Ed Young

Ed Young grew up in Shanghai in the uncertain atmosphere of war in the 1940's. Illness kept him from starting to school at the normal age; and when he did start his formal education, he was a head taller than his younger classmates. His seat at the back of the class did nothing to encourage academic success. School also took a back seat in his areas of interest, so he often used study time to draw or imagine. In spite of the political atmosphere of the times, his parents provided a comfortable home life filled with a variety of international friends who either lived nearby or who were associated with St. John's University, an Episcopal institution where Young's father served as dean of engineering.

Architectural school seemed to be a fitting destination for Young, who inherited his mother's artistic ability as well as his father's sense of design. As did his father, Young traveled to the United States at the age of twenty to attend a university. The young man heeded his uncle's advice and dedicated himself to discover his strengths after he arrived in the United States. Eventually a love for art drew him to the Art Center College of Design in Los Angeles, where he graduated in 1957. A brief career in advertising art in New York preceded Young's fateful encounter in 1962 with Ursula Nordstrom, the esteemed editor of children's books at Harper's. Ms. Nordstrom's legendary instinct for talent held true and she immediately offered Young a contract for a children's picture book. Nearly forty years after their meeting, Young dedicated Monkey King to "Ursula, for her integrity and conviction, which placed quality above profit." Similar words could be used to describe Ed Young.

" Respect" is the word that guides Ed Young as he ventures into foreign cultures and ancient times as fodder for his books. He approaches each new character or creature with fresh eyes, even though he has illustrated more than 70 books, never relying on previous ideas to speed the project. Each new challenge deserves the same research and dedication as the many others he conquered in the past. And even when the foil of the book is an infamous villain, such as the wolf in Lon Po Po, he treats it with respect and unmatched empathy.

Young's root in China helped him absorb the idea that children do not have to be placated with a happy ending for each story they are offered. Neither do children have to be protected from menacing threats found in both folklore and life, including wolves and atomic bombs. His readers are required to think as they turn the pages in his books. Some of the artist's works require the readers to fill in blanks with their imaginations, as in his adaptation of Monkey King; nevertheless, Young has an ability to distrill complicated myths or folklore into a picture-book format without losing the mood of the original story. His work both illuminates the unique qualities of each culture it explores and reveals the universality of life experiences.

After immigrating to the United States, Ed Young followed his uncle's admonition and discovered strengths that led to great success. The artist has won a Caldecott Medal for Lon Po Po, Caldecott honors for The Emperor and the Kite and Seven Blind Mice, and many other awards. Today, Young lives in New York with his wife, Filomena, and two daughters, Antonia and Ananda.

From Tai Chi Chuan, an ancient Chinese meditative movement he embraces, Young learned a dicipline and a way of life that has impacted his art. He shares his thoughts with artists young and old:

Be open to inspiration.
Inspiration leads to creativity.
Be open to play.
In play we see mistakes as stepping-stones to fulfillment.
Be open to challenges.
Challenges offer us a chance to grow.
Be open to work.
It is in the willingness of labor that we mature and find excellence.

Ed Young
Image ©Gordon Trice