The Tale of Rabbit and Coyote

Poor Coyote What's he doing, hanging upside down in the farmer's house, next to a pot of boiling water? How'd he wind up underneath the jicara tree, getting bonked by rock-hard fruit? Who tricked him into whacking a wasps' nest with a stick? And why is he always howling at the moon?

Because of Rabbit, that's why Longtime collaborators Tony Johnston and Tomie dePaola look to the folklore of Oaxaca, Mexico, for this nutty, naughty tale of trickery and hijinks. Written with sly humor and illustrated in the vibrant golds, blues, and reds of the Southwest, this is a story with a flavor as distinctive as chile peppers.

Tony Johnston is the award-winning author of more than 100 beloved children’s books. Throughout her career, she has worked at a children’s bookstore, taught a course on picture book writing at UCLA, and studied poetry writing for children with Myra Cohn Livingston. Johnston lives with her family in San Marino, California, where she grew up.

Tomie dePaola was born in Meriden, Connecticut, in 1934, to a family of Irish and Italian background. His determination to create books for children led to a BFA from Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, New York, and an MFA from the California College of Arts & Crafts in Oakland, California.

His particular way with color, line, detail, and design have earned him many of the most prestigious awards in his field, among them a Caldecott Honor Award for Strega Nona, the Smithsonian Medal, the Kerlan Award from the University of Minnesota for his ＂singular attainment in children’s literature,＂ the Catholic Library Association’s Regina Medal for his ＂continued distinguished contribution,＂ and the University of Southern Mississippi Medallion. He was also the 1990 United States nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for illustration, and received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award for lifetime contribution to children’s literature in 2011.

DePaola has published almost 200 children’s books in 15 different countries over the past 30 years. Among his most well-known titles are the Strega Nona series, 26 Fairmount Avenue, and The Legend of the Indian Paintbrush.

DePaola lives in an interesting house in New Hampshire with his four dogs. His studio is in a large renovated 200-year-old barn.