R.W. Alley Biography

(Robert W. Alley)

Personal

Born 0027;s name Zoë Education: Graduated from Haverford College.

Addresses

Agent—Jane Feder, 305 E. 24th St., New York, NY 10010.

Career

Illustrator and graphic artist.

Writings

SELF-ILLUSTRATED

The Ghost in Dobb's Diner, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1981.

The Silly Riddle Book, Golden (New York, NY), 1981.

R.W. Alley

Busy Farm Trucks, Grosset &Dunlap (New York, NY), 1986.

(Reteller) Seven Fables from Aesop, Dodd, Mead (New York, NY), 1986.

Busy People All around Town, Western Publishing (New York, NY), 1988.

Busy Things That Go, Western Publishing (New York, NY), 1988.

The Clever Carpenter, Random House (New York, NY), 1988.

Watch out, Cyrus!: A Wacky Adventure on Land, on Sea, and in the Air; or, How to Get from Here to There, Grosset &Dunlap (New York, NY), 1990.

Wee Wheels, Grosset &Dunlap (New York, NY), 1990.

The Wheels on the Bus, Western Publishing (Racine, WI), 1992.

One Little Duck, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1995.

There Once Was a Witch, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2003.

Author and illustrator of Making a Boring Day Better: A Kid's Guide to Battling the Blahs ("Elf-Help" series), Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN).

Some of Alley's titles have been translated into French.

ILLUSTRATOR

David Lyon, The Brave Little Computer, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1984.

Ross Robert Olney and Patricia Olney, How Long?: To Go, to Grow, to Know, Morrow (New York, NY), 1984.

Jane O'Connor, The Teeny Tiny Woman, Random House (New York, NY), 1986.

Amy Ehrlich, Buck-buck the Chicken, Random House (New York, NY), 1987.

Charlotte Pomerantz, How Many Trucks Can a Tow Truck Tow?, Random House (New York, NY), 1987.

Dinah L. Moché Amazing Space Facts, Western Publishing (Racine, WI), 1988.

ABC Rhymes, D.C. Heath (Lexington, MA), 1989.

Patricia Baehr, School Isn't Fair!, Four Winds (New York, NY), 1989.

Stephanie Calmenson, The Little Witch Sisters, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1989.

Joanna Cole, Who Put the Pepper in the Pot?, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1989.

Harriet Ziefert, The Prince Has a Boo-boo!, Random House (New York, NY), 1989.

Gail Herman, Ice Cream Soup (based on a story by Jack Kent), Random House (New York, NY), 1990.

Robin Pulver, Mrs. Toggle's Zipper, Four Winds (New York, NY), 1990.

Harriet Ziefert, The Prince's Tooth Is Loose, Random House (New York, NY), 1990, reprinted, Sterling (New York, NY), 2005.

Old MacDonald Had a Farm, Grosset &Dunlap (New York, NY), 1991.

William H. Hooks, Where's Lulu?, Bantam (New York, NY), 1991.

Brian Mangas, Follow That Puppy!, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1991.

Robin Pulver, Mrs. Toggle and the Dinosaur, Four Winds (New York, NY), 1991.

Teddy Slater, Listening with Zachary, Silver Press (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1991.

Teddy Slater, Looking for Lewis, Silver Press (Englewood Cliffs, NJ), 1991.

Sue Brownlee, Best Kids Cookbook, photographs by Tom Wyatt, Sunset (Menlo Park, CA), 1992.

Steven Krensky, The Pizza Book, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1992.

Charlotte Pomerantz, Serena Katz, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1992.

Victoria Hartman, The Silliest Joke Book Ever, Lothrop, Lee &Shepard (New York, NY), 1993.

Fran Manushkin, My Christmas Safari, Dial (New York, NY), 1993.

David Packard, The Ball Game, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1993.

Molly Kates, The Little Firehouse, Random House (New York, NY), 1994.

Marcia Leonard, When the Giants Came to Town, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1994.

Robin Pulver, Mrs. Toggle's Beautiful Blue Shoe, Four Winds (New York, NY), 1994.

Richard Schotter, There's a Dragon About: A Winter's Revel, Orchard (New York, NY), 1994.

Alan Sincic, Edward Is Only a Fish, Holt (New York, NY), 1994.

Marilyn Singer, Family Reunion, Macmillan (New York, NY), 1994.

