DIANE GREENSEID
Illustrator
   

        Diane Greenseid liked doing art when she was little, but liked doing something else even more. She LOVED being silly.  Diane made up funny words, dances and noises. She liked to make goofy faces and compose weird songs.

       Her art interests began to bloom when she was a senior in high school and later in college. She  took all sorts of art classes: painting, drawing, sculpture, dance, photography, ceramics and printmaking. It wasn't until Diane took a children's book illustration class from UCLA Extension that she realized what she wanted to do. She discovered that as a children's book illustrator, she could do art AND be silly and playful at the same time?

         Diane eventually went to the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena and majored in illustration, receiving a B.F.A. in 1982. She worked as a graphic artist for ten years until she finally got her portfolio just the way she wanted it. Diane went with her boyfriend (now her husband, Pete McCabe, also an aspiring children's book illustrator as well as a musician) to New York where she pounded the pavement trying to get a book to illustrate. Her first book was WILSON SAT ALONE for Simon and Schuster.

       Currently Diane has completed fourteen picture books. She starts her day by walking or bike riding to the beach, about eight blocks away. This helps her clear my head and think about her day to come. Her dogs, Willy and Emma, and her cat, Leo love to hang out in her studio and get into mischief. She appreciates their companionship, though, since she works alone. Diane usually has to work on different projects at once. Besides doing children's picture books, Diane also does textbook illustrations as well as artwork for magazines, cards and posters. She is either sketching on tracing paper or painting on watercolor paper with acrylic paint. Either way, she feels lucky to be able to create art for a living!

Published Books

WAYNETTA AND THE CORNSTALK, by Helen Ketteman (Author), Diane Greenseid (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (March 31, 2007)
ISBN-10: 0807586870 ISBN-13: 978-0807586877

Times sure are tough on the ranch, and Waynetta and her ma can use all the luck they can get. But when Waynetta trades their last longhorn for a handful of so-called magic corn, Ma is none too pleased. 'The only magic this corn's got is the disappearin' kind," she says, and tosses it out the window. But come the next morning, there's a giant cornstalk growing up to the sky, and Waynetta climbs it to find her own luck...

Reviews:
From School Library Journal Spunky cowgirl Waynetta and her mother live on a ranch where the lack of water has forced them to sell all but one cow. Finally, Ma has to ask her daughter to sell that "sorry-looking critter," but instead the girl exchanges it for some magic corn. In this exuberant reworking of "Jack and the Beanstalk," Waynetta reaches the top of a giant cornstalk to find "the biggest ranch she'd ever seen." Then she walks to the front door (readers must surmise that it belongs to a house) and is greeted by a giant woman who says, "I reckon you've come to take back the things my husband stole from your ma years ago." The giant, who looks like an old Wild West villain, arrives chanting, "Fee, fie, foe, fat,/I think 1 smell a cowgirl brat!/Fee, fie, foe, feet,/chicken-fried cowgirl is what I'll eat!" While Waynetta hides behind a giant-size bowl of beans, he brings out his treasures, "a longhorn no bigger than a barn cat" that deposits "a golden cowpat," a lariat that "never misses," and a "thimble-sized bucket" that "never runs out of water." Watercolor images in varying shades of brown with dramatic splashes of purples, reds, greens, and blues depict Waynetta's rickety old house surrounded by broken fences and desert landscape. A gun-toting, ax-wielding mother and other exaggerative characters accompany the rich Texan parlance that peppers this amusing read-aloud.

From Kirkus This Wild West version of Jack and the Beanstalk is sure to have readers breaking out their ten gallon hats and asking for some southwestern fare. Waynetta and her Ma own a hardscrabble ranch in Texas, but one long dry summer threatens to put them under. That is, until the last of the longhorns is traded for a handful of magic corn guaranteed to bring luck. At the top of the cornstalk, Waynetta finds just that luck in three things a mean giant stole from her family years ago: a longhorn that produces gold cowpats, a lariat that never misses and a bucket that never empties. It takes two trips and a brave face-off against the giant, but the feisty heroine manages to capture all three. In the process, she reforms the giant, making for a less violent ending. Greenseid's illustrations perfectly suit this Texas fairy tale. Her palette is filled with greens, yellows, reds and browns, while her characters sport stereotypical western attire. There'll be a showdown at any library not stocking this title."

