Bruce McMillan
Bruce McMillan VWS (Vermont Watercolor Society) (May 10, 1947- ) is a contemporary American author of children books, a photo-illustrator[1] and watercolor artist living in Shapleigh, Maine.[2] Born in Massachusetts, he grew up in Bangor, Maine, and Kennebunk, Maine. He received a degree in biology from the University of Maine.[3] In addition to his 45 children's books, seven of them set in Iceland, he's authored two books of humor, Punography, featured in Life magazine, and Punography Too. His interest in biology is often reflected in his books' topics.[4] He's published three genres of children's picture books: concept books, nonfiction and fiction. In 2006 he was honored by the Maine Library Association with the Katahdin Award honoring his outstanding body of work of children’s literature in Maine.
McMillan's watercolor art has been in numerous juried shows in New England and his 2018 Winter Olympics curling watercolors were a two-page feature in the Maine Sunday Telegram Arts Section. His watercolor Browns Head Light Vinalhaven was Best in Show at the Port Clyde (Maine) Art Gallery Third Annual Invitational 10 x 10 Show in 2017. His watercolors are in private collections in the US, Canada, Iceland and Switzerland.
McMillan's most noted award winning children's book is Nights of the Pufflings (1995), set on the Icelandic island of Heimaey. The story introduces a local children's tradition of rescuing young birds, pufflings (a name he coined), who take their first flight on August nights, some stranded in the village streets. The children then set them free at the beach at daytime. His books were the first photo-illustrated children's books ever featured on the covers of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books (Nights of the Pufflings), The Horn Book Guide (Nights of the Pufflings) and Booklinks magazine (Mary Had a Little Lamb).
McMillan's honored with a permanent corner in the Springvale (Maine) Public Library's Children's Room, The Bruce McMillan Corner, where nine of his original photo-illustrations from Grandfather's Trolley are on permanent display.
McMillan's taught Writing, Illustrating, and Publishing Children's Picture Books for the Professional Development division open to the public at the University of Southern Maine and the University of New Hampshire, where he still teaches at UNH after forty years, with students successfully published by major US publishers. He's spoken at hundreds of schools and conferences in the US.
Several of McMillan's children's books were translated into other languages, Icelandic, German and Korean. Hand-colored original photo-illustrations from Grandfather's Trolley are in the public collections of the Mazza Collection, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, Keene State College original children's art collection, Keene, New Hampshire, and the Springvale (Maine) Public Library.
Children's books
- How the Ladies Stopped the Wind, Houghton Mifflin, 2007 (illustrated by Gunnella)
- The Problem with Chickens, Houghton Mifflin, Salka, 2005 (illustrated by Gunnella)
- Going Fishing, Houghton Mifflin, Salka, 2005
- Days of the Ducklings, Houghton Mifflin, 2001
- Gletta the Foal, Cavendish, 1998
- Salmon Summer, Houghton Mifflin, 1998
- Wild Flamingos, Houghton Mifflin, 1997
- My Horse of the North, Scholastic, 1997
- The Picture that Mom Drew, Walker, 1997 - by Mallat and McMillan
- Jelly Beans for Sale, Scholastic, 1996
- Grandfather's Trolley, Candlewick, 1995
- Summer Ice: Life along the Antarctic Peninsula, Houghton Mifflin, 1995
- Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme, Harcourt, 1995
- Nights of the Pufflings, Houghton Mifflin, 1995
- Sense Suspense: A Guessing Game for the Five Senses, Scholastic, 1994
- Penguins at Home: Gentoos of Antarctica, Houghton Mifflin, 1993
- A Beach for the Birds. Houghton Mifflin, 1993
- Mouse Views: What the Class Pet Saw , Holiday House, 1993
- Going on a Whale Watch, Scholastic, 1992
- Beach Ball - Left Right, Holiday House, 1992 and Apple Island Books, 1998
- The Baby Zoo, Scholastic, 1992 and Apple Island Books, 1998
- Eating Fractions, Scholastic, 1991
- Play Day: A Book of Terse Verse, Holiday House, 1991 and Apple Island Books, 1998
- The Weather Sky, Farrar, Straus, Giroux, 1991
- One Two One Pair!, Scholastic, 1991 and Apple Island Books
- Mary Had a Little Lamb, Scholastic, 1990 and Apple Island Books, 1998
- One Sun: A Book of Terse Verse, Holiday House, 1990 and Apple Island Books, 1998
- Time To..., Scholastic, 1989
- Everything Grows, Crown, 1989
- Super, Super, Superwords, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1989
- Fire Engine Shapes, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1988
