Eugene Yelchin (born Yevgeny Arkadievich Yelchin, , born October 18, 1956) is a Russian-American artist best known as an illustrator and writer of books for children.
His novel Breaking Stalin's Nose was awarded a Newbery Honor in 2012. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge he co-authored with M. T. Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature in 2018.
His nephew was the late actor Anton Yelchin.
Education and early career
Yelchin was born in Leningrad, Russia, to a Jewish family. In 1979, Yelchin graduated from Leningrad State Theater Academy.
From 1979 to 1983 he designed sets and costumes for leading Russian theater companies including Alexandrinsky (Pushkin's) Theater and Akimov Comedy Theater in Leningrad.
In 1979–80, with a group of peers from the Theater Academy he co-founded Tomsk Children's Theater in Siberia.
In 1983, Yelchin emigrated to the United States. In 1988, Yelchin graduated from the Southern California Film School in Los Angeles and began directing TV commercials and illustrating advertising campaigns.
Books for children
In 2006 at the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators conference Yelchin received Tomie DePaola Illustration Award and began writing and illustrating books for children.
His books have been published by Scholastic Press, Henry Holt, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Roaring Brook Press, Candlewick Press, Clarion Books and Harcourt. They were translated into French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Romanian, Estonian, and Polish.
Selected awards
In 2018 The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge he co-authored with Matthew Tobin Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist.
In 2012 Breaking Stalin's Nose, a middle grade novel that he wrote and illustrated received the Newbery Honor.
In 2010 his illustrations for The Rooster Prince of Breslov received a National Jewish Book Award.
In 2017 his novel The Haunting of Falcon House received Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators’ Golden Kite Award.
In 2011 Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku that he illustrated received Society of Children's Books Writers and the Golden Kite Award.
Bibliography
As author/illustrator
The Genius Under the Table. 2021. Candlewick Press
Spy Runner. 2019. Henry Holt and Company
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge(with M.T. Anderson). 2018. Candlewick Press Pip & Pup. 2018. HarperCollins Publishers Spring Hare. 2017. Henry Holt and Company The Haunting of Falcon House. 2016. Henry Holt and Company Arcady's Goal. 2014. Henry Holt and Company Breaking Stalin's Nose. 2011. Henry Holt and Company The Next Door Bear. 2011. HarperCollins Publishers Heart of a Snowman. 2009. HarperCollins Publishers Ghost Files. 2008. HarperCollins Publishers
As illustrator
The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge 2018. Candlewick
The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! 2017. Scholastic Press
Elephant in the Dark. 2015. Scholastic Press. Crybaby. 2015. Henry Holt and Company Won Ton and Chopstick. 2015. Henry Holt and Company Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More! 2013. Henry Holt and Company Dog Parade. 2011. Harcourt Children's Books Won Ton, A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. 2011. Henry Holt and Company The Rooster Prince Of Breslov. 2010. Clarion Books Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Seven Hungry Babies. 2010. Atheneum Books For Young Readers The Cobbler's Holiday Or Why Ants Don't Wear Shoes. 2008. Roaring Brook Press Who Ate All The Cookie Dough? 2008. Henry Holt and Company The House of a Million Pets. 2007. Henry Holt and Company
Paintings
Yelchin's paintings and drawings have been exhibited along with former Soviet non-conformist artists
2002: "Russian Revolutions: Generations of Russian Jewish Avant-Garde Artists” at the Mizel Center for Arts and Culture 2006: “Territories of Terror: Mythologies and Memories of the Gulag in Contemporary Russian-American Art” at Boston University (2006) 2010: "Shattered Utopia: Russian Art of the Soviet and Post-Soviet Periods" at Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art
Yelchin is a member of the Jewish Artists Initiative of Southern California. His paintings and drawings are represented by Sloane Gallery of Contemporary Russian Art.
Other works
Yelchin created original storyboards for the popular Coca-Cola Polar Bears campaign and designed characters for several animated features including 2012 Oscar winner Rango directed by Gore Verbinski (2012 Oscar for Best Animated Feature).