Leo and Diane Dillon

Jadis, the White Witch of Narnia. Art by Leo and Diane Dillon

Leo and Diane Dillon are an American husband and wife team of illustrators. Among their awards are two consecutive Caldecott Medals for the children's books Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People's Ears and Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions.

Leo was raised in Brooklyn, and Diane (née Sorber) in the Los Angeles area. They met at the Parsons School of Design in New York City in 1953, some time after Diane moved from California to New York. They graduated from Parsons in 1956, and eventually married in March 1957. They describe their work as incorporating motifs derived from their respective heritages. They have worked on both on children's literature and adult paperbacks. An association with writer Harlan Ellison led to jobs doing book covers for his short story collections and both cover and interior woodcut illustration for his anthology Dangerous Visions. They illustrated a large number of book covers for the original Ace Science Fiction Specials.

A detailed biography and introduction to their work and styles was written by Byron Preiss in a book he edited in 1981, The Art of Leo & Diane Dillon.

Education

• Graduated: Parsons School of Design (1956)
• Typography: The American Institute of Graphic Arts
• Woodcut: School of Visual Arts — Byrne Hogarth
• Printmaking: Bob Blackburn
• Pochoir: Mitzi Barrien
• Doctorates of Fine Arts: Parsons School of Design (1991)

Freelance Work (Began in 1958)

Clients: Ladies Home Journal • Saturday Evening Post • Bantam Books • Time/Life Books The Washington Post • Ballentine Books • Franklin Library • Caedmon Records • Lodestar RCA Victor • Revlon • New York Telephone • Viking • Dutton • Dial • John F. Kennedy Center Harcourt Brace Jovanovich • Scholastic and Others

Picture books illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

• 1970 The Ring in the Prairie - Author: John Bierhorst / Dial Press
• 1972 Honey, I Love - Author: Eloise Greenfield / Viking
• 1974 Whirlwind Is a Ghost Dancing - Compiled by: Natalia Maree Belting / Dutton
• 1974 Songs and Stories from Uganda - Authors: W. Moses Serwadda, Hewitt Pantaleoni / World Music Press
• 1974 The Third Gift - Author: Jan R. Carew / Little Brown
• 1975 The Hundred Penny Box - Author: Sharon Bell Mathis / Viking
• 1975 Song of the Boat - Author: Lorenz B. Graham / Crowell
• 1976 Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People's Ears - Author: Verna Aardema / Dial Press
• 1977 Ashanti to Zulu: African Traditions - Author: Margaret Musgrove / Dial Press
• 1977 Who’s in Rabbit’s House: A Masai Tai - Author: Verna Aardema / Dial Press
• 1980 Two Pair of Shoes - Author: P.L. Travers / Viking Press
• 1980 Children of the Sun - Author: Jan R. Carew / Little Brown
• 1985 Brother to the Wind - Author: Mildred Pitts Walter / Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books
• 1986 All in a Day Authors: Mitsumasa Anno, Raymond Briggs / Hamish Hamilton (London) (Translation of: Marui chiky¯u no maru ichinichi.) - illustrations by 10 artists, including the Dillons
• 1987 The Porcelain Cat - Author: Hearn, Michael Patrick Little Brown
• 1989 The Color Wizard - Author: Barbara Brenner / Bantam Little Rooster
• 1990 The Tale of the Mandarin Ducks - Author: Katherine Paterson / Lodestar
• 1990 Aïda - Author: Leontyne Price / Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
• 1991 The Race of the Golden Apples - Author: Claire Martin / Dial Books for Young Readers
• 1991 Pish, Posh, Said Hieronymus Bosch - Author: Nancy Willard / Harcourt Brace Jovanovich
• 1992 Northern Lullaby - Author: Nancy White Carlstrom / Putnam
• 1992 Switch on the Night - Author: Ray Bradbury / Knopf
• 1993 The Sorcerer’s Apprentice - Author: Nancy Willard / Scholastic/Blue Sky Press
• 1994 What Am I ? - Author: N.N. Charles Scholastic/Blue Sky Press
• 1997 To Everything There is a Season Authors: L&D Dillon / Scholastic/Blue Sky Press
• 1999 Wind Child - Author: Shirley Rousseau Murphy / HarperCollins
• 2000 Switch on the Night reissued - Author: Ray Bradbury / Knopf
• 2000 The Girl Who Spun Gold - Author: Virginia Hamilton / Scholastic/Blue Sky Press
• 2001 Two Little Trains - Author: Margaret Wise Brown / HarperCollins
• 2002 Rap a Tap Tap: Here’s Bojangles—Think of That - Authors and Illustrators: Leo and Diane Dillon / Scholastic/Blue Sky
• 2003 One Winter’s Night - Author: John Herman / Philomel
• 2004 Where Have You Been? - Author: Margaret Wise Brown / HarperCollins
• 2005 The People Could Fly - The Picture Book
• 2005 Earth Mother - Author: Ellen B. Jackson / Walker & Company
• 2006 Whirlwind is a Spirit Dancing - Author: Natalia Maree Belting; Bruchac, Joseph / Milk & Cookies Press (NOTE: illustrations reprinted from 1974 title, Whirlwind is a Ghost Dancing)
• 2007 Mother Goose numbers on the loose / Harcourt
• 2007 Jazz on a Saturday Night / Blue Sky Press

• Forthcoming:
• 2009 Mama Says / Blue Sky Press
• 2009 The Night Goblin / Harcourt

