Welcome to my author page!
I feel grateful and lucky that my job is making art !
I have illustrated 45 books in the last 26 years, some of which I have also written.
My first children's book, Something to Crow About, hit bookstore shelves in 1990.
My children's book art has received numerous honors you can find below. My favorite praise for my children's book work was from The New Yorker magazine. It called my dimensional work "tromp l'oile marvels"!
In addition to children's books, I illustrate articles for magazines and newspapers like Family Circle and The Boston Globe. My art and designs have been used for logos, packaging, wine labels, giftware, textiles, wall art and greeting cards.
I was meant to be an artist. While taking piano lessons as a child, rather than practice, I colored my sheet music. I still love to color and can't play the piano! I grew up looking at beautiful things. My father took me to art museums on my birthday. I look back now and see how everyone around me was making things: my father built furniture, carved wood and painted, my mother sewed and wrote, my brother made homemade movies with his action figures, and my sister painted. My grandparents were creative also making things, sewing and quilting.
I'm a former Pratt Institute and Moore College of Art & Design professor. I am currently on the faculty of Marywood University's undergrad and MFA Program, Get Your Masters with the Masters. I earned my Masters Degree, in illustration, from this wonderful MFA program.
I also consult one-on-one for projects of all kinds and run children's book workshops with my friend and colleague, Melanie Hall.
A former New Yorker, I now live in the cute, small, town of Lansdowne, PA, where I'm president of the borough's Arts Board. I am also past co-chair of Lansdowne's annual three-day celebration of music and art - The Lansdowne Arts & Music Festival.
I'm grateful for my wonderful, creative life everyday! I'm currently working on a picture book about my adopted shelter dog, Ruby. I looked for my perfect dog on adoption websites for many months. When I saw her furry little face I knew I had found my dog. I filled out all her adoption papers without even meeting her. Luckily, we are a good match. The story is about our experience of finding each other. rubyrescued.com is coming soon!
You can visit me, shop for out of print books and download free coloring pages and puzzles at my website- www.meganhalsey.com
You can also follow me on FaceBook and Instagram.
My clients include:
Simon & Schuster
Harper Collins
The Boston Globe
Family Circle
Denver University Law School
Harvard Magazine
Scholastic
Charlesbridge Publishing
Dial Books For Young Readers
Marshall Cavendish
Bradbury Press
Walker & Company
St. Martin's Press
New Jersey Life
Yankee Magazine
Some Awards & Recognition:
Best 100 Books for Reading and Sharing, The New York Public Library
Book of the Year, Bank Street College
Gold Award (2 time winner), Oppenheim Toy Newsletter
Gold Award, National Parents Publishing Association (NAPPA)
Children's Choice Award
Outstanding Science Trade Book, National Science Teachers Assoc.
International Book Award Honor, Society Of School Librarians
"Pick of the List", American Booksellers Association
Recommended Reading List, Reading Rainbow
Recommended Reading List, The New Yorker
Pa. Young Reader's Choice Award
New England Book Show Book Award
Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People
Textbook Adoption Book, Georgia State Department of Education