TEENY WEENY BOP, by Margaret Read MacDonald (Author), Diane Greenseid (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Albert Whitman & Company (April 30, 2006),
ISBN-13: 978-0-8075-7992-3; ISBN-10: 0-8075-7992-0
Teeny Weeny Bop has found a gold coin. Her luck is made; she'll buy a pet pig! But while Teeny sleeps, the pig destroys the garden! Teeny needs a better pet-she's going to trade her pig for a cat. The cat destroys the living room! What kind of pet can live with Teeny Weeny Bop? How about a hamster? Maybe a slug?

Reviews:
From School Library Journal  The bright, energetic pictures match the silliness of this tale that combines several folkloric motifs. Readers will recognize the story of a foolish person who runs off to buy a pet after finding money and then repeatedly makes bad bargains (trading a gold coin for a pig, a pig for a cat, etc.) until she eventually ends up with nothing. Children familiar with nursery rhymes will catch on to the refrain based on To market, to market! The repetition of similar lines lends the tale to telling aloud, and youngsters will happily join in the fun when the narrator interrupts to ask them what they think will happen next. Teeny Weeny Bop never learns her lesson, and when she finds another coin, she is ready to enter the mad cycle again. The action only ends because the narrator intrudes and tells her that her silly story has to stop. Children will enjoy the colorful pictures and rhythmic text-Martha Simpson, Stratford Library Association, CT

From Booklist  MacDonald turns again to folk motifs in this a cheerful original tale, inspired by folktales in "the British tradition." A spry old lady, Teeny Weeny Bop, fritters away the gold coin she finds as she searches for a pet. When the pig she gets proves unsatisfactory, she trades it for a cat, which she trades for a hamster, and so on, until she ends up with a slimy slug, a bad pet, indeed. By incorporating words from Mother Goose, 'To market, to market...," MacDonald provides children with a familiar link to heighten the silly story. In a style reminiscent of her work in books such as Jacqueline Woodson's We Had a Picnic This Sunday Past (1997), Greenseid uses heavy brush strokes, bright colors, and significant dark blue and purple underpainting to give her humorously exaggerated characters and scenes a jaunty look to match the telling. Suggest MacDonald's Pickin' Pears (1998) from the American South or The Girl Who Wore Too Much (1998), a folktale from Thailand, as follow-ups. John Warren Stewig

THE TROUBLE WITH TILLIE TRIMBLE, by Lynn Manuel (Author), Diane Greenseid (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Abrams Books for Young Readers; Library Binding edition (March 1, 2006)
ISBN 0-8109-5972-0
A sweet, read-aloud story of friendship for dog lovers everywhere. In the grand tradition of Peggy Rathman's Officer Buckle and Gloria and Kate DiCamillo's Because of Winn Dixie comes this tale of the relationship between a lonely person and a homeless pet that offers laughs and sincere emotion without being overly sweet. Tilly Trumble collects chairs, but she's still looking for the perfect four-legged, scruffy old thing to fill the space by the fire. When a scruffy dog arrives and doesn't want to leave, Tilly finds the perfect companion for her chair collecting, sausage eating, and star gazing. Dog owners especially will find warm satisfaction in this story of a pooch who teaches his human friend a lesson in love, loyalty, and furniture arranging.

Reviews
From School Library Journal  Tilly Trumble loves four-legged, scruffy old things-chairs in particular. She makes the rounds of yard sales, flea markets, and swap meets looking for just the right one to go in front of her fireplace. One day another type of scruffy old thing comes to her porch: a dog. Tilly tries hard to resist loving him, but readers know that, in the end, the something else that the woman needs to sit in front of her fire is the pooch. The descriptive language is creative, and the bold, exuberant acrylic illustrations are filled with electric shades of green and purple. The double-page image of Tilly hugging the dog is especially wonderful, as they both smile broadly. Even with its predictable ending (or maybe because of it), this is a satisfying story of two unique individuals finding one another.

