Kevin Luthardt - Author and Illustrator

You can order books by Kevin Luthardt on www.amazon.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, or your favorite online bookstore. You may also find them or order them at a bookstore near you.
Title: You’re Weird! Author: Kevin Luthardt Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2005 Dial Books for Young Readers www.penguinputnam.com (isbn# 0803729863)	Plot Summary Rabbit and Turtle each make fun of the other's peculiarities, but they turn out to have some things in common after all. Reviews “Turtle and rabbit like different toys, musical instruments, sports, and food. At first, each thinks the other is “weird”. When they begin to acknowledge some of the unusual things they themselves like, they come to the conclusion that they are both “weird”. This revelation leads to smiling faces and playing together. Spare text blends with vibrant watercolors and uncluttered pages to bring the focus to the two main characters. A small mouse appears on most pages as he observes the two friends interact. Children will easily conclude that it is OK to be different.” School Library Journal read more reviews here >>
Title: Zoom! Author: Diane Adams Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2005 Peachtree Publishers (isbn# 1561453323)	Plot Summary PreS-Gr 1-A little boy is finally tall enough to ride the Dino Coaster. His enthusiastic father coaxes the reluctant child up the stairs and into the car. When they reach the top and begin the dizzying descent, however, the roles are reversed, with the child obviously thrilled and Dad clearly not. When the ride is over, the boy rushes to get in line again while his father rests on a bench with a bemused expression on his face. Reviews “It takes a dinosaur-themed roller coaster to show a kid that he has the right stuff. After passing muster with the "You must be this tall" sign, the young hero climbs aboard—albeit more reluctantly than his eager dad (who, in typical goofy dad fashion, is wearing socks with his sandals). In Luthardt's (Larabee) paintings, however, the duo undergoes a mien switch after the coaster's first big drop. For the text, "Sailing at the speed of sound./ Zooming, racing toward the ground," Dad gets an "anywhere but here" look on his face, while his son responds with the wide grins and arms-over-head posture of an aficionado. Newcomer Adams's story unspools in singsongy couplets with plenty of heavy-duty action words ("Lurching, tilting up again./ Jerking, rumbling round the bend"). …Luthardt’s amusement-park palette and boldly geometric acrylics pop with energy, and he's particularly good at capturing the swooping black track. …it's a triumph that youngsters won't mind reliving several times over.” Publisher’s Weekly read more reviews here >>
Title: Hats! Author: Kevin Luthardt Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2004 Albert Whitman and Co. www.albertwhitman.com (isbn# 0807531715)	Plot Summary When a young boy enters a hat shop and sees there is a sale that day, he carefully chooses the perfect hat. Proudly wearing his new hat, he walks through town. When he reaches the park, a bully tells him, "Dumb hat!" The boy is crushed--is his hat really dumb? But other kids who come along think the hat is pretty cool, and in a surprise twist, the boy and his new friends turn the tables on the bully. Reviews “The illustrations carry the story in this nearly wordless tale… The brightly colored, folk-art paintings keep the action moving. Luthardt gives the hats and the cast of diverse characters who wear them distinct personalities. The soft edges of the illustrations create a warm mood even when the bully does not. The pictures clearly show the children's emotions, including the boy's joy when he finds his special hat and the doubt and hurt feelings caused by the unpleasant encounter… the book's overall message that compassion can triumph over meanness is a worthy one.” School Library Journal read more reviews here >>
Title: Larabee Author: Kevin Luthardt Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2004, Peachtree Publishers www.peachtree-online.com (isbn# 1561453005 )	• Child Magazine Best Children's Books of 2004 • IRA-CBC Children’s Choice List 2005 • Nominee, 2004 Dog Writers of America Writing competition, children's book category • Kansas State Reading Circle 2005 Recommended Reading List Plot Summary EVERY MORNING, the mailman Mr. Bowman and his dog Larabee wake up very early to deliver the mail. Larabee likes riding in the mail truck. He like carrying the mailbag too. He likes delivering the mail and he always, always makes sure it is delivered on time. Larabee doesn't like one thing: There is never a letter for him! Then one day, after all the mail has been delivered, Mr. Bowman reaches down into his bag and finds a letter?addressed to Larabee! Reviews “Whimsical characters in vibrant colors fill the artwork, done in gouache, colored pencil, and acrylic. Bold one- and two-page paintings depict a culturally diverse community. The simple text, supplemented by expressive thought balloons, effectively details the daily routine of a mail carrier, as well as how Larabee's presence affects the people he meets. This fun read-aloud will charm children.?” School Library Journal read more reviews here >>
Title: Peep! Author: Kevin Luthardt Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2003, Peachtree Publishers www.peachtree-online.com (isbn# 1561450464)	An original and humorous story told in expressive illustrations and simple language CHILDREN’S CHOICE AWARD 2004-INTERNATIONAL READING ASSOCIATION/CHILDREN’S BOOK COUNCIL Plot Summary A baby duck breaks through its shell and immediately attaches itself to the first thing it sees--a warmhearted young boy. The duck follows the boy home and soon the two are inseparable. But the baby duck is growing up. One day…QUACK! When a flock of ducks flies by the boy realizes with a great pang of sorrow that his friend will have to return to live among its own kind. Reviews “In his impressive debut, Mine!, Luthardt proved he could breathe new life into a familiar theme (how hard it is to share) with minimal text and bold, chiaroscurist oils. He calls upon those talents again in this nearly wordless book… While Luthardt’s pictures have a tableau-like quality, he invests every scene with a visual and emotional depth that draws in the audience. The duck’s gleeful and inexhaustible “peep!” becomes another strong graphic element, functioning as both a visual punchline and a mirror of the boy’s affection.” Publishers Weekly read more reviews here >>
Title: Mine Author: Kevin Luthardt Illustrator: Kevin Luthardt 2001 Simon and Schuster-Atheneum Books for young Readers www.simonsayskids.com (isbn# 0689832370)	Plot Summary When two brothers are given one toy, exactly whose toy is it? Both boys think it's MINE!, and when one brother marches off with it, mayhem ensues...until the boys learn that sharing one dinosaur is better than not having a dinosaur at all. An ideal first picture book about sharing.... Reviews “Luthardt's honest and visually emphatic debut book uses only four words (aside from some various dog noises), but that's all the vocabulary he needs to dramatize--in the fullest sense of the word--the importance of sharing… Luthardt understands that sharing is a high-stakes game for a young child, which is why the Grand Guignol feel of much of his book seems just right). He pairs his minimalist text with oil paintings rendered in lurid colors and strong, stark shapes. And he employs a cinematic framing that evokes film noir: when the T-rex lies ripped open between the two boys, the scene is viewed from overhead, an almost vertiginous perspective that should arouse a deliciously morbid frisson of "Uh-oh" from even the youngest readers.” Publishers Weekly read more reviews here >>