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Jeremy Tankard

Author/Illustrator

Toronto, Ontario
Email: jeremy@jeremytankard.com
Web: www.jeremytankard.com

Born: May 21st, 1973, Cape Town, South Africa
Family: Married, one daughter

Biography

I was born in Cape Town, South Africa, but I left at the age of five for a new life in the United States. My family lived first in Columbia, South Carolina, then Hazard, Kentucky, and finally Knoxville, Tennessee before making another move. This time we landed in Canada where I still live today.

As a child I often entertained myself by creating little books. They often featured a pig family who had a series of misadventures. The only words in the books were "Hallo", "HALP!", and "Bye bye"--probably because they were the only words I knew how to spell--sort of. Luckily I've learned how to spell some other words since then!

I studied drawing and printmaking at the Alberta College of Art and Design before embarking on a career as an illustrator. My illustrations have appeared in many magazines and ad campaigns including Time, The New York Times, Guitar Player, and The Boston Globe among others.

Then, almost three decades after my first literary efforts and armed with a new and improved vocabulary, I started writing stories again. My first picture book, Grumpy Bird, was published by Scholastic Press. What I thought would never be more than a hobby has turned out to be a full-time gig! Isn't life great?

Published Works

Grumpy Bird, Scholastic NY, 2007

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