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Joy Chu

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Nancy Tafuri

Goodreads author profile

born

Brooklyn, New York

gender

female

website

http://web.me.com/nancytafuri/Site/Enter.html

genre

Children's Books

member since

March 2010

About this author

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Nancy Tafuri is probably best known as the creator of Have You Seen My Duckling?, a 1985 Caldecott Honor Book described by Parent’s Choice as “beautifully precise yet emotionally affecting.” Trained as a graphic designer, Tafuri has authored more than 45 books over 30 years for the very young.

When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.

Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Sch...more Nancy Tafuri is probably best known as the creator of Have You Seen My Duckling?, a 1985 Caldecott Honor Book described by Parent’s Choice as “beautifully precise yet emotionally affecting.” Trained as a graphic designer, Tafuri has authored more than 45 books over 30 years for the very young.

When Tafuri first attempted picture book illustration in the late 1970’s picture books were aimed at five-, six-, and seven-year-olds. Tafuri’s images were considered “too graphic” for children that age. “The pictures are too big,” she was told over and over about the large, colorful shapes she drew. Finally, Tafuri’s talent was recognized and tapped at Greenwillow Books, Harper Collins Publishers.

Since then she has had the opportunity to work with Scholastic Press, Scholastic Inc., Simon & Schuster Books For Young Readers, Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division and most recently Little, Brown Books For Young Readers, Little, Brown and Company.

Tafuri was born in Brooklyn, New York. For the first ten years of her life she was an only child and says that this helped her to learn to entertain herself with stories and art.

Tafuri entered the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1964. Her first job was as an assistant art director for the publishing firm Simon & Schuster. She left two years later and married Thomas Tafuri, a fellow student at the School of Visual Arts.

The Tafuri’s opened their own graphic design studio, in 1971. Their primary product was dust jackets for hardcover books. They opened their business in New York City, but eventually moved their studio and home to Connecticut.

At this time, Nancy was able to devote all of her time to writing and illustration.

When Tafuri finally found herself illustrating children’s books, either her own or other authors’, she felt she had found her life’s calling and a strong sense of joy from creating them. She loves to take a small portion of the text and create a visual representation that children can grasp and remember. In 1989, when Cristina was born, Nancy began to feel even more strongly motivated to illustrate for children. Her work seemed even more important and more personal.

“I feel honored to be creating literature for young children. Seeing how very important the early years are in a person’s life, I can only hope that my books can contribute in some small way to that growth, with the feelings that I hope I project within those pages, through line, color, shape, and story.”(less)

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Books by Nancy Tafuri

Average rating: 3.73 · 1,367 ratings · 332 reviews · 50 distinct works

	Have You Seen My Duckling? 3.66 avg rating — 236 ratings — published 1984 — 13 editions	My rating:
	Blue Goose 3.79 avg rating — 136 ratings — published 2008 — 3 editions	My rating:
	The Busy Little Squirrel 3.75 avg rating — 133 ratings — published 2007 — 3 editions	My rating:
	All Kinds of Kisses 3.82 avg rating — 85 ratings — published 2012	My rating:
	I Love You, Little One 3.96 avg rating — 71 ratings — 2 editions	My rating:
	Silly Little Goose! 3.75 avg rating — 76 ratings — 4 editions	My rating:
	Whose Chick Are You? 3.60 avg rating — 68 ratings — 2 editions	My rating:
	Five Little Chicks 3.59 avg rating — 58 ratings — published 2006 — 2 editions	My rating:
	Spots, Feathers, and Curly Tails 3.88 avg rating — 52 ratings — published 1988 — 2 editions	My rating:
	The Big Storm: A Very Soggy Counting Book 3.73 avg rating — 51 ratings — published 2009	My rating:

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Interviews

November 2009, Nancy Tafuri
" Quick Start SS: How would you describe your life in only 8 words? NT: I would not trade my life with anyone's! SS: What is your motto or maxim? NT: Attitude is everything. What Readers want to know... SS: How would you describe perfect happine..." ...More

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Nancy's Recent Updates

Nancy Tafuri is now friends with Lisa Delacruz
May 22, 2012 01:27pm
Nancy Tafuri gave to: The Group by Mary McCarthy	My rating:
May 09, 2012 11:09am
Nancy Tafuri gave to: City of Promise: A Novel of New York's Gilded Age by Beverly Swerling (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Apr 18, 2012 01:19pm
Nancy Tafuri gave to: Caleb's Crossing by Geraldine Brooks	My rating:
Mar 06, 2012 07:18am
Nancy Tafuri gave to: The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton read in February, 2012	My rating:
Once you get the characters down (and even if you don't)keep on reading because it all falls into place and you wouldn't be able to put it down!
Feb 06, 2012 08:36am · see review
Nancy Tafuri gave to: The Soldier's Wife by Margaret Leroy	My rating:
Jan 19, 2012 10:27am
Nancy Tafuri gave to: All Kinds of Kisses by Nancy Tafuri (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Jan 12, 2012 01:15pm
Nancy Tafuri gave to: The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Jan 03, 2012 06:51am
Nancy Tafuri gave to: The Pajama Girls of Lambert Square by Rosina Lippi (Goodreads Author)	My rating:
Dec 23, 2011 02:49pm
Nancy Tafuri gave to: Rules of Civility by Amor Towles	My rating:
Nov 07, 2011 01:34pm