From Booklist  Old Tilly Trumble scours flea markets, swap meets, and garage sales for chairs. She just loves them-lumpy, flowered, broken-down, "holding out their arms, inviting her to cozy up in their laps." The neighbors tease her about her four-legged finds, but Tilly is happy, except for one thing: she can't find the right chair for a special space by the fire. After a scruffy old dog appears on her porch and decides to stay, Tilly finds her affection for four--legged things unexpectedly broadened, and also gets a new furry friend, just right for that fireside space. The vividly hued acrylic illustrations, heightened by neon accents, are expressive and animated, incorporating numerous playful details and perspectives. ....

KALLALOO! A Caribbean Tale, by Phillis and David Gershator, Diane Greenseid (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Marshall Cavendish Children's Books (March 31, 2005)
ISBN: 0-7614-5110-2

In this West Indian version of *'Stone Soup," an old woman claims to have found a magic shell that can make kallaloo, a popular Caribbean gumbo.

Reviews
From Children's Literature  The folk tale of making soup from stones or "nothing" is found in many cultures. This version set in the Caribbean, is vibrant, funny and clever. Poor Granny is very hungry but has no food or money. When fishing proves unsuccessful, she decides to use a shell as the basis for a pot of soup. At the outdoor market. Granny ingeniously manages to get everyone to contribute something to the soup by convincing them that her shell has magical powers. After the addition of the last ingredient, fungee, the crowd gleefully enjoys the free soup and gives a resounding cheer for Granny and her wonderful kallaloo. The strong, lively illustrations have the feel of the Caribbean and are a first-class addition to the story. As an added bonus, instructions for making kallaloo, either for a crowd or just two, are included on the last page. 2005, Marshall Cavendish, Ages 4 to 8.

From School Library Journal " 'Lunchtime,' said Granny, 'and me belly bawling.' But her cupboard was bare." So begins this West Indian version of the ever-popular "Stone Soup" in lilting language. Granny and her hungry stomach have a conversation about what they are going to do as she sits fishing, but not catching anything. Then she comes upon a shell and decides to make soup with it. She runs to the Market Square crying, '"1 find it!'" Of course, everyone is curious, especially when she declares that the shell can make soup, and if someone brings her a pot of water, she'll prove it. As the people gather, they each contribute an ingredient until a big pot of savory kallaloo, a Caribbean gumbo, is ready to be shared by all. This humorous tale can be enjoyed alone, but is well suited to reading aloud. Greenseid's bright and vibrant acrylic illustrations are a perfect interpretation of the text and bring the setting to life. A well-written, engaging, and gentle story about sharing and the power of working together to achieve a goal.-Mary N. Oluonye, Shaker Heights Public Library, OH Copyright 2005 Reed Business Information

Award:
An NCSS-CBC Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People

WHEN THE PIGS TOOK OVER, by Arthur Dorros(Author), Diane Greenseid (Illustrator), Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Dutton Juvenile; 1st ed edition (February 18, 2002)
ISBN 0525420304

Here is a riotous tale of two brothers-one small but enormously sensible, one big but a little crazy-told with the warmth and sprinkling of Spanish found in the author's other beloved, groundbreaking books, Abuela and Isla. Don Carlos always likes more. "AM&aacutes!" he says. More! More what? More of anything: He likes to wear more hats (sometimes ten at a time). He likes more ice cream (he'll eat several cones at once). But most of all, he likes to serve more at his restaurant, the only one in town. People love to eat his huge platters of food and listen to his little brother Alonzo's beautiful violin playing. But, never content, Don Carlos decides to add another dish to his menu-caracoles, snails. Unfortunately, the snails have their own dining plans, and soon the town is overrun by plague after plague of greedy animals. Its up to little Alonzo to clean up his brother's latest, greatest excess.

