About the author
ANNA DEWDNEY (born Luhrmann; December 25, 1965 – September 3, 2016) was an award-winning American author and illustrator, teacher, mother and enthusiastic supporter of literacy and reading aloud to children. The first book she wrote and illustrated, Llama Llama Red Pajama, received critical acclaim in 2005. She wrote many other books in the Llama Llama series, which have all been New York Times bestsellers. Her work has been adapted into stage plays, dance performances, musicals, and an animated television series for Netflix.
Early days
Anna grew up in Englewood, New Jersey. After earning a bachelor's degree in art from Wesleyan University, she supported herself working as a waitress, a rural mail carrier, and a daycare provider. She also taught art and history to middle-school boys at a boarding school for many years.
Career
Her children’s book career began when her artwork was included in The Peppermint Race by Dian Curtis Regan (1994). Anna went on to illustrate a number of other children’s chapter books in the 1990s. Then, in 2005, Viking published the first picture book she both wrote and illustrated, Llama, Llama Red Pajama. The sweet and funny tale of Baby Llama’s struggles to get to sleep at bedtime received critical praise and became a hit with kids, parents, and teachers alike, and was viewed as a soothing tale to calm early-childhood anxieties. The series now contains more than 10 titles and has sold more than 10 million copies combined, and has become a huge hit as a Netflix animated series.
“When we read with a child, we are doing so much more than teaching him to read or instilling in her a love of language. We are doing something that I believe is just as powerful, and it is something that we are losing as a culture: by reading with a child, we are teaching that child to be human. When we open a book, and share our voice and imagination with a child, that child learns to see the world through someone else’s eyes.”
Advocacy
Anna did many school and event appearances, where she spoke passionately about her work and children’s literacy. She once said, “When we read with a child, we are doing so much more than teaching him to read or instilling in her a love of language. We are doing something that I believe is just as powerful, and it is something that we are losing as a culture: by reading with a child, we are teaching that child to be human. When we open a book, and share our voice and imagination with a child, that child learns to see the world through someone else’s eyes.”
Many states and non-profits use her books for literacy campaigns and programs, including the Library of Congress.
Anna passed away at the age of 50 in September of 2016 at her home in Vermont, after a fifteen month battle with brain cancer. 📖
LLAMA LLAMA AND BULLY GOAT
LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA
LLAMA LLAMA HOME WITH MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA MAD AT MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA
LLAMA LLAMA TIME TO SHARE
NELLY GNU AND DADDY TOO
LLAMA LLAMA AND BULLY GOAT
LLAMA LLAMA HOLIDAY DRAMA
LLAMA LLAMA HOME WITH MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA MAD AT MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA MISSES MAMA
LLAMA LLAMA RED PAJAMA
LLAMA LLAMA TIME TO SHARE
NELLY GNU AND DADDY TOO