Nancy White Carlstrom, Who Said Boo?: Halloween Poems for the Very Young, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1995.

Michele Sobel Spirn, The Know-Nothings, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1995.

Robin Dexter, Young Arthur Ashe, Troll (Mahwah, NJ), 1996.

Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, Sheepish Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 1996.

Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, Trick or Eeek!: And Other Ha Ha Halloween Riddles, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1996.

Tony Johnston, The Bull and the Fire Truck, Scholastic (New York, NY), 1996.

Elizabeth Koehler-Pentacoff, Louise the One and Only, Troll (Mahwah, NJ), 1996.

Judith Benét Richardson, Old Winter, Orchard (New York, NY), 1996.

James Skofield, Detective Dinosaur, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1996.

Cindy Wheeler, The Emperor's Birthday Suit, Random House (New York, NY), 1996.

Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, Easter Yolks: Egg-cellent Riddles to Crack You Up, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1997.

Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, Hearty Har Har: Valentine Riddles You'll Love, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1997.

Barbara Shook Hazen, The New Dog, Dial (New York, NY), 1997.

Michele Sobel Spirn, A Know-Nothing Birthday, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.

Stuart J. Murphy, Animals on Board, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

James Preller, The Case of the Missing Hamster ("Jigsaw Jones" series), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

James Preller, The Case of the Christmas Snowman ("Jigsaw Jones" series), Scholastic (New York, NY), 1998.

James Skofield, Detective Dinosaur: Lost and Found, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Nola Buck, Hey, Little Baby!, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1999.

Nancy White Carlstrom, Thanksgiving Day at Our House: Thanksgiving Poems for the Very Young, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 1999.

Katy Hall and Lisa Eisenberg, Kitty Riddles, Dial (New York, NY), 2000.

Robin Pulver, Mrs. Toggle's Class Picture Day, Scholastic (New York, NY), 2000.

Michele Sobel Spirn, A Know-Nothing Halloween, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Michele Sobel Spirn, The Know-Nothings Talk Turkey, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Cynthia C. DeFelice, The Real True Dulcie Campbell, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 2002.

Susan Katz, Mrs. Brown on Exhibit, And Other Museum Poems, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2002.

Dandi Daley Mackall, Off to Bethlehem!, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 2002.

Gloria Rand, Little Flower, Holt (New York, NY), 2002.

Kate Laing, Best Kind of Baby, Dial (New York, NY), 2003.

Kate McMullan, Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends, Dial (New York, NY), 2003.

Jane O'Connor, The Teeny Tiny Woman, Random House (New York, NY), 2003.

Jean Van Leeuwen, The Great Googlestein Museum Mystery, Phyllis Fogelman (New York, NY), 2003.

Bethany Roberts, Cat Skidoo, Holt (New York, NY), 2004.

Susan Katz, A Revolutionary Field Trip: Poems of Colonial America, Simon &Schuster (New York, NY), 2004.

Kate McMullan, Pearl and Wagner: Three Secrets, Dial (New York, NY), 2004.

Teri Sloat, This Is the House That Was Tidy and Neat, Holt (New York, NY), 2005.

Claudia Mills, Ziggy's Blue-Ribbon Day, Farrar, Straus (New York, NY), 2005.

Richard Krieb, We're off to Find the Witch's House, Dutton (New York, NY), 2005.

Bill Harley, Dear Santa: The Letters of James B. Dobbins, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

Andrew Clements, Because Your Daddy Loves You, Clarion (New York, NY), 2005.

Larry Dane Brimner, Spring Sail, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2005.

Harriet Ziefert, A Bowlful of Rain, Sterling (New York, NY), 2006.

Ann Heinrichs, Mother's Day, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

Ann Heinrichs, Father's Day, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

S.J. Fore, Tiger Can't Sleep, Viking (New York, NY), 2006.

Larry Dane Brimner, Winter Blanket, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

Larry Dane Brimner, One Summery Day, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

Larry Dane Brimner, In the Fall, Child's World (Chanhassen, MN), 2006.

Kimberly Brubaker Bradley, Ballerino Nate, Dial (New York, NY), 2006.

ILLUSTRATOR; "ELF HELP" SERIES; FOR ADULTS

Cherry Hartman, Be-Good-to-Yourself Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1987.

Michael Joseph, Play Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1990.