Reviews:
From Publishers Weekly A surfeit of snails, a bevy of blackbirds and a plethora of pigs take turns overrunning a New Mexican town in Dorros's (Abuela) comic tale of two very different siblings. Grandiose restaurateur Don Carlos (wearing several hats, turquoise boots and an oversize monogrammed belt buckle) applies his more-is-better-thinking to the menu, adding snails to the lineup and sets off an entire chain of events. He enlists his violin-playing (and more pragmatic) younger brother, Alonzo, to gather wheelbarrows full of the gastropods. Greenseid's (Mrs. Piccolo's Easy Chair) cheery paintings, saturated in fiesta--bright colors, inject hilarity into the proceedings. Slightly plump people and edifices recoil from the infestation of cara-coles winding among the village streets. Alonso suggests they bring in birds to eat the snails, and then pigs. Each time, Don Carlos calls for more snails, with disastrous results: in one spread, frantic townsfolk hide under umbrellas and in garbage cans while birds nest atop heads and commandeer a baby carriage. Other vignettes chronicle the pigs' pursuit of food as they topple iceboxes, upend barrels and break dishes in the restaurant. With a variation on the Pied Piper theme, Alonzo leads the villagers in a band to expel the swine; the people pick up instruments and their cacophonous tunes do the trick. Spiced with Spanish phrases, this story and its clever ending will have children calling for more snails when it's through.

From School Library Journal Don Carlos is one flamboyant dude. He always goes just a bit over the top, whether he's wearing seven hats at once, eating four ice-cream cones at a time, or deciding to expand the menu at his restaurant. "M s!" "More!" is his constant
refrain. His much younger brother, Alonzo, is the polar opposite-the soul of restraint. Believing in common sense and moderation, he indulges in only one thing-extravagant violin playing at the restaurant. He tries continually (and unsuccessfully) to rein in Don Carlos, but to no avail. However, when Carlos decides he simply must serve snails as one of his entrees , he begins a chain of events that results in a change for both brothers. This humorous, gentle story smoothly incorporates Spanish words and phrases (defined, with pronunciation, in the glossary at the front of the book) into a rollicking narrative that will carry young listeners with it. Greenseid's antic, primitive acrylic illustrations in bright, hot colors provide a fitting accompaniment to this jazzy tale. Pair this story with Margot Zemach's It Could Always Be Worse (Farrar, 1990) for a look at the nature of surfeit and the lessons it teaches.

GET UP AND GO, by Stuart Murphy (Author), Diane Greenseid (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 34 pages Publisher: Harpercollins Children's Books; 1st ed edition (August 1996)
1996 ISBN 0060258810
Brrring! An alarm clock rings. It's time to get up and go! A smart dog builds timelines to keep track of the time going by as he helps a second-grader get ready for school. There's not a moment's rest until her school bus is out of sight. If more of us had dogs like Sammie, maybe we'd never be late!

Review:
From Children's Literature  The premise of this series is that everyday activities can be part of learning math. A little girl has trouble getting up in the morning, and this book follows her progress and explores the concept of time lines. Time lines are shown to represent her progress as she gets out of bed, eats breakfast and brushes her teeth. The time line that represents the 36 minutes it takes her to get ready for school is shown over and over again, with numerous opportunities for the reader to count. A brief parent's guide is included. This is a Level 2, "Math Start" book.

Award:
Annual Best Children's Science Book List, 1996 ; Science Books & Films; United States

WE HAD A PICNIC THIS SUNDAY PAST, Jacqueline Woodson (Author), Diane Greenseid (Author) ,Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Hyperion; 1st ed edition (June 15, 1998)
ISBN 1998 0786802421

Publisher: Jump At The Sun (June 1, 2007)

Through Teeka's eyes, readers will discover the humor, love, and, of course, the wonderful food that make up the quintessential family picnic.

