Jose Aruego
Teacher Resource File

Welcome to the Internet School Library Media Center Jose Aruego page. For other children's authors, see Children's Authors and Illustrators. The ISLMC is a meta-site for librarians, teachers, parents and students. You can search this site, use an index or a sitemap. Be sure to visit your school or public library to find books by your favorite authors. 12/1/00


[Biography] [Biography Links] [Lesson Plans] [Bibliography] [ERIC Resources] [References]

Biography

Jose Aruego was born in Manila, the Philippines, on August 9, 1932. As a child, he cared for and loved an array of animal friends, perhaps an influence on his later art. Like his father, he completed a law degree at the University of the Philippines but chose a career as an illustrator instead. He moved to New York City in the l950's to attend Parsons School of Design. He has lived there ever since. His first children's book,The King and His Friends, was published by Scribner in 1969.

He frequently works with his former wife, Ariane Dewey, in producing his art work. He draws the pictures using pen and ink; then she applies the color. Together they illustrated several books by author Robert Kraus. One of my favorites is Milton the Early Riser. Milton, a very young Panda, wakes early and tries hard to wake up the other animals. Mr. Aruego enjoys his humorous animal characters as much as I do. In The Fourth Book of Junior Authors, he says,

"Since I work and live alone in my studio apartment, I find myself
howling and giggling every time I draw one of the funny characters."(1)

Both children and adults will continue to enjoy his work for generations to come. His book,Herman the Helper, was an Honor Book for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in 1974. The picture book was written by Robert Kraus and illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. We Hide, You Seek, and Dance Away (written by George Shannon) were nominated for Nebraska's Golden Sower Award. Three books, illustrated by Ariane Dewey and Jose Aruego, are included in Barnes & Noble's Reader's Catalog of the Best 40,000+ Best Books in Print. These include Gregory, the Terrible Eater, Mitchell Is Moving, and Mushroom in the Rain. Aruego's books frequently are included in Best Books Lists, such as 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know from the New York Public Library. The list includes Mushroom in the Rain and Leo the Late Bloomer. In 1976 Mr. Aruego was honored by the government of the Philippines with the Outstanding Filipino Abroad in the Arts Award.

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Biography

Jose Aruego: A Filipino Illustrator
Very short biography and booklist from PinoyLit

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Lesson Plans

Fable Investigation
Includes several e-texts of fables, including the Iroquois'
How Chipmunk Got His Stripe; write your own fable; final
activities. From Buffalo State College
Mitchell Is Moving
Second grade book studies. Space down the page for activities
TeacherView. Leo the Late Bloomer
Book review and activity
Speech Therapy Activities. Leo the Late Bloomer
From Speechtx Store
Leo the Late Bloomer
See Amanda's recreated illustration in paint program.
All About Me Mini-Unit. Leo the Late Bloomer
Space down for activities. Mini-unit for beginning of school year
Leo the Late Bloomer Activity Card
From University of Virginia
"The Hardy Personality in Theory, Research, and Practice"
Curriculum unit for second grade. Leo the Late Bloomer
Kinder-l Archives. Leo the Late Bloomer
Writing activity
Icebreakers Archives. Leo the Late Bloomer
Some ideas for parents (teachers too) in using this book.
From MotherFather
Activity Idea Place: April Showers, Rain and Rainbows!!!
Spring activities. Mushroom in the Rain
From 123child.com
Grade 1. Animals! Animals!. Sample Unit
Environments, natural and constructed. Language art.
Mushroom in the Rain. From Saskatchewan Education
Thematic Unit. Weather
K-2; by Rosemary Jones and Jill Buie. Mushroom in the Rain
NNCC Better Kid Care: Reading Aloud
NNCC Better Kid Care: Storytelling

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Bibliography

ISLMC Jose Aruego Bibliography

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ERIC Resources

ERIC documents are inexpensive or can be obtained through libraries. For abstracts, please search AskEric directly.

16 Extraordinary Asian Americans. Student Book.

By Nancy Lobb. ED402375
Musings.
By Robert D. Hale, in Horn Book Magazine, Sept-Oct 1986. EJ339924

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References

Fourth Book of Junior Authors. Eds. Doris De Montreville and Elizabeth D. Crawford. New York: H.W. Wilson, 1978. 14-16. (1)p14

Something About the Author. Vol. 68. Ed. by Donna Olendorf. Gale, 1992. 15-18

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James Madison University
E-mail: ramseyil@jmu.edu