Lisa Engelhardt, Happy Birthday Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1993.

Karen Katafiasz, Christmas Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1994.

Daniel Grippo, Work Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1995.

Linus Mundy, Everyday-Courage Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1995.

Clair Bradshaw, Get-Well Therapy, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1996.

Karen Katafiasz, Living from Your Soul, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1997.

Kass P. Dotterweich, Be-Good-to-Your-Family Therapy, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1997.

Karen Katafiasz, Teacher Therapy, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1997.

Carol Ann Morrow, Trust-in-God Therapy, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1998.

Linus Mundy, Elf-Help for Overcoming Depression, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1998.

Jim Auer, Elf-Help for Raising a Teen, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2000.

Janet Getsz, Elf-Gelp for Being a Good Parent, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2000.

Daniel Grippo, Worry Therapy, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2000.

Rosemary Purdy, 'Tis a Blessing to Be Irish, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2001.

Also illustrator of Believe-in-Yourself Therapy, Healing Thoughts for Troubled Times, and Loneliness Therapy, all by Daniel Grippo; Grieving at Christmastime, by Dwight Daniels; Elf-Help for Giving the Gift of You! and Elf-Help for Coping with Pain, both by Anne Calodich Fone; Take Charge of Your Eating, by Laura Pirott; Elf-Help for Dealing with Difficult People, New Baby Therapy, and Acceptance Therapy, all by Lisa En-gelhardt; Nature Therapy and Elf-Help for a Happy Retirement, both by Ted O'Neal; Gratitude Therapy, by Christine A. Adams; Elf-Help for Busy Moms, by Molly Wigand; Stress Therapy, by Tom McGrath; Making-Sense-out-of-Suffering Therapy, by Jack Wintz; Anger Therapy, by Engelhardt and Karen Katafiasz; Caregiver Therapy, by Julie Kuebelbeck and Victoria O'Connor; Self Esteem Therapy, Grief Therapy, and Celebrate-Your-Womanhood Therapy, all by Katafiasz; Peace Therapy, by Carol Ann Morrow; Take-Charge-of-Your-Life Therapy; Friendship Therapy, by Kass P. Dotter-weich and John D. Perry; Forgiveness Therapy, by David Schell; Keep-Life-Simple Therapy and Slow-down Therapy, both by Linus Mundy; Be-Good-to-Your-Body Therapy, by Steve Ilg; Keeping-up-Your-Spirits Therapy, by Linda Allison-Lewis; One-Day-at-a-Time Therapy, by Adams; Prayer Therapy, by Keith McClellan; Be-Good-to-Your-Marriage Therapy, by Dotterweich; and More Be-Good-to-Yourself Therapy, by Cherry Hart-man; all for Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN).

ILLUSTRATOR; "ELF HELP" SERIES; FOR CHILDREN

Michaelene Mundy, Sad Isn't Bad: A Good-Grief Guidebook for Kids Dealing with Loss, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1998.

Emily Menendez-Aponte, When Mom and Dad Divorce: A Kid's Resource, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 1999.

Michaelene Mundy, Mad Isn't Bad: A Child's Book about Anger, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 1999.

Molly Wigand, Help Is Here for Facing Fear, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2000.

Michaelene Mundy, Getting out of a Stress Mess!: A Guide for Kids, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2000.

Tom McGrath, When You're Sick or in the Hospital: Healing Help for Kids, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2002.

Michaelene Mundy, Keeping School Cool!: A Kid's Guide to Handling School Problems, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2002.

Victoria Ryan, When Your Grandparent Dies: A Child's Guide to Good Grief, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2002.

Jim Auer, Standing up to Peer Pressure: A Guide to Being True to You, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2003.

J.S. Jackson, Bye-bye, Bully!: A Kid's Guide for Dealing with Bullies, Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2003.

Carol Ann Morrow, Forgiving Is Smart for Your Heart, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2003.

Ted O'Neal, When Bad Things Happen: A Guide to Help Kids Cope, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2003.

Victoria Ryan, When Your Pet Dies: A Healing Handbook for Kids, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2003.

Susan Heyboer O'Keefe, Be the Star That You Are!: A Book for Kids Who Feel Different, One Caring Press (St. Meinrad, IN), 2005.

Michaelene Mundy, Saying Good-bye, Saying Hello: When Your Family Is Moving, One Caring Place (St. Meinrad, IN), 2005.