Reviews
From Kirkus The teaming of Woodson and Greenseid is a marriage made in heaven: vivacious, finger-snapping prose and electric painting full of attitude. The scene is an urban park where a family picnic is gathering speed. A grandmother and the young narrator arrive with fried chicken, biscuits, and quick, stunning comments on each and every family member as they appear, sometimes as asides and sometimes with hoots and sass. Every contribution to the picnic table is judged, and the folks who come empty-handed are in for a good ribbing: "Nobody can eat that smile you brought for the cameras. Moon Pie." Bible-thumpers show up, as do cousins mean, sweet, and shifty. Grandma's paramour appears, and everyone awaits Cousin Martha's arrival, with her dreaded dry apple pie "You better eat every bite of it so you don't hurt Martha's feelings." For that sentiment is the heart of this book: Despite the teasing and joking, the gathering of the grand African-American extended family brims with love and acceptance. When they sit down at a table of plenty with two luxurious store-bought cakes as Cousin Martha's contribution and the narrator says, "You should have been there," readers will have to agree. (Picture book. 4-8)

From Publishers Weekly Novelist Woodson (I Hadn't Meant to Tell You This) turns to a tale for the younger set with this bouncy story about an annual family picnic. Teeka, the young narrator, accompanies her grandma to the park with a basket of fried chicken and biscuits. Soon her best friend Paulette and various family members arrive, bearing bowls and bags of home-cooked food and desserts. Each is introduced through Teeka's eyes: Reverend Luke, who wields a Bible, "can eat like the devil-strange, since he's such a holy man" and "Moon Pie is really Joseph, but don't he look just like a Moon Pie?-came empty-handed, too." But where is Cousin Martha and her infamous, dried-out apple pie? Everyone chows down, and when Martha finally does show up-with a store-bought cake ("No time to bake")-Grandma greets her with a little white lie: "Oh, but Cousin Martha, all year long, I've been thinking about your pie." The snippets of dialogue help keep this story lively, but it's Greenseid's (When Aunt Lena Did the Rhumba) effervescent illustrations, done in candy-bright acrylics that inject the pizzazz. One hilarious spread shows Auntie Sadie's shocked face when she finds her corn cobs covered with flies (plastic flies, contributed by naughty Cousin Terrance, whom readers see fleeing his parents in the background). In another, roly-poly Moon Pie literally spills across the spread. Readers will enjoy the gentle fun poked at family gatherings here.

From School Library Journal Readers join Teeka's sprawling urban African-American family for their annual picnic in the park and experience an event so joyous and loving that they'll feel they were there. Electrified, rhythmic language catches one's attention from the first phrase: "Grandma wore her blue dress with all those flowers on it. Brought biscuits and chicken and me." One by one, readers meet the folks who gather and are captured by Teeka's sharp eye and tongue: "Uncle Luther set a loaf of cinnamon bread in the center of things. Grandma, smiling, just as proud, said 'Can't my boy bake himself some bread!'" The observations are loosely bound together by the family's collective suspense about whether Aunt Martha will arrive with her traditionally dried-out apple pies and by all the other food that arrives at the party. Every vividly hued page reveals a new family member and some small, familiar interaction. The acrylic illustrations on double-page spreads are so energetic that they nearly leap off the pages. Faces reveal warmth and humor. The text, in felt-tip pen and backed by a contrasting border, adds to the casual, open feel of the book. This title will be a great companion to Cynthia Rylant's The Relatives Came (S & S, 1985). This picnic is a grand event for group read-alouds and competent independent readers. 

Awards:
Kirkus Book Review Stars, 1998; United States
Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People, 1999 ; National Council for the Social Studies NCSS; United States
Recommended Literature: Kindergarten through Grade Twelve, 2002; California Department of Education; California
School Library Journal Book Review Stars, May 1998; Cahners; United States
State and Provincial Reading Lists: Texas Reading Club, 2004; Texas

Presentations

In the Beginning

Kids are always curious as to how I became a children's book illustrator, so I like to start my talks describing my very earliest artistic interests. I hope I inspire them also to follow their own dreams to be whatever they wish to be.

