retells the
original tale of a boy, Pik, who must defeat the Rain God in a ball game to
save his people from disaster. "It's a satisfying tale, and Pik--a sort
of Magic Johnson of the Yucatan--is the kind of impetupus hero with whom
young readers will enjoy identifying." (Publishers Weekly) Wisniewski
believed that Rain Player would be his "breakthrough book"
because it showcased a new level of detail and accomplishment in his unique
artistic style. The book did receive a number of praiseworthy reviews and
was honored as a Best Kids Book for 1991 by Parents Magazine.
In 1992, Clarion Books published his fourth book, Sundiata, Lion King
of Mali. The story of Sundiata, son of king of Mali in the time of the
great trading empire of Africa some eight hundred years ago is a powerful
tale of courage and determination. As a boy, Sundiata was unable to speak or
walk. He overcame these obstacles, but was driven into exile by a rival
queen. When Mali was overrun by the forces of a sorcerer king, the
eighteen-year-old Sundiata returned to defeat the intruder and claim the
throne. Hailed as "a splendid resource; a fascinating meld of biography
and legend," (Kirkus Reviews, pointer) Wisniewski's Sundiata
received many honors, more than even Rain Player. It was named a 1993
Notable Children's Books by the American Library Association, a Pick of the
Lists by American Bookseller, a Best Kids Book for 1992 by Parents Magazine
and a Notable Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies by the National
Council for the Social Studies.
(Biographical Notes courtesy of Clarion Books.)
David Wisniewski died on September 11, 2002 in a nursing home in Alexandria, VA after a brief illness. He was 49.
Some titles written and illustrated by David Wisniewski
Golem
Elfwyn's Saga
Rain Player
Sundiata: Lion King of Mali
Warrior and the Wise Man
Wave of the Sea-Wolf
David Wisniewski visited the Baltimore County Public Library on May 9, 1997
This page is provided by the Baltimore County Public Library, Towson, Maryland USA.
The text version of this page was last revised on
26 August 2008.
The graphics version of this page was last revised on
26 August 2008.
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