Children’s Book Author, Illustrator to Speak at RVCC
Raritan Valley Community College will present children’s book author and illustrator Peter Catalanotto on Tuesday, October 29, at 1 p.m. The event, which is free of charge and open to the public, will be held in the Atrium (lower level, College Center) at RVCC’s Branchburg campus.
During the program, Catalanotto will speak about the art of book writing and illustrating. The event also will include a book signing by the author.
After graduating from Pratt Institute, Peter Catalanotto worked as an illustrator for print publications such as Reader's Digest, Family Circle, Woman's Day and American Girl magazine. A few years later, he began illustrating Young Adult book jackets and after painting the cover for Judy Blume's Just as Long as We're Together in 1987, the editor, Richard Jackson, approached him to illustrate Cynthia Rylant’s picture book, All I See. When Jackson noticed that Catalanotto would extend the text with his pictures and bring new ideas to a story, he encouraged him to write his own books.
During his career, Catalanotto has published 48 books for children, 18 of which he has written, including Ivan the Terrier, Matthew A. B. C. and Emily's Art. The first of his emerging reader series, Monkey & Robot, was released in 2013, followed by More of Monkey & Robot.
Catalanotto has illustrated for such well-known authors as Mary Pope Osborne, Joanne Ryder, Megan McDonald, George Ella Lyon and Robert Burleigh. Since 1990, he has visited over 1,500 elementary schools in 40 states, sharing with children his creative process from inspiration to final book. Catalanotto currently teaches the first children's book writing course at Columbia University. In 2008, First Lady, Laura Bush commissioned him to illustrate the White House holiday brochure.
For additional information about the RVCC event, contact Lisa Tucker, RVCC Associate Professor of English, at lisa.tucker@raritanval.edu.
Ranked by BestColleges.com, WalletHub.com, and Niche.com as the #1 community college in New Jersey, Raritan Valley Community College has been serving as an academic and cultural center for Somerset and Hunterdon County residents for over 50 years. The College has been nationally recognized for its service to the community, environmental stewardship, and commitment to diversity. It is home to a Planetarium, Science Education Institute and 3M Observatory; a 1,000-seat Theatre offering professional performances for all ages; and an Honors College for high achieving students.
The College offers more than 90 associate degrees and certificates, as well as career training, small business assistance through the Small Business Development Center, and professional development courses. RVCC is located at 118 Lamington Road in Branchburg, NJ. For further information, visit www.raritanval.edu.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 10, 2019
Media contact: Donna Stolzer, 908-526-1200, ext. 8383
PR #31
