Renato and the Lion

BARBARA DILORENZO graduated from the Rhode Island School of Design with a BFA in illustration, and studied painting at the Arts Students League of New York. She is the author-illustrator of RENATO THE LION (Viking/Penguin Random House), which was chosen as a Junior Library Guild Selection, and QUINCY (Little Bee Books). When she isn’t working on books, Barbara teaches at the Arts Council of Princeton and the New York Institute of Art + Design. In addition to being a signature member of the New England Watercolor Society, she is an illustrator member of the Society of Illustrators, a member of SCBWI, and the co-president of the Children’s Book Illustrators Group of New York (CBIG). Currently, Barbara lives in Hopewell, New Jersey with her wonderful family–who constantly inspire new stories. Barbara DiLorenzo loves to paint, draw, write, make books, and teach. She finds inspiration from the silly things her children and students do, as well as from inspiring people that left their mark in history. Barbara loves to cheer on reluctant readers, artmakers, and writers. She also wants students to know that once upon a time, she was TERRIBLE at drawing. But with enough practice, editors eventually let her publish her own picture books. If you ask her to tell you about the hidden facts in her books, she will reveal hidden portraits and jokes in the illustrations. She loves to visit schools, though sometimes she turns red when she speaks.