Press materials for Anna Alter

On this page you will find:

* Press releases

Here are some photos of Anna, click on thumbnail for a high resolution version you can drag to your desktop!
Please email Anna if you wish to use the image in your publication.

BIO # 1: abbreviated

Anna Alter began drawing at an early age, encouraged by her artist parents and a creative household. As a child, Anna was always involved in an art project of some kind, and by the age of fourteen she knew that writing and illustrating books for children was what she wanted to spend her life doing. After studying illustration at the Rhode Island School of Design, her dream came true.

Anna writes and illustrates books out of her home in Northampton, MA. Her personal and character driven stories aim to give kids a place to see themselves in the world. She feels books are a unique art form in their ability to fully absorb and transport their reader, and is always enthusiastic to share her excitement for books and the creative process with children.

In addition to writing and illustrating, Anna visits schools to speak about her work. Her original paintings are frequently shown in various venues around New England.

BIO # 2: expanded

Anna Alter grew up in Charlottesville, Virginia in a house full of artists. Because both her parents and sisters were always involved in a creative endeavor of some kind, Anna was exposed to many different ways of making art; from posing for her father’s photographs, to her mother’s painting and collage artwork, to her sister’s adventures in printmaking and painting.

Anna has always been drawn to books as a form of self expression. She writes stories that stem from her experiences as a child, and a teacher. With characters that readers can easily relate to, her books give children a place to see themselves in the world. Her stories reflect the complicated, difficult, beautiful intricacy of childhood.

After graduating with a BFA in Illustration from the Rhode Island School of Design, Anna entered into her career in children’s publishing at Houghton Mifflin Company, where she worked in the children’s book design department for three years. There she learned about the inner workings of a major children’s book publisher, which helped her to begin her freelance career as an author and an illustrator. When her first picture book, Estelle and Lucy, was published in 2001 it was a dream come true.

This book was followed soon after by a retelling of the classic nursery rhyme The Three Little Kittens, and her next authored and illustrated book, Francine’s Day. She continues to write and illustrate her own books, sometimes illustrating books written by other authors.

Throughout the course of her career in publishing, Anna has spent much of her time working with children. She was a preschool teacher for five years, and has taught art workshops to kids in the Boston area. Anna shows her original paintings frequently in various galleries and other venues around New England. She presently resides in Northampton, Massachusetts, where she freelances out of her home.

BIO # 1: first person

I began drawing at an early age; both my parents were artists and encouraged me to be as creative as I wanted to be. I was always surrounded by beautiful books, and have wanted to create them ever since. I consider writing and illustrating books for children a great privilege, a passion and the most wonderful job a person could have.

Though as a child I was always involved in an art project of some kind, it was not until I was a teenager that I began writing stories to go along with my pictures. I knew at the age of fourteen that this was what I wanted to spend my life doing. I was lucky enough to attend the Rhode Island School of Design, where I pursued children’s book illustration right from the start. My first book with Greenwillow, Estelle and Lucy, began at RISD as a project in one of my studio classes.

After I graduated I quickly moved to Boston, portfolio in hand. I began working at a children’s book publisher and learning about the steps I needed to take to pursue my childhood dream. Once I was able to have my stories and illustrations published, I knew that all the time spent chasing this career was well worth it.

I have never differentiated between the art on walls and in museums, and the art in picture books. I feel books are a unique art form in their ability to fully absorb and transport their reader. My hope is that the stories I’ve written, and the art that supports them, gives children a place to see themselves in the world.

INTERVIEW QUESTIONS (Anna often gets asked these questions by kids or students)

Where did you grow up?
Charlottesville, Virginia.

Why did you become an author/illustrator?
I always loved to draw and paint, it felt like a really good way for me to express myself. When I was a kid, books were both a way to understand the world, and escape from it when I needed to. Making books is very similar, I get to create my own world, and then offer it to other people to escape into.

Why do you usually have animal characters in your books?
When I was growing up we had many animals- cats and dogs, guinea pigs, fish and hamsters. Animals have always captured my imagination and they can do things in a story than people can't.

What does your studio look like?
The wall of my studio are covered in pictures of places I've visited, paintings by artists I admire, and clippings or quotes that I like to look at for inspiration. I like to surround myself with things I find visually interesting, that give me ideas when I get stuck on a project.

What is the greatest reward for you as an author/illustrator?
The greatest reward is when people (kids or adults) read my books and feel moved by them. It is really gratifying to see that someone understands what you were trying to express and is inspired by it. It makes me feel, as an artist, that I have put something beautiful into the world.

What was the most challeging obstacle for you to overcome to become when you began?
Getting your first publishing contract is the most difficult thing about getting started. It can take a long time, and your work has to be up to a certain level. You also have to submit it to the right publisher at the right time. It is challenging to learn how to to take rejection and criticism well, to respond to comments about your work that you receive from editors and art directors without letting it discourage you.

What advice can you offer to an aspiring children book illustrator?
The best advice I can offer is to thoroughly dedicate yourself to the genre. Read as much as you can, paint as much as you can, research as much as you can, really get a feel for the field. It is very competitive out there, so you have to be very focused and push yourself to create something unique. Whatever direction you go in, make sure that it stems from who you are as a person, that you are playing to your strengths.