Diane deGroat

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Diane deGroat

Creator of fave opossum GILBERT books

Diane deGroat is an award-winning, best-selling author and illustrator of over 130 books. She has also written and illustrated the best-selling series about Gilbert - everyone's favorite opossum. Other titles include the Annie Pitts series and the Lola series.

Diane grew up in New Jersey. She attended Pratt Institute in New York, graduating in 1969 with a BFA in commercial art. She started her career at Holt, Rinehart, and Winston, designing their first basic reading series, K-8. Since 1972, Ms. deGroat has free-lanced in advertising, editorial, and design, but the main focus of her work has been in children's book illustration. Many titles are for well-known authors such as Eve Bunting, Lois Lowry, Johanna Hurwitz, and even Dr. Ruth.

Her best selling picture books include: Trick or Treat, Smell My Feet, and Roses are Pink, Your Feet Really Stink (the first picture book that she wrote and illustrated), an IRA-CBC Children's Choice and State Children's Book Award winner in Arkansas and North Carolina.

New for 2015: CHARLIE PLAYS BALL written by Ree Drummond (aka: The Pioneer Woman Cooks) and illustrated by Diane deGroat

Diane deGroat's Official Website