Watch our Peter Sís Under Cover video interview, parts 1 & 2
-- School Library Journal, 5/18/2006
Watch Part 1 of the Interview NOW!
Watch Part 2 of the Interview NOW!
From Prague to Hollywood, from the Beatles to Jackie O., Peter Sís’s life just can’t be squeezed into one interview. In Part One, we learn about the circuitous route that Peter’s life—and car—took to get him to New York City. In Part Two, we hear about his award-filled career as an author and illustrator.
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![]() Starry Messenger | ![]() Play, Mozart, Play! |
When it comes to Peter Sís, the surprises never end. An illustrator and author, he’s taken subjects you would never imagine presenting to children and, in his own meticulous way, made them not just understandable but absolutely compelling.
A native of Brno, Czechoslovakia—and originally a filmmaker—Sís arrived in New York City in 1984. He quickly became known with the publication of the 1987 Newbery Medal Winner The Whipping Boy (Greenwillow) by Sid Fleishman. Since then he’s published twenty books, receiving almost as many honors, including New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Book of the Year for Rainbow Rhino (Knopf), Beach Ball (Greenwillow), Follow the Dream: The Story of Christopher Colombus (Knopf), Komodo! (Greenwillow), The Three Golden Keys (Farrar), and The Tree of Life: Charles Darwin (Farrar).
About Peter’s latest, Play, Mozart, Play! (Greenwillow), our reviewer says that “Sís unerringly chooses details that will have the most relevance for his audience and then selects the cleverest means of illustrating them.” We spoke to Peter about his remarkable career, newest work, and future plans.
Watch Part 1 of the interview now.
Watch Part 2 of the Interview NOW!
See our other Under Cover video interviews.
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