ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Alice Schertle
Alice Schertle (born in 1941) is an award-winning poet and author of more than 40 books for children, most well known for her New York Times bestselling series, Good Night, Little Blue Truck. She lives in Plainfield, MA.
As a child, Schertle was an avid reader and writer. After graduating from the University of Southern California in 1963, Schertle married and began teaching elementary school students in Inglewood, California. Following the birth of her first child two years later, she left her teaching job to devote herself full time to raising what would soon be three children. It was not until 1975, when her kids had grown old enough to allow her some free time, that she began writing again. Her first book for children, The Gorilla in the Hall, a story about a young boy's vivid imagination, was published in 1977. Schertle has said that she often discovered ideas for her stories based on the imagination and activities of her three children. She is quoted as saying, "I write children's books because I love them—always have”.
"We who write for young children share the considerable responsibility and the wonderful opportunity of showing them that words can paint pictures too."
Schertle collaborated with illustrator Jill McElmurry to create Little Blue Truck, about a friendly pick-up truck with a variety of animal friends. The first book, Little Blue Truck, was published in 2008, with many more books in the series to follow.
After McElmurry's death in 2017, her estate gave permission for others to continue the books in her style. For instance, Good Night, Little Blue Truck (2019) lists Schertle's and McElmurry's names on the front cover, while text inside the book notes that it is "Illustrated by John Joseph in the style of Jill McElmurry."
Alice Schertle once said, ”We who write for young children share the considerable responsibility and the wonderful opportunity of showing them that words can paint pictures too."
ABOUT THE ILLUSTRATOR
Jill McElmur ry
Jill McElmurry (1954 – August 3, 2017) was an American painter, book illustrator, and sometime writer-illustrator of children's picture books, including her own Mad About Plaid and the best-selling Little Blue Truck series. Jill passed away in 2017.
She was born in Los Angeles, CA, into a family of artists and musicians, and studied art at SUNY Purchase and School of Visual Arts in New York. Before fulfilling her lifelong dream of creating children’s books, Jill illustrated for magazines, book covers, posters and design projects in the US and Germany.
She was the illustrator of numerous books for children, including the Little Blue Truck series, written by Alice Schertle, and the self-penned Mad About Plaid. Her style features detailed gouache paintings with distinctive characters. As a fine art painter, McElmurry initially worked in editorial illustration and later became known for her landscape paintings of New Mexico.
McElmurry lived with her husband Eric in Taos, NM, until her death from breast cancer on August 3, 2017. Before she passed away, Eric asked Jill if she would allow future Little Blue Truck books to be created in her style after her death. She said that she would be okay with it, as long as the quality was there. Eric now works to ensure that her wishes be respected. 📖
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LEADS THE WAY
GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S SPRINGTIME
BUTTON UP!
ALL YOU NEED FOR A ...
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK LEADS THE WAY
GOOD NIGHT, LITTLE BLUE TRUCK
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK MAKES A FRIEND
LITTLE BLUE TRUCK'S SPRINGTIME
BUTTON UP!
ALL YOU NEED FOR A ...
