Irene Kelly is an award winning author and illustrator. Her books include: Ebbie & Flo, It's a Hummingbird's Life, and most recently, A Small Dog's Big Life: Around the World with Owney. This year, Irene had a solo exhibition of her illustrations at the Children's Museum of the Arts in New York City.
Irene has been visiting schools, libraries and museums with her writing and illustrating assemblies and workshops since 1998. The highlight of her summer this year was speaking to a group of children and adults about writing and illustrating at the Smithsonian Museum in Washington D.C.
Irene lives with her family in Maplewood, New Jersey.
ISBN-10: 0823421023 ISBN-13: 978-0823421022 
How does a bird make its nest? Very carefully! Many birds build intricate nests out of twigs, leaves, feathers, mud--even dollar bills and clothespins. some nests are gigantic, housing hundreds of birds or weighing as much as a car, while others are just large enough to keep one egg safe and warm.
It's a Butterfly's Life by Irene Kelly (Illustrator) Reading level: Ages 4-8 Library Binding: 32 pages Publisher: Holiday House (April 15, 2007) 
ISBN-10: 082341860X ISBN-13: 978-0823418602
What is a butterfly’s life? It’s full of twists and turns as butterfly glide on air currents. It’s full of dips and dives as they show off for their mates. There are more than 17,000 kinds of butterflies in the world. Some of them will only live for a few days. Others will migrate thousands of miles to winter in a warmer climate. Still others will hibernate through the cold months. For all butterflies, life begins with etamorphosis. In one of nature’s most amazing feats, caterpillars become creatures of beauty and grace. Filled with winsome illustrations and a delightful design that looks like an artist’s sketchbook, this is an inspiring companion to "It’s a Hummingbird’s Life".
A companion to It's a Hummingbird's Life
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal This entertaining book allows children to comprehend the complexity of the natural world, and it will encourage their appreciation of butterflies. ..this is a delightful book to share with children and would be a splendid resource for reports ....Kirsten Cutler, Sonoma County Library, CA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Kirkus "Almost any five-year-old can tell you the basics of a butterflies life. The little egg lands on a leaf. The caterpillar hatches, eats an enormous amount, forms a chrysalis and then- a beautiful butterfly! Kelly, in this superb companion to Its A Hummingbirds Life (2003), takes these facts to a detailed and altogether fascinating levels. The watercolor illustrations are clear and vibrant, with different species of butterflies clearly labeled. A book that proves science nonfiction can be accurate, factual and completely engrossing, this is a must for libraries and any curious nature lovers."
From Booklist With a simple, informative text and detailed illustrations, this picture book introduces young children to exciting scientific detail about butterflies. Each picture shows a particular species, which Kelly carefully names even as she describes common behaviors. The Bathmore Checkerspot searches for the right plant on which to lay its eggs; migrating monarchs fly up to 80 miles in just one day. Several pages depict the metamorphosis from egg to caterpillar to chrysalis to butterfly. The entomology in simple words and delicately modeled ink, watercolor, and gouache artwork will make kids look closely at the natural world around them; some kids may even want to take up the suggestion to plant a butterfly garden. Hazel Rochman
Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
A Small Dog's Big Life: Around The World With Owney by Irene Kelly Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Holiday House (March, 2005)
ISBN: 0823418634
A Small Dog’s Big Life: Around the World with Owney, tells the true story of an unusual dog who captured the public’s imagination in the late 1800’s. Owney was a stray who wandered into an Albany New York post office and became an unlikely world traveler. Riding on mailbags, he crisscrossed the country on postal trains before eventually sailing all the way around the globe. Owney and his adventures were avidly followed by newspaper readers around the U.S., and he became known as the ‘Greatest Dog Traveler in the World’.
Piecing together the facts of Owney’s exciting life, Irene Kelly has written letters, telegrams, and newspaper accounts that tell a colorful story about a captivating nineteenth-century celebrity.
Editorial Reviews
From School Library Journal ... Overall, this is an effective treatment of a tale that's strange but true. Young dog lovers will be fascinated.–Rachael Vilmar, Atlanta Fulton Public Library, GA Copyright Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
From Booklist ... In fictionalized letters and newspaper accounts, illustrated by lively watercolor paintings, Kelly recounts the story of the dog who traveled the world and returned each time to cozy welcome in the post office. The lively pictures evoke both the daring adventure and the warm story about those who loved the mutt with strong, spindly legs and "a straggly, but waggly, tail." Hazel Rochman Copyright American Library Association. All rights reserved
From Kirkus, June 1, 2005 ...The unorthodox format is well suited to spark interest in… reading and writing…both in and out of the classroom. Using a liberal variety of fonts and writing styles alongside her bright, mixed-media drawings, Kelly develops a kaleidoscopic story.
It's a Hummingbird's Life by Irene Kelly Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Holiday House; 1st edition (February, 2003) 
ISBN: 0823416585
What is a hummingbird’s life like? It’s busy, busy, busy! From morning to night, spring to winter, these tiny birds work nonstop. They eat more than eight times their weight in nectar every day and migrate hundreds of miles to Mexico every winter. On top of that, they perform amazing aerial stunts with their rotating wings, which beat more than three thousand times every minute!
This artfully designed and illustrated book is brimming with facts about ruby-throated hummingbirds. It offers an intimate view of the small but fascinating world of these jewel-like birds.
