Matt Tavares

Matthew Manuel Tavares (born December 4, 1975) is an American illustrator and writer of children's picture books.

New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Matt Tavares was born in Boston, and grew up surrounded by books and reading.

From the time he was very young, his mother read to him every night, and his family made countless trips to the public library.

Years later, as a studio art major at Bates College, he rediscovered his love for picture books and decided to create his own.

As his senior thesis at Bates, Tavares wrote and illustrated "Sebastian's Ball", a story about a boy who catches a magical foul ball at a Boston Red Sox game.

Three years later in 2000, after much revision, it became his first published picture book, Zachary's Ball from Candlewick Press.

Zachary's Ball went on to win a Massachusetts Book Award Honor and to be named one of "40 Classic New England Children's Books" by Yankee Magazine.

At least 20 more books illustrated by Tavares have been published since then, including several for which he has written the text.

They have won several awards including three Parents' Choice Gold Awards.

His artwork has been exhibited at the Museum of American Illustration, the Brandywine River Museum, and the Mazza Museum of Picture Book Art.

When not working in his studio, Tavares travels the country speaking and drawing at schools, libraries, conferences, and bookstores.

He has presented at the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Eric Carle Museum, and the White House Easter Egg Roll, and has done book signings at Fenway Park.

Tavares lives in Maine with his wife and two daughters.

Where no writer is named, Tavares is the writer as well as the illustrator.

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