Also illustrator of A New Baby Is Coming!: A Guide for a Big Brother or Sister, by Emily Menendez Aponte; When Someone You Love Has Cancer: A Guide to Help Kids Cope, by Alaric Lewis; A Kid's Guide to Keeping Family First, by J.S. Jackson; Learning to Be a Good Friend: A Guidebook for Kids, by Christine A. Adams; Playing Fair, Having Fun: A Kid's Guide to Sports and Games, by Daniel Grippo; and A Book of Prayers for All Your Cares, by Michalene Mundy, all for Abbey Press (St. Meinrad, IN).

ILLUSTRATOR; "PADDINGTON BEAR" SERIES

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear and the Christmas Surprise, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1997.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear All Day, HarperFestival (New York, NY), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington the Artist, Collins (London, England), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington at the Fair, Collins (London, England), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington and the Tutti Frutti Rainbow, Collins (London, England), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington at the Zoo, Collins (London, England), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear and the Busy Bee Carnival, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear Goes to Market, Harper-Festival (New York, NY), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear, new edition, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 1998.

Michael Bond, Paddington at the Palace, Collins (London, England), 1999.

Michael Bond, Paddington and the Marmalade Maze, Collins (London, England), 1999.

Michael Bond, Paddington Minds the House, Collins (London, England), 1999.

Michael Bond, Paddington's Busy Day, Collins (London, England), 1999.

Michael Bond, Paddington's Party Tricks, Collins (London, England), 2000.

Michael Bond, Paddington in Hot Water, Collins (London, England), 2000.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear at the Circus, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2000.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear Goes to the Hospital, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2001.

Michael Bond, Paddington Bear in the Garden, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2002.

Illustrator of new editions of earlier "Paddington Bear" picture books.

Sidelights

Author and illustrator R.W. Alley had intended to be a serious scholar of the history of art, but during college he found himself "doodling in the margins and dreaming up stories," as he explained on his home page. Just after he graduated from college, Alley sold his first book, The Ghost in Dobb's Diner, and he has been writing and illustrating picture books, chapter books, and easy readers for children ever since. After a brief, four-year career as an in-house greeting card artist and writer and editor, first with Hallmark Cards in Kansas City-, Missouri and then with Paramount Cards in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, he has been making his pictures from his home studio while wearing his slippers. Working with Abbey Press, Alley has illustrated the multi-volume "Elf Help" series for children and adults that walks readers through ways to deal with troubles in their lives. In 1997 he was given the opportunity to illustrate Michael Bond's new "Paddington Bear" picture-book stories, based on the author's classic 1958 children's novel A Bear Called Paddington. "Alley may be best known for the 'Paddington Bear' books he illustrates with tiny, tumbling scenes of ursine life," wrote Amy Myrick in East Bay Newspapers, adding that "the books, translated into many foreign languages, have earned him international recognition."

Though Alley has written several self-illustrated titles, he is better known for the illustrations he creates for other writers. Of his work on Richard and Roni Schotter's picture book There's a Dragon About: A Winter's Revel, Linda Callaghan wrote in Booklist that "Alley's pen-and-ink drawings with bright watercolors capture the enthusiasm" of the tale. Reviewing Old Winter, written by Judith Benét Richardson, Carolyn Phelan commented in Booklist that "children will delight in the details of Alley's lively ink-and-watercolor illustrations." Tony Johnston's The Bull and the Fire Truck caused Phelan to write in a subsequent Booklist review that "Alley's line-and-watercolor artwork brims with action and humorous details." A Publishers Weekly critic commented on Alley's illustrations for Little Flower, written by Gloria Rand: "Alley's kicky ink-and-watercolor artwork captures the warmth of the bond" displayed between the young pet owner heroine and her pet pig. In a review of the same title for School Library Journal, Jody McCoy wrote that "Alley's colorful cartoon illustrations … suit the text delightfully" and "flow from page to page with variety and verve." The story of a farm girl who longs to be a princess, is told in The Real, True Dulcie Campbell, written by Cynthia C. De-Felice. Phelan, in her Booklist review, considered Alley's work for DeFelice's book "lively" and "appealing," while Ruth Semrau noted in School Library Journal that the illustrator's "pastel watercolors are light and cheerful, never too scary, even in the creepy parts." About Kate Laing's Best Kind of Baby, in which Sophie does not want to acknowledge that she is going to be a big sister, Connie Fletcher wrote in Booklist: "Alley's warmly humorous watercolors underscore Sophie's troubled state." Alley's illustrations tackle such subjects as fear of the dark in S.J. Fore's Tiger Can't Sleep and feeling out of place in both Ballerino Nate by Claudia Mills and Ziggy's Blue Ribbon Day by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley.

