Wiesner, << WEEZ nuhr, >> David (1956-…), is an American illustrator and author of children’s books. He is known for his creative and humorous picture books. Wiesner has won the Caldecott Medal three times, in 1992 for Tuesday (1991), in 2002 for The Three Pigs (2001), and in 2007 for Flotsam (2006). The Caldecott Medal is an annual award for the best picture book by an American.
A strong element of fantasy appears in many of Wiesner’s picture books. His influences include the science-fiction film 2001: A Space Odyssey, such Renaissance artists as Pieter Brueghel the Elder and Leonardo da Vinci, and the Surrealist art movement of the early 1900’s, which used unusual combinations of realistic images to reflect dreams, nightmares, and fantasies. Several of Wiesner’s picture books have no text, instead relying on water-color paintings to tell their stories. For example, Tuesday is a nearly wordless story about frogs who fly through the air on lily pads. Free Fall (1988) is a wordless picture book about the fantastic adventures a boy experiences in a dream. In The Three Pigs, Wiesner used both text and illustrations for his imaginative retelling of the famous fairy tale. Flotsam is a wordless picture book about the magical photographs a little boy finds in an underwater camera. Art & Max (2010) tells a story about two lizards who are friends and share an interest in painting.
Wiesner’s other picture books include The Loathsome Dragon (1987), Hurricane (1990), June 29, 1999 (1992), Sector 7 (1999), Gonna Roll the Bones (2004), and Mr. Wuffles! (2013). He has also illustrated books by such noted children’s authors as Avi, Eve Bunting, Nancy Willard, Laurence Yep, and Jane Yolen.
Wiesner was born on Feb. 5, 1956, in Bridgewater, New Jersey. He graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design in 1978 with a bachelor of fine arts degree. He began illustrating children’s books in 1980. Wiesner is also a professional painter.