From Studio to Book-Shelf

A PowerPoint slide show demonstrates how I go about making a picture book from initial sketch to finished illustration. I also show the inside scoop on where I live and how I go about my day as an artist. I bring lots of show and tell—tracing paper sketches, blow-up drawings ready for transfer, paints, brushes, publisher's proofs, and the final "fold and gathered" books.

Drawing!

This part of my presentation gets rave reviews. I first show the children how I start with a rough, scribbly drawing. I then put additional layers of tracing paper on top, refining the image little by little until I arrive at a satisfactory drawing. I make sure to let the kids know that its ok to make mistakes along the way!

We then do a number of interactive drawing activities, depending on the time limit. In one such activity, I ask a child to act out an emotion-sad, happy, angry, or scared. Then I show them through drawings how I would portray these same emotions. The kids help out by suggesting "angry" colors, "happy" symbols for clothing patterns, etc. This demonstrates how emotion can be shown in facial expressions, clothes, body movement, even hair.

Question and Answer

There's always plenty of questions and I love to answer every one of them. I usually allow 5-10 minutes for question and answer time. Its always fun for me to hear what the kids have to say.

My sessions for grades 2-6th are 45 minutes and K-l, 20-30 minutes. My preference is to do groups up to 150, but can also do larger assemblies. Number of sessions to be determined according to each individual school's needs.

Needs for Presentation:

Two tables: 1 large and one smaller with wheels (for laptop/projector) Screen
Room dark enough to show slides
Easel
Water

Fees: Please contact me to discuss fees for your school visit. I love doing these presentations,
so I hope to hear from you!

Some comments from teachers of 2006-2007 school visits:

"EVERYONE enjoyed the presentation. The teachers were impressed on how prepared you were. They said your presentation flowed easily which kept the students interested and captivated. They also said they enjoyed your method of over-laying with tracing paper to a finished drawing. They are anxious to try it with their students.' Becky Foothill Knolls School

"Great presentation and wonderful illustrations. So good for the kids to see that these things don't happen overnight and that you put hard work and discipline into art. Also the "scribbly" start up drawings were great for those of us who really never get past that stage-made us feel artistic too! Thanks again!" Melodie, Eagle Rock Elementary school

"We all appreciated how you were able to connect with various age levels and learning abilities. My assistant saw the 3rd grade presentation as well as the kinder/ELD and was impressed how you adjusted your program for older children. Having the kinders and Limited English kids interact was important. I'm glad you suggested familarizing them with your work. That established a connection. The children and I said that your work was colorful and funny and that it made us happy. It helps create an excitement about reading and writing their own stories. The adults learned a lot too." —Alicia, Stone Creek School

"Our students and staff and families loved having you. We so enjoyed your visit and continue to feast on your many illustrations. Please come back next year." —Aline, Peabody School

"Diane's presentation was wonderful! She really explained the illustration process, and brought the books to life. The children loved the demonstration illustrations she did and hearing her personal story about how she became an illustrator. We loved her presentation and she was super easy to work with. My kids are still enjoying her books!" —Kristen, Tijeras Creek School

"I thought Mrs. Greenseid was very organized and her use of the PowerPoint presentation with the photos was great. It was very visual which held the students' attention. The students thought the pictures in her slide show were very funny and they especially enjoyed her demonstration on how she does her illustrations. They really enjoyed her drawing." —Various teachers. University Park

"The kids really enjoyed your visit and we will keep you on our list for Illustrators Day for another year!"-Emilie, Rancho Canada Elementary

And from the students:

"I love your drawings. When I grow-up I want to be an illustrator just like you."
"You are my favorite illustrator. I hope you come back to our school. And your presentation was the best"
"You are the best illustrator ever. I wish I could remember all the fun things you told us. I'm glad I got to see an illustrator."

Contact

Diane Greenseid

mailto:dianegreenseid@ca.rr.com

Website http://www.dianegreenseid.com

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