Will Hillenbrand is the first author in our 2021 Author Study Challenge. His books are so lovely, his illustrations so gentle, and his stories often fun. If he isn’t already an author/illustrator on your shelf, I hope you will fall in love with him this month.
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about the 2021 Author Study Challenge.
Will Hillenbrand
Author Study
Meet Author
Will Hillenbrand is an author/illustrator. He has written and illustrated many books but he has also illustrated many stories written by other authors.
To learn more about Will Hillenbrand you can read this interview on Cracking the Cover and this one on Kid Lit Frenzy.
Will Hillenbrand’s Author Website: https://www.willhillenbrand.com/
His site has a lot of great resources, including these Drawing Response Sheets. I link to a few more below in the activities area but you can also learn more about Will Hillenbrand and all kinds of other things on his website.
You May Also Like: 50 Children’s Book Authors You Should Know
Best Books by Author
Will Hillenbrand is an author and illustrator. He writes and illustrates books but he also works as an illustrator for books that others have written. There are some of each below.
Click Here to Get the Preschool Author Study Pack
Will Hillenbrand is probably best known for his Bear and Mole series.
Here are some of our favorites in the series.
Spring is Here
Find Online
This is the first one in the series.
Off We Go!
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Down By the Barn
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Kite Day
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First Star
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Then there are other picture books that he’s written and illustrated:
Down by the Station
by Will Hillenbrand
One of our absolute favorites. If your child loves trains and animals they will love this book. There are a lot of versions of this song/story, but none is illustrated with the imagination or humor of Hillenbrand.
Find Online
Louie!
A story about Ludwig Bemelmans who wrote Madeline as a child.
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Mighty Reader and the Big Freeze
A wonderful book for new readers who get nervous, especially when reading in front of other people.
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What a Treasure
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And then there’s his collection of Christmas books. Add these to your list of books to check out next Christmas.
Asleep in the Stable
The Nativity Story from the perspective of a baby owl and its mom in the barn.
Find Online
Cock-A-Doodle Christmas
The Nativity story from the perspective of a new rooster who is learning to wake up all the farm animals.
Find Online
Will Hillenbrand has also illustrated tons of books written by other authors.
Here are just a few:
Snow Friends
by Margery Cuyler
This one was new in 2020!
Find Online
I’m a Duck
by Eve Bunting
Find Online
Calendar
by Myra Gohn Livingston
Find Online
Bear in Love
by Daniel Pinkwater
Find Online
Me and Annie McPhee
by Olivier Dunrea
Find Online
Shop Will Hillenbrand Books at Bookshop
Respond to Books / Activities about Books
Activities Inspired by the Books:
- Play Will Hillenbrand’s Big Bear game – download and print from his website.
- Do activities from Will Hillenbrand for his DOWN BY THE BARN story.
- This page on Will Hillenbrand’s website has tons of activities inspired by WHAT A TREASURE.
- Use the Down By the Barn activity guide available for free on Teachers Pay Teachers.
- Older Kids could write a new story about Bear and Mole.
Illustration Ideas:
- Will Hillenbrand illustrates with a combination of art materials, many of which you likely have at home. Use pencils, colored pencils, chalk, pastels, crayons, ink, and watercolors to create your own pictures of Winter, animals, or whatever else inspires you.
- For older kids, if you’re okay with making the illustration process digital, watch this video of his process or this one on his blog. Older kids could use an art program on the computer to imitate this process.
Click Here to Get the Preschool Author Study Pack
#2021authorstudychallenge
Share your favorite books and Hillenbrand activities on Instagram with the hashtag #2021authorstudychallenge.