- Growing Colors, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1988 and Apple Island Books
- Dry or Wet?, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1988
- Step by Step, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1987 and Apple Island Books, 1995
- Becca Backward, Becca Frontward: A Book of Concept Pairs, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1986
- Counting Wildflowers, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1986
- Kitten Can..., Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1984
- Here a Chick, There a Chick, Lothrop, Lee & Shepard, 1983
- Ghost Doll, Houghton Mifflin, 1983 and Apple Island Books, 1997
- Puniddles, Houghton Mifflin, 1982
- Making Sneakers, Houghton Mifflin, 1980
- Apples: How They Grow, Houghton Mifflin, 1979 and Apple Island Books
- The Remarkable Riderless Runaway Tricycle, Houghton Mifflin, 1978 and Apple Island Books, 1978
- The Alphabet Symphony, Greenwillow, 1977 and Apple Island Books, 1978
- Finestkind o' Day: Lobstering in Maine, Lippincott, 1977 and DownEast, 1978
Humor books
- Punograahy Too, Penguin Books, 1980
- Punogrpahy, Penguin Books, 1978
Icelandic books (published in Iceland)
- Puffins from the Other Side of Iceland, Salka, 2006
- Postcards from the Other Side of Iceland: Where the Grass is Greener, Salka, 2006
Children's Book Awards
| American Library Association
Notable Books |
Jelly Beans for Sale, Nights of the Pufflings, Eating Fractions, One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse, Counting Wildflowers |
| School Library Journal starred reviews | The Problem with Chickens, Wild Flamingos, Nights of the Pufflings, Sense Suspense, A Guessing Game for the Five Senses, Eating Fractions, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Time To..., Super, Super, Superwords, Dry or Wet?, Becca Backward, Becca Frontward, A Book of Concept Pairs, Counting Wildflowers, Here a Chick, There a Chick |
| American Library Association Booklist starred reviews | The Picture that Mom Drew, Mouse Views, What the Class Pet Saw, Super, Super, Superwords, Growing Colors, Becca Backward, Becca Frontward, A Book of Concept Pairs |
| Publisher's Weekly
starred review |
The Problem with Chickens |
| Kirkus pointer review | A Beach for the Birds, Going on a Whale Watch |
| The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books starred reviews | Nights of the Pufflings, One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse |
| Science Books and Films double starred reviews | Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme, Penguins at Home, Gentoos of Antarctica |
| Children's Book Committee, Bank Street College of Education star | Days of the Ducklings |
| The Horn Book Guide triangle review | Days of the Ducklings, Play Day, A Book of Terse Verse |
| A Publisher's Weekly Best Children's Book of the Year | The Problem with Chickens |
| A New York Times Best Illustrated Picture Book of the Year | The Problem with Chickens |
| A John Burroughs Nature Book for Young Readers Certificate of Commendation | A Beach for the Birds |
| An Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, National Science Teacher's Association / Children's Book Council | Wild Flamingos, Summer Ice, Life along the Antarctic Peninsula, Nights of the Pufflings, Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme, A Beach for the Birds, Going on a Whale Watch, The Baby Zoo, One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse, Becca Backward, Becca Frontward, A Book of Concept Pairs |
| A National Council for the Social Studies - Children's Book Council, Notable Social Studies Trade Book | Going Fishing |
| Certificate of Excellence, Parenting magazine | Nights of the Pufflings, One, Two - One Pair!, Mary Had a Little Lamb, Super, Super, Superwords |
| A Best Kid's Book - Parents Magazine | Eating Fractions, Play Day, A Book of Terse Verse, One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse, Here a Chick, There a Chick |
| A Best Book of the Year, School Library Journal | Nights of the Pufflings, Super, Super, Superwords |
| A Best Kids' Book of the Year, Crayola Kids magazine | Nights of the Pufflings |
| A Children's Book of Distinction, Hungry Mind Review | Nights of the Pufflings |
| Parents' Choice Honor Book | Nights of the Pufflings |
| American Bookseller Association Pick of the List | Wild Flamingos, Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme, Sense Suspense, A Guessing Game for the Five Senses, The Baby Zoo, Kitten Can..., Here a Chick, There a Chick |
| A Blue Ribbon Book, The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books | Nights of the Pufflings |
| A Lupine Honor Book - Maine Librarians Association | Nights of the Pufflings |