In his work as illustrator, Alley divides his time between picture books and chapter books. In The Great Googlestein Museum Mystery, a chapter book featuring adventurous mice written by Jean VanLeeuwen, "Alley's black-and-white sketches add to the fun and help to clarify some of the story's details," according to Kay Weisman in Booklist. Shara Alpern, reviewing the same title for School Library Journal, wrote that "the small, amusing black-and-white drawings scattered throughout further enhance the reading experience." The "Pearl and Wagner" stories, written by Kate McMullan, are easy-to-read chapter books about a rabbit and a mouse who are the closest of friends. "Alley's expressive art captures the emotions and high jinks with winsome detail," wrote Gillian Engberg in a Booklist review of Pearl and Wagner: Two Good Friends. Laura Scott, reviewing the same title in School Library Journal, commented that the "cheerful illustrations enhance the text with appealing animal characters rendered with extraordinary expression." Commenting that readers will feel as though they, along with Pearl and Wagner, are members of Ms. Star's class, a Publishers Weekly critic wrote that "Alley's illustrations enhance this effect with their knee-level or just-at-the-next-desk perspective."

Along with his work on picture books and chapter books, Alley has also illustrated poetry collections. Mrs. Brown on Exhibit, and Other Museum Poems features twenty-one poems by Susan Katz about students and their eccentric teacher as they travel through a museum on a field trip. "Full of intriguing details and humorous touches, Alley's cheerful watercolor illustrations give young children plenty to look at," Phelan wrote in Booklist. Commenting on the same title for Publishers Weekly, a critic cited Alley's "sprightly, realistic" art. "Alley's delightful cartoon-like illustrations emphasize the fun and the action" in the poetry, according to a Kirkus Reviews contributor.

When HarperCollins began publishing more of Bond's "Paddington Bear" picture-book stories in 1997, they asked Alley to create the new illustrations. They were so impressed with his work that they also hired him to re-illustrate the earlier "Paddington" picture books, and Alley's illustrations are now featured in both older and newer "Paddington Bear" stories around the world. Paddington Bear, a picture book in which Bond retells his original story of how the Brown family first met the traveling bear at Paddington Station in London, was released to celebrate Paddington's fortieth anniversary. "Alley's lively ink-and-watercolor-wash illustrations capture the winsome charm and gentle humor of this unassuming bear," wrote Phelan in her Booklist review of the book. Discussing Alley's more recent work, Paddington Bear in the Garden, Phelan wrote that "Alley's endearing ink-and-watercolor illustrations offer expressive drawings in pleasing colors" and added that the title would be well liked by Paddington fans.

Alley wrote on his home page: "I have been making up stories and drawing pictures to illustrate them for about as long as I can remember. In many ways, I still spend my days the same way I did when I was ten. This is somewhat confusing to my wife and children, but I don't seem to be able to help myself."

"I have never wanted to be the sort of visual artist who creates images to hang on the wall or set on a pedestal," Alley told SATA: "I've always enjoyed looking at these things, thinking about them, visiting galleries and museums full of them and, of course, studying their history. But, making them … no, that wasn't me. Making art for me has always been about telling stories and sharing those stories with as many people as possible. I figured out early on that books were the way to do this. I like writing my own stories because I have complete control over what part of the story is told with words and what is told with pictures. In illustrating another author's words, my focus changes; I have to find ways into the story that will allow me to add to the words, without changing their tone and meaning. In both cases, the key to being a good illustrator is, I think, to be able to first present the narrative of the story in a clear and inviting format and then to enlarge the narrative with strong character drawing and scene-setting. I know I've been successful when I go to a library and find copies of my books that have been truly worn and torn." Though he enjoys what he does, as he explained to Amy Myrick for East Bay Newspapers, "It's work, it's definitely work…. It's work because it doesn't get done unless you make yourself do it."