Chris K. Soentpiet (born January 3, 1970, in Seoul) is a Korean American children's book illustrator and author. He was born in Seoul, South Korea, in 1970. At age 8, he moved to Hawaii to live with his adoptive family.[1] A year later, the Soentpiets relocated to Portland, Oregon. Soentpiet currently lives and works in New York City.

Chris Soentpiet
BornHan Kun Seop
(1970-01-03) January 3, 1970 (age 54)
Seoul, South Korea
OccupationWriter, illustrator, artist
NationalityAmerican
Alma materPratt Institute
GenreChildren's literature
Notable worksCoolies (2001)
SpouseYin (m. 1970)
Website
www.soentpiet.com

Around Town, a picture book written and illustrated by Soentpiet, marked the artist's debut in 1994. Today, Soentpiet is recognized as an award-winning illustrator in the children's book industry. His books have received numerous honors, including, but not limited to, the International Reading Association Teachers' Choice Award, NAACP Image Award, Parents' Choice Gold Award, Parents Magazine Best Children's Book of the Year, North Carolina Children's Book Award, Georgia Children's Picture Book Award, International Reading Association Notable Children's Book for a Global Society, and ALA Notable Book. Soentpiet is active on the school visit circuit.[citation needed]

Soentpiet's research for the picture chapter book Peacebound Trains (author: Haemi Balgassi) took him back to his country of birth, South Korea, for the first time since his adoption in 1978. In 1996, Soentpiet won the Society of Illustrators Gold Medal for his paintings in Peacebound Trains. The United States Department of Defense published an online edition of the book and featured it, complete with a Teacher Activity Guide, on the United States of America Korean War Commemoration site. Peacebound Trains is the only book to receive this honor.[citation needed]

On his official website and a number of interviews, the artist credits Ted Lewin and Betsy Lewin for encouraging him to pursue a career as a children's book illustrator.[citation needed]

Awards and honors

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Three of the books Soentpiet illustrated are Junior Library Guild selections: So Far from the Sea (1998),[2] Coolies (2001),[3] and Brothers (2007).[4] The Association for Library Service to Children has named three of the books Soentpiet illustrated as Notable Children's Books: More Than Anything Else (1996),[5] Molly Bannaky (2000),[6] and Coolies (2002).[7] In 1995, the Smithsonian named The Last Dragon by Susan Miho Nunes among the year's Notable Books for Children.[8]

Soentpiet's books have also received the following accolades:

  • 1995, 1996: American Bookseller Pick of the List
  • 1995, 1997: Notable Children's Trade Books in the Field of Social Studies
  • 1996: Black History Top 25 Pick for Youth
  • 1996: Chicago Tribune Top 10 Children Books
  • 1996, 2000, 2004: The International Reading Award Teachers' Choice Award
  • 1996, 1997: American Bookseller Pick of the List
  • 1998: International Reading Award Notable Book for a Global Society
  • 1998: NCSS-CBC Notable Trade Book in Field of Social Studies
  • 1998: Parents Best Children's Book of the Year
  • 2000: Texas Bluebonnet Award-Nominee
  • 2001: Maryland Children's Book Award-Nominee
  • 2001: Nest Literary Classics
  • 2003: Child Best Book of the Year
  • 2004: Children's Book Sense 76 Pick
  • 2005: Kansas State Reading Circle
  • 2006-2007: Master Reading List, Volunteer State Book Award
  • NCSS/CBC Notable Children's Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies
  • San Francisco Chronicles Best Book List
  • Peggy Sharp, Ed.D Pick 2000
  • North Carolina Children's Book Award
  • New York Public Library Top 100 Titles
Awards for Soentpiet's books
Year Title Award Result Ref.
1996 More than Anything Else ILA Children’s and Young Adults’ Book Award Winner [9]
1999 Molly Bannaky Jane Addams Children's Book Award Winner [10]
1999 FOCAL Award Best Book Winner
2000 Golden Kite Award Honor
2000 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Award Winner
2001 Coolies Parents' Choice Award Winner
2001-03 Coolies Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature: Picture Book Honor [11]
2006-07 Brothers Asian/Pacific American Awards for Literature: Picture Book Honor [12]
2015 Amazing Places Parents' Choice Award for Poetry Winner