| A Few Good Books selection - Booklinks magazine | Nights of the Pufflings |
| A Reading Rainbow review selection | Mouse Views: What the Class Pet Saw |
| Junior Library Guild selections | Mouse Views, What the Class Pet Saw, Mary Had a Little Lamb, One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse, Here a Chick, There a Chick |
| Scientific American magazine Young Readers Book Award | The Weather Sky |
| Parent's Guide Children's Media Award, Outstanding Achievement in Nonfiction Honor | Salmon Summer |
| Library of Congress Children's Book of the Year | The Weather Sky, Kitten Can... |
| The Original Art Exhibition jury selection, The Society of Illustrators Museum of American Illustration Selection | Mary had a Little Lamb |
| Children's Editor's Choice, American Library Association Booklist | Growing Colors |
| A Parent's Choice Foundation Selection, Seal of Approval | The Problem with Chickens |
| New York Public Library 100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing | Jelly Beans for Sale, Time To... |
| Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best | Jelly Beans for Sale |
| Book | Awards |
|---|---|
| The Problem with Chickens | New York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2005 [5] Parents' Choice Approved Picture Book seal [6]A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2005 Star Review - School Library Journal, 2005 Star Review - Publishers Weekly, 2005 |
| Days of the Ducklings | Parents' Choice Non-fiction, 2001 [7]A Best Children's Book of the Year 2002, Children's Book Committee at the Bank Street College of Education
Star Review, Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education, 2002 Triangle Review, The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2002 |
| Jelly Beans for Sale | American Library Association Notable Book, 1997 [8]New York Public Library 100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing, 1996
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best, 1996 |
| Puffins Climb, Penguins Rhyme | American Bookseller Association Pick of the List, 1995
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children - National Science Teacher's Association / Children's Book Council, 1995 Two Star Review - Science Books and Films, 1995 |
| Nights of the Pufflings | American Library Association Notable Book, 1996 [9] A Children's Book of Distinction - Hungry Mind Review, 1996 Parents' Choice Picture Book, 1995 [10] Parenting magazine Certificate of Excellence, 1995 A Lupine Honor Book, Maine Librarians Association, 1996 A Best Book of the Year, School Library Journal, 1995 A Best Kids' Book of the Year, Crayola Kids magazine, 1995 A Few Good Books selection, Booklinks magazine, 95 A Blue Ribbon Book, The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 1995 Star Review, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 1995 Star Review, School Library Journal, 1995 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children - National Science Teachers Association / Children's Book Council, 1995 First photo-illustrated book featured on the cover of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 1995 First photo-illustrated book featured on the cover of The Horn Book Guide |
| One Sun, A Book of Terse Verse | American Library Association Notable Book, 1991
A Best Kid's Book of 1990 - Parents Magazine, 1990 Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, National Science Teacher's Association / Children's Book Council, 1990 Star Review - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 1990 Selection - Children's Book-of-the-Month Club, 1990 Selection - Junior Library Guild, 1990 |
External links
References
- "Meet the Author/Photographer Bruce McMillan". Houghton Mifflin Reading. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- "Biography Bruce McMillan". Scholastic. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- "Natural Story Teller", Bangor Daily News, Nov. 3, 2001
- "McMillan, Bruce". Maine state library. Retrieved 8 March 2013.
- "Best Illustrated Books". New York Times. November 13, 2005. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "The Problem with Chickens - Fall 2005 Picture Books". Parents' Choice. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "Days of the Ducklings - Fall 2001 Non-Fiction". Parents' Choice. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "Notable Children's Books, 1997". American Library Association. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "1996 Notable Children's Books". American Library Association. Retrieved 26 February 2013.
- "Nights of the Pufflings - 1995 Picture Books". Parents' Choice. Retrieved 26 February 2013.