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Jan Brett

With over thirty four million books in print, Jan Brett is one of the nation's foremost author illustrators of children's books. Jan lives in a seacoast town in Massachusetts, close to where she grew up. During the summer her family moves to a home in the Berkshire Hills of Massachusetts. As a child, Jan Brett decided to be an illustrator and spent many hours reading and drawing. As a student at the Boston Museum School, she spent hours in the Museum of Fine Arts. "I'm delighted and surprised when fragments of these beautiful images come back to me in my painting," she says. Travel is also a constant inspiration. Together with her husband, Joe Hearne, who is a member of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, Jan visits many different countries where she researches the architecture and costumes that appear in her work. "From cave paintings to Norwegian sleighs, to Japanese gardens, I study the traditions of the many countries I visit and use them as a starting point for my children's books."

Jan Brett
Jan Brett is an author and illustrator of many popular children's books including The Mitten, Cozy in Love, and Jan Brett's The Nutcracker. Jan Brett is inspired by travel and each book is set in a different location including Alaska, Maine, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, and more.


Is Jan Brett Still Writing Books?

Jan Brett's latest book is The Snowy Nap in 2018.


How many books has Jan Brett written?

Jan Brett has written and illustrated 28 books, retold and illustrated 11 books, and just illustrated 11 additional books.


How does Jan Brett illustrate her books?

Jan Brett illustrates her books in watercolor and gouache.