Bio
J.E. Morris
Jennifer E. Morris is an award-winning children’s book author and illustrator. She is the author of 16 books for children. Her best-selling book, May I Please Have a Cookie? has sold over one and a half million copies worldwide. And her book, Flubby Is Not a Good Pet! was a Theodore Seuss Geisel Honor recipient. Her illustrations have been featured in children’s magazines, greeting cards, partyware and educational materials as well as numerous picture books.
Jennifer also has a nerdy side and has a bachelors in computer science from the University of Pittsburgh and a masters of computer science from Stevens Institute of Technology. She volunteers with FIRST Lego League (FLL) robotics competition for elementary and middle grade students and was an FLL coach for many years.
Clients include Amscan, Highlights, Cricket Magazine Group, Scholastic, Fisher Price, Great Arrow Graphics, Penguin Random House, Amazon Two Lions Publishing, Sleeping Bear Press, Heinemann, Lifeway and Tilbury House Publishers.
Awards
- Monarch Readers Choice Award Nominee (Ducks Run Amok!)
- Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection (Flubby is Not a Good Pet!)
- Junior Library Guild Gold Standard Selection (Flubby Will Not Play With That)
- Cybil Finalist for Best Easy Reader (Fish Are Not Afraid of Doctors)
- The Moonbeam Award for Peacemaking (Most People)
- Maine Literary Award Best Children's Book (The Lemonade Hurricane)
- Notable Social Studies Trade Book For Young People 2016 CBC and NCSS (The Lemonade Hurricane)
- Gelett Burgess Honor Book (The Lemonade Hurricane)
- 2015 3x3 International Illustration Awards Certificate of Merit
- Cybil Finalist for Best Easy Reader (Steve and Wessley in The Ice Cream Shop)
- Gluten-Free Awards Best Gluten-Free Children's Book 2015 (A Gluten-Free Birthday for Me!)
- 2007 SCBWI Don Freeman Memorial Grant
- Maryland Blue Crab Young Reader Awards Honor Book (May I Please Have a Cookie?)
- Louie Award for Best Mother's Day Card
- Louie Award for Best St. Patrick's Day Card
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Sharing is UnBEARable!
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Published by Penguin Workshop
August 2024
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Published by Penguin Workshop
February 2020
Ducks Run Amok!
Flubby Is Not a Good Pet!
Ducks Run Amok!
Published by Penguin Workshop
March 2021
Frequently Asked questions
What type of books do you write and why?
I specialize in creating humorous easy reader books for young children. I enjoy the brevity of easy readers. Incorporating humorous plot and a slightly deeper underlying theme in under 200 words easy to read words is a fun challenge.
Where do you get your ideas?
Story ideas can come from anywhere. Often I will jot down a small incident or image that I think is interesting and then I will build on that idea. Flubby is Not a Good Pet! was inspired by cartoon sketches I did of our real pet cat, who was also named Flubby. Sharing is UnBEARable! was partially inspired by paintings I did in the woods while hiking during Covid.
When working on a book, do the words or the pictures come first?
I've heard some author/illustrators say they write the story first and then start work on the illustrations but I prefer working on both simultaneously. I feel like a strong visual image can steer the story in a certain direction. And the interplay of words and pictures is vital to the storytelling especially when working with such short manuscripts.
You also illustrate books written by other authors, how is that different?
Illustrating someone else's story is a unique challenge. Often when working in collaboration the story goes in a direction that I wouldn't have thought of on my own. I really enjoy that aspect of it. And I enjoy trying to to stay true to the author's vision but also adding my own twist on the story. I like adding extra things in the background or even adding characters that aren't necessarily represented in the text.
What are your biggest challenges being a children's book author?
I think staying disciplined. Being self-employed in a creative field requires a lot of self discipline to show up day after day. But I find it challenging to balance that work ethic with a freedom to play and explore creatively.
What is the best part of being a children's book author?
When I get letters from kids and parents saying how much their family enjoys one of my books. I got a letter a while back from a mom that said they had to be buy a new copy of May I Please Have a Cookie? because their copy was battered and torn. Their child liked it so much they insisted on sleeping with it every night. I don't think I could get a better compliment than that.
What medium to do you use for your art?
All of the illustrations that you see on my website were done digitally. When I feel like stepping away from the computer and using real paints I use watercolors and gouache (pronounced “gwash’‘), which is an opaque watercolor.
Will you illustrate my children's books?
I wish there was enough time to illustrate everyone's story but I'm afraid my schedule is pretty busy. I can no longer accept self-published projects.
Do you have any advice for someone who wants to create children's books?
Do your homework. Creating children's books is very fun and rewarding but people are often surprised to learn it's a very competitive industry. The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) has a lot of resources to help get you started. If you are interested in self-publishing, Harold Underdown has a lot of great resources on his website.