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David McPhail

b. 1940

American author and illustrator

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About David McPhail

Born 1940. David McPhail is an American writer and illustrator.

David Michael McPhail (born 1940) is an American writer and illustrator of over 200 children's books.

Early life and education David Michael McPhail was born June 30, 1940, in Newburyport, Massachusetts, to Bernard E. and Rachel McPhail. His father worked in sales, and his mother was a secretary.

He attended the Vesper George School of Art from 1957 to 1968, then the School of the Museum of Fine Arts from 1963 to 1966. He has since published over 200 children's books, including illustrating some of his wife's books.

Notable awards and honors

Illustration Two books McPhail illustrated are Junior Library Guild selections: Martha Freeman's The Orphan and the Mouse (2014) and Albert Lamb's Tell Me the Day Backwards (2011).

In 1975, The New York Times named X. J. Kennedy's One Winter Night in August among their "Outstanding Books of the Year". The same year, Emilie Warren McLeod's The Bear's Bicycle was an honor book for the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Picture Book.

In 2012, the Association for Library Service to Children named Albert Lamb's Tell Me the Day Backwards one of the year's Notable Children's Books.

Writing Five books McPhail's wrote and illustrated are Junior Library Guild selections: Edward and the Pirates (1997), Mole Music (1999), Edward in the Jungle (2002), The Teddy Bear (2002), and Beatrix Potter and Her Paint Box (2015).

In 1997, The New York Times named Edward and the Pirates in their "Notable Books of the Year 1997" list. In 2009, the Smithsonian Institution included Budgie & Boo on their list of "Notable Books for Children".

Other Big Brown Bear's Up and Down Day, a 24-minute video adaptation, was named a 2008 Notable Children's Video by the Association for Library Service to Children.

Personal life McPhail married Janis Lazarian on July 2, 1966. The couple had three children (Tristian, Joshua, and Gabrian) before divorcing.

Selected publications

Authored

Illustrated

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Important facts

Born
1940, Newburyport
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Education
School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Vesper George School of Art

People in David McPhail's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped David McPhail's

Frequently asked questions

Who is David McPhail?

American author and illustrator

When was David McPhail born?

David McPhail was born in 1940 in Newburyport.

What is David McPhail's occupation?

David McPhail is a writer and illustrator.

What nationality is David McPhail?

David McPhail is American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: David McPhail

· Wikidata: Q112404610

· DBpedia: David McPhail (author)

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). David McPhail. https://biography.guide/david-mcphail/

MLA: "David McPhail." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/david-mcphail/.

Chicago: "David McPhail." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/david-mcphail/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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