Books

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  • Soentpiet, Chris K. (1994). Around Town. New York: Lothrop, Lee & Shepard Books. ISBN 978-0-688-04572-2.[13]
  • Bradby, Marie (1995). More than anything else. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-09464-8.[14]
  • Nunes, Susan (1995). The last dragon. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-395-67020-0.[15]
  • Balgassi, Haemi (1996). Peacebound trains. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-395-72093-6.[16]
  • Rylant, Cynthia (1997). Silver packages: an Appalachian Christmas story. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-30051-0.[17]
  • Bunting, Eve (1998). So Far from the Sea. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-395-72095-0.[18]
  • Lyon, George Ella (1998). A sign. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-30073-2.[19]
  • Wyeth, Sharon Dennis (1998). Something beautiful. New York: Doubleday Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-385-32239-3.[20]
  • McGill, Alice (1999). Molly Bannaky. Boston, Mass: Houghton Mifflin. ISBN 978-0-395-72287-9.[21]
  • Rosenberg, Liz (1999). The silence in the mountains. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-30084-8.[22]
  • Barron, T. A. (2000). Where is Grandpa?. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23037-0.[23]
  • Bradby, Marie (2000). Momma, where are you from?. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-531-30105-0.[24]
  • Bunting, Eve (2001). Jin Woo. New York: Clarion Books. ISBN 978-0-395-93872-0.[25]
  • Yin (2001). Coolies. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23227-5.[26]
  • Yin (2002). Dear Santa, Please Come to the 19th Floor. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23636-5.[27]
  • Farris, Christine King (2003). My Brother Martin: A Sister Remembers Growing Up with the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. New York: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers. ISBN 978-0-689-84387-7.[28]
  • Laminack, Lester L. (2004). Saturdays and teacakes. Atlanta: Peachtree. ISBN 978-1-56145-303-0.[29]
  • Yin (2006). Brothers. New York: Philomel Books. ISBN 978-0-399-23406-4.[30]
  • Raven, Margot Theis (2008). Happy birthday to you! the mystery behind the most famous song in the world. Chelsea, Michigan: Sleeping Bear Press. ISBN 978-1-58536-169-4.[31]
  • Hopkins, Lee Bennett (2010). Amazing faces. New York: Lee & Low Books. ISBN 978-1-60060-334-1. OCLC 405105354.[32]
  • Bates, Katharine Lee; Collier, Bryan (2013). America the beautiful: together we stand. New York: Orchard Books. ISBN 978-0-545-49207-2.
  • Hopkins, Lee Bennett (2015). Amazing places: poems. Co-illustrated by Christy Hale. New York: Lee & Low Books Inc. ISBN 978-1-60060-653-3.

References

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  1. ^ "Chris Soentpiet". Papertigers.org. Archived from the original on June 20, 2010. Retrieved February 27, 2010.
  2. ^ "So Far from the Sea". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  3. ^ "Coolies". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  4. ^ "Brothers". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  5. ^ "More Than Anything Else". American Library Association. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  6. ^ "Molly Bannaky". American Library Association. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  7. ^ "Coolies". American Library Association. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  8. ^ Burke, Kathleen (November 1, 1995). "Smithsonian Notable Books for Children, 1995". Smithsonian Magazine. Archived from the original on November 29, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  9. ^ "Celebrating 40 Years of Extraordinary Books" (PDF). International Literacy Association. p. 4. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  10. ^ Griffith, Susan C.; Barkman, Donna. "Imagining Peace and Social Justice: The Jane Addams Children's Book Award". American Library Association. Archived from the original on March 10, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  11. ^ "2001-2003 AWARDS WINNERS". APALA. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  12. ^ "2006-2007 AWARDS WINNERS". APALA. Archived from the original on September 27, 2023. Retrieved February 1, 2019.
  13. ^ "Around Town by Chris K. Soentpiet". Publishers Weekly. February 28, 1994. Archived from the original on December 1, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  14. ^ "More than Anything Else". Booklist. July 1995. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  15. ^ "The Last Dragon". Booklist. May 1, 1995. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  16. ^ "Peacebound Trains". Booklist. September 15, 1996. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  17. ^ "Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story". Booklist. September 1, 1997. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  18. ^ "So Far from the Sea". Booklist. May 1, 1998. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  19. ^ "A Sign". Booklist. February 15, 1998. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  20. ^ "Something Beautiful". Booklist. September 15, 1998. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  21. ^ "Molly Bannaky". Booklist. September 15, 1999. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  22. ^ "Silence in the Mountains". Booklist. February 1, 1999. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  23. ^ "Where is Grandpa?". Booklist. May 1, 2000. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  24. ^ "Momma, Where Are You From?". Booklist. February 15, 2000. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  25. ^ "Jin Woo". Booklist. March 15, 2001. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  26. ^ "Coolies by Yin". Publishers Weekly. February 19, 2001. Archived from the original on October 2, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  27. ^ "DEAR SANTA, PLEASE COME TO THE 19th FLOOR by Yin". Publishers Weekly. September 23, 2002. Archived from the original on December 9, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  28. ^ "My Brother Martin". Booklist. February 15, 2003. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  29. ^ "Saturdays and Teacakes". Booklist. April 1, 2004. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  30. ^ "Brothers". Booklist. August 2006. Archived from the original on February 7, 2023. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  31. ^ "Happy Birthday to You! The Mystery Behind the Most Famous Song in the World". Booklist. October 7, 2008. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
  32. ^ "Amazing Faces". Booklist. April 15, 2010. Archived from the original on July 14, 2024. Retrieved July 14, 2024.
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