Jerry Pinkney Memorial Page
Jerry Pinkney
1939—2021
Jerry Pinkney (1939-2021) was one of the most heralded children’s book illustrators of all time and illustrated more than 100 books. He had the rare distinction of being the recipient of five Caldecott Honors and the winner of the 2010 Caldecott Medal for The Lion and the Mouse, and created several companion books: The Tortoise & the Hare, The Grasshopper & the Ants, The Three Billy Goats Gruff, and The Little Mermaid. He won the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Award five times and the Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor four times. Jerry received several major lifetime achievement awards and was also the first children’s book illustrator elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences. He lived with his wife, author Gloria Jean Pinkney, in Croton-on-Hudson, New York.
Celebrate the Life of an American Master
Pinkney holding up art from The Little Mermaid
“My aim was for my art to reflect that overwhelming feeling I experience when exploring these new territories. My research also yielded fascinating details about the various African mythologies around water spirits, or Mami Wata. It was rewarding to have the opportunity for me to paint a mermaid of color, give her a strong voice, and best of all, to experience the joy of giving her a new friend.”
— Jerry Pinkney
Read Jerry’s fully essay on The Little Mermaid→
“I truly believe dyslexia made me the achiever I am in my art, and it made me who I am as a person.”
— Jerry Pinkney
Read Jerry’s full interview about his dyslexia with the Yale Center for Dyslexia and Creativity.→
Jerry poses in front of two of his illustrations in 2016. Photo: Dake Kang/AP
“His joy filled a room and his books.”
— Amy Kellman
“In addition to his incredible talent, Jerry was the epitome of the word gentleman. Plus, he was just so elegant.”
— Deborah Taylor
“His art makes my heart sing and his stories make my ear listen.”
— Barbara Scotto
(From Left to Right) Caldecott Medalists: Brian Floca, Dan Santat, Sophie Blackall, and Jerry Pinkney
Photo: Joyce Dopkeen
Pinkney with his Editor, Andrea
Jerry Pinkney in his home studio in Croton-on-Hudson, N.Y., on Aug. 6, 2001.
Photo: Joyce Dopkeen
“Jerry’s indefatigable attention to and love of his craft was unmatched, and he never stopped asking for his work to be pushed and challenged. Everyone he worked with was touched by his infectious delight in the act of creation, which never waned, and his generous spirit of kindness and collaboration.”
— Megan Tingley, Executive Vice President and Publisher of LBYR
“Here is the heart and soul of this book—it’s about what you discover in the images, what someone other than the artist can bring to them. In many ways, the journey each reader traverses parallels my creative process, that of discovery.”
— From Jerry Pinkney’s 2010 Caldecott Medal Acceptance Speech for
The Lion and The Mouse
“Jerry Pinkney was a true artistic legend of the children’s book industry for more than half a century, and it’s fair to say the industry today might look very different without his groundbreaking work. As someone who worked with Jerry for more than twenty-five years, I can say that every interaction with him was a meaningful one. He brought great joy, excellence, genuine personal connection, and dignity into every aspect of his work and being, and we will all miss him dearly.”
— Andrea Spooner, VP, Editorial Director of LBYR
“Kind, thoughtful, generous, supportive. That’s Jerry Pinkney.”
— Therese Bigelow
Jerry delivering the CSK Virginia Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award Speech
“It has been the privilege of my life to work with Jerry Pinkney. I am better as a person and as book person for having known him.”
— Victoria Stapleton, Executive Director of School and Library Marketing at LBYR
Jerry Pinkney at the 2016 CSK Lunch
“Jerry’s kindness and artistry were equally enriching, embracing, and beautiful.”
— Emma D. Dryden
“Jerry always had time for everyone. He made others feel important and special or both.”
— Terry Young
Video Resources
Jerry Pinkney Discusses The Lion and The Mouse
2020 SCBWI interview with Jerry Pinkney
Q&A with Jerry Pinkney: National Book Festival 2021
Jerry Pinkney tells the story of how he became an artist
Praise for JUST JERRY
See the Before and After Process from THE LITTLE MERMAID
