Best selling author, illustrator, Joplin native to have readings at Joplin Public Library

(From Connect2Culture)

Joplin native Loren Long, bestselling author and illustrator, will return to Joplin on Thursday, March 8 and Friday, March 9, 2018, spending much of his time at Joplin Public Library (1901 E 20th St, Joplin, MO 64804). 

His activities include readings from his books, sharing about this journey as a professional author and illustrator with area high school students, as well as an educational luncheon for the arts community. 

Loren is the author and illustrator of the New York Times bestselling picture books Otis, Otis and the Tornado, Otis and the Puppy, An Otis Christmas, Otis and the Kittens, and Otis and the Scarecrow. 

Loren’s heartwarming Little Tree is a picture book for all ages. 

Loren Long is the #1 New York Times bestselling illustrator of President Barack Obama’s picture book Of Thee I Sing, the re-illustrated edition of Watty Piper’s The Little Engine That Could, and Madonna’s Mr. Peabody’s Apples. He is also the Golden Kite Award winning illustrator of Angela Johnson’s I Dream of Trains and the Golden Kite Honor winning illustrator of When I Heard the Learn’d Astronomer, based on the poem by Walt Whitman. 

Loren is also the illustrator of Margaret Wise Brown’s never-before-published picture book Good Day, Good Night, and Newbery Medal winning Matt de La Pena’s Love.

“Not only are we welcoming one of Joplin’s own back home, we are recognizing the success one of our own has achieved,” said Patrick Tuttle, Director, Joplin Convention & Visitors Bureau. 

“Loren was born here and has achieved renowned success as an illustrator. We can only hope that someday soon his artistic talent will have a permanent presence in Joplin.” 

Long’s visit to Joplin is a collaborative effort between the Joplin Convention & Visitors Bureau, Joplin Public Library, Post Art Library, Connect2Culture, and Spiva Center for the Arts. Long’s visit is sponsored, in part, by a gracious donation from the Bramlage and Willcoxon Foundation. 

“We're very fortunate to have the opportunity for Loren Long to visit the Library and speak with area children about his books and art,” said Jacque Gage, Library Director, Joplin Public Library. “It's not often we have a chance to bring an author/illustrator of this magnitude to Joplin. I'm excited that the Library is part of the group that made this visit possible."