AWARDS:
A John Burroughs List of Nature Books for Young Readers Selection, 2003
A Nick Jr. Magazine Best Book for Kids, 2003
A Society of School Librarians International Honor Book, 2003
Bank Street College Best Children’s Books of the Year Selection, 2003
Editorial Reviews
(starred review) From School Library Journal A whimsical look at the traits and tendencies of these fascinating creatures. Kelly follows the activities of the ruby-throated hummingbird throughout the seasons, relating facts and bits of trivia. For example, hummingbirds cannot smell and they depend on their eyesight when they are selecting flowers, and their wings beat at the rate of 3000 times per minute. "As soon as it gets nippy, most U.S. hummers take off for Mexico or South and Central America, where they will spend the winter." The tiny pen-and-ink and watercolor illustrations effectively show the features described and comparisons drawn in the narrative. The text is printed in a flowing pattern that mimics the bird's erratic flight. This title will fly off the shelves. Barbara L. McMullin, Casita Center for Technology, Science & Math, Vista, CA Copyright 2003 Reed Business Information, Inc
From Kirkus Reviews .“Sweet, colorful, and fluttery, this bright little jewel is as cheerful as the bird it depicts.”
WHAT THE PRESS HAD TO SAY:
“Illustrated in soft watercolors with light type that swirls and swoops across the page like its subjects…It’s a Hummingbird’s Life is likely to be inspiring for young ornithologists, and may appeal as well to the more mechanically minded, who will be fascinated to read that a hummingbird’s wings can rotate in a full circle ‘just like a helicopter’s blades.’ A terrific job.” –The New York Times
A fact-filled, exquisitely illustrated glance at some of the world’s smallest birds.” – Nick Jr. Magazine
Ebbie & Flo by Irene Kelly Reading level: Ages 4-8 Hardcover: 32 pages Publisher: Smith & Kraus (May, 1998)
ISBN: 1575251159
Ebbie is a smart little salmon who wants to stay in his nest, safe and snug in the small stream where he was born. Flo is Ebbie’s twin sister. She wants to explore the whole river, the estuary and even the deep blue sea.
Come with Ebbie and Flo as they ride rapids, evade hungry predators, plunge over waterfalls and confront a killer whale. It’s a true science adventure where anything can happen and anyone can be a hero.
AWARDS:
International Reading Association-Children’s Book Council - Children’s Choice selection, 1999
Editorial Reviews
From Publishers Weekly A first for the author as well as the first in this publisher's new children's imprint, this work playfully combines information about the salmon life cycle with a fictional adventure story. Inseparable since they were adjacent eggs in a rocky stream, two salmon siblings are opposites: "Flo was daring. She nibbled the worm at the end of a fishing hook. Ebbie fainted." But when Ebbie needs to be brave to save his sister from a killer whale, he comes through. .... Kelly's pastels offset deep marine-blue water with generous splashes of other colors, so that the iridescent salmon and underwater rocks seem to shimmer. ... the humorously expressive fish and vivid illustrations add up to a thoroughly enjoyable fish story. Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From School Library Journal The impressionistic illustrations are bright, colorful, and suitably bubbly. A Patricia Manning, formerly at Eastchester Public Library, NY Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
ASSEMBLIES
Creating Books
(It is important that the students not be familiar with Ebbie & Flo before my visit).
How does an idea become a book? I lead the students through the process of creating a book, using my original artwork from Ebbie & Flo to illustrate each step along the way. During this engaging and informative presentation, I show the evolution of my illustrations from sketches and storyboards to pastel drawings and finally the printers full-color press sheets. We also explore the writing process, with an emphasis on the importance of character development, plot, editing and rewriting.
Running time: 30-40 minutes
Grades K-2 (250 audience limit, though the smaller the better)
Up to 4 presentations per day
A Dogs Tale
(It is important that the students have read A Small Dogs Big Life; Around the World with Owney before my visit).
This assembly is based on my book, A Small Dogs Big Life; Around the World with Owney . I start with a PowerPoint presentation about writing, focusing primarily on the mysterious origins of ideas. This presentation is similar to Creating Books in that we discuss how a book is made: writing, editing, sketching, editing, dummies, editing, storyboards, editing, final artwork, and editing (can't emphasize editing enough). The different challenges of working with a fiction and a non-fiction subject are considered, regarding both writing and illustrating.
Running time: approximately 40 minutes
Grades: K-5 (250 audience limit, though the smaller the better)
Up to 4 presentations per day
Its a Butterflys Life
(It is important that the students have read Its a Butterflys Life before my visit).
This assembly is based on my book, Its a Butterflys Life . I start with a PowerPoint presentation about writing, focusing primarily on the mysterious origins of ideas. This presentation is similar to Creating Books in that we discuss how a book is made: writing, editing, sketching, editing, dummies, editing, storyboards, editing, final artwork, and editing (can't emphasize that enough). The different challenges of working with a fiction and a non-fiction subject are considered, regarding both writing and illustrating.
Running time: approximately 40 minutes
Grades: K-5 (250 audience limit, though the smaller the better)
Up to 4 presentations per day
WRITING WORKSHOPS
(The writing workshops are based on the A Dogs Tale or Its a Butterflys Life assembly).
A Dogs Tale Writing Workshop
This writing workshop takes students on a round the world writing adventure in which they look at Owneys life from his point of view. Students examine character, voice, and other driving forces involved in the composition of a story. These sessions are collaborative, creative, and lots of fun. By the end of the workshop, each student will have written and illustrated their story in an accordion book shaped like a doghouse.
Grades 2 5.
Dear Diary Writing Workshop
In these workshops, we consider the importance of voice in writing, with an emphasis on non-fiction. The students create a diary from the point-of-view of a caterpillar, using the voice of a caterpillar. Working as a group, we discuss metamorphosis and with my guidance, the students make their own books based on this process. The students leave the workshop with their very own accordion book, as well as a renewed appreciation of how much fun science, research, reading and writing can be.
Irene Kelly
Website http://www.irenekellybooks.com
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