Chapter books illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon

• 1964 Hakon of Rogen’s Saga - Author: Erik Christian Haugaard / Houghton Mifflin
• 1965 A Slave’s Tale Haugaard - Author: Erik Christian Haugaard / Houghton Mifflin
• 1967 Claymore and Kilt - Author: Sorche Nic Leodhas Holt, Rinehart, Winston
• 1968 Shamrock and Spear Pilkington Holt, Rinehart, Winston
• 1968 The Rider and His Horse - Author: Erik Christian Haugaard / Houghton Mifflin
• 1971 The Untold Tale - Author: Erik Christian Haugaard / Houghton Mifflin
• 1971 The Search Murray/Thomas Scholastic
• 1974 Burning Star - Author: Eth Clifford / Houghton Mifflin
• 1979 A Wrinkle In Time-Madeleine L'Engle
• 1985 The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales - Author: Virginia Hamilton / Knopf
• 1988 Sing A Song of Popcorn de Regniers Scholastic
• 1989 Moses’ Ark Bach/Exum Delacourte
• 1991 Miriam’s Well - Authors: Alice Bach, J Cheryl Exum / Delacourte Press
• 1992 Many Thousand Gone - Author: Virginia Hamilton / Knopf
• 1993 It's Kwaanza Time Goss Putnam
• 1995 Her Stories - Author: Virginia Hamilton / Scholastic/Blue Sky Press
• 1997 The Girl Who Dreamed Only Geese - Author: Howard A. Norman / Harcourt Brace & Co
• 2000 20,000 League Under the sea - Author: Jules Verne / HarperCollins
• 2001 Mansa Musa - Author: Khephra Burns / Harcourt Brace & Co
• 2004 Between Heaven and Earth: Bird Tales From Around The World - Author: Howard A. Norman / Harcourt Brace & Co

Awards

• 1971 Hugo Award – Best Professional Artist, International Science Fiction Association
• 1976 Caldecott Medal - American Library Association – Why Mosquitoes Buzz In People’s Ears
• 1977 Caldecott Medal - American Library Association – Ashanti To Zulu: African Traditions
• 1977 Hamilton King Award – Society Of Illustrators
• 1978 Most Highly Commended For The International Hans Christian Anderson Award
• 1982 Balrog Award For Lifetime Contribution To Science Fiction/Fantasy
• 1982 Art Ninth Annual Lensman Award
• 1988 Third Annual Keene State College Children’s Literature Festival Award
• 1991 Doctorate Of Fine Art Degree – Parsons School Of Design
• 1992 Empire State Award For Children’s And Adult Literature For Body Of Work
• 1992 Society Of Illustrators Gold Medal For Northern Lullaby From The Original Art Show Of Children’s Picture Books
• 1996 United States Nominees For The International Hans Christian Anderson Award - For Body Of Work (Picture Books)
• 1997 Chesley Award For Best Science Fiction Hardcover Jacket Titled Sabriel
• 1997 The Grand Masters Award - For Body Of Work - From Spectrum - The Best In Contemporary Fantastic Art
• 1997 Society of Illustrators Hall Of Fame - Inducted By A Juryof Peers
• 2002 Virginia Hamilton Literary Award - For Body Of Work
• 2003 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor- For Rap A Tap Tap Here’s Bolangles-Think Of That
• 2005 Coretta Scott King Illustrator Honor Award - For The People Could Fly-The Picture Book
• 2006 Knickerbocker Award - For Body Of Work - New York Library Association
• 2006 Doctorate Of Fine Arts - Montserrat School Of Art
• 2008 World Fantasy Convention Life Achievement Award^[1]
• - Have Received Five New York Times Best Illustrated Book

References

1. ^ World Fantasy Convention (2010). "“Award Winners and Nominees”". http://www.worldfantasy.org/awards/awardslist.html/. Retrieved 04 Feb 2011. 

• Borea, P and J Yanow. Leo and Diane Dillon. 1983. Communication Arts Magazine 25: 42-51, May/June.
• Brodie, Carolyn S. 1999. Creators of Magic on Paper: Leo and Diane Dillon. School Library Media Activities Monthly 15(6): 46-48, February.
• Cooper, Ilene. 1998. The Walk of Life. Booklist 95(3): p344-347, 1 October.
• Davies, Anne. 2005. Talking with Leo & Diane Dillon. Book Links 14(3): 45-48.
• Davis, SE. 1997. One + One = Three. Step-By-Step Graphics 13: 30-41.
• Deines, Ryah. 2008. An Interiew with Leo & Diane Dillon. In: World Fantasy Convention Calgary 2008: Mystery in Fantasy & Horror (Souvenir Program Book) Calgary: World Fantasy Convention, 68-71.
• Haber, Karen. 2000. Leo & Diane Dillon: The Third Artist Rules. Locus 44(4), n471: 4-5, 67-70.
• Preiss, Byron, ed. The Art of Leo and Diane Dillon. New York: Ballantine Books, Fall 1981. Trade Paperback, Hardcover and Collectors Limited Edition,
• Reichardt, Randy. 2008. Tribute to Leo & Diane Dillon. In: World Fantasy Convention Calgary 2008: Mystery in Fantasy & Horror (Souvenir Program Book) Calgary: World Fantasy Convention, 45-46.
• Wills, FH. 1968. Leo und Diane Dillon, New York: grafik fur popular-wissenschaftliche werke {with English and French tr}. Novum Gebrauchsgraphik (March): 50-56.
• Who’s Who 40th Edition

External links

• Leo Dillon at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• Diane Dillon at the Internet Speculative Fiction Database
• JVJ Publishing Illustrators page
• Locus Magazine interview