A First Time for Everything

Dan Santat is a celebrated author of children’s books and graphic novels. In his early adulthood, he bravely decided to pursue a career that incorporated his passion for drawing. After graduating from the Art Center College of Design in California, Dan began illustrating children’s books and eventually writing and illustrating his own. To date, Dan has authored and/or illustrated more than 100 children’s books. His most renowned work so far is a children’s picture book titled The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend, which won the Caldecott Medal in 2015. It was celebrated for including mixed-media art (both traditional and digital illustrations). Dan’s illustrations have depth and a clear attention to detail that many other children’s books and graphic novels lack. In his memoir A First Time for Everything, Dan paid special attention to his architectural drawings and brought well-known historical sites like Notre Dame Cathedral and Wiener Konzerthaus to life by painstakingly including each window, pillar, and doorway. Dan’s career as a children’s author has just begun, and his fans look forward to his additional work.