Nathan Hale

Nathan Hale is an American author and illustrator of children's books, most notably the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series. He is also the illustrator of the graphic novels Rapunzel's Revenge, its sequel, Calamity Jack, Frankenstein: A Monstrous Parody, The Dinosaurs’ Night Before Christmas, and many others. His work has been nominated for four Eisner Awards.

He currently lives in Provo, Utah.

Biography Nathan grew up in Sundance, Utah, the child of ski instructors. His family didn't have any entertainment except for some fantasy stories, which his father would read out loud to him and his siblings.

Nathan went to Cornish College in Seattle. He first worked at a natural history museum, painting displays.

In 2011, Nathan was asked to illustrate Rapunzel's Revenge, and then asked to illustrate Calamity Jack. He was then inspired to create his own graphic novel series. The next year, he wrote and illustrated One Dead Spy, which was about the life of Nathan Hale, a soldier and spy for the Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The next books explained the American Revolutionary War, the Alamo, exploration of the Grand Canyon, the Underground Railroad, World War I, World War II, and the Haitian Revolution in hilarious ways.

He now lives in Utah and is an avid collector of Lego sets.

Awards and honors Many of Hale's books from the Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series have landed on The New York Times Best Seller list. Calamity Jack (2010), Alamo All-Stars (2016), One Trick Pony (2017), Raid of No Return (2017), Lafayette! (2018), Major Impossible (2020), Blades of Freedom (2021), Cold War Correspondent (2022), and Above the Trenches (2023)

In 2011, Bank Street College of Education marked Calamity Jack as being of "outstanding merit" in its list of the best books of the year.

In 2017, One Trick Pony was named one of the best books of the year by VOYA, and the New York Public Library.

Publications

As author

Standalone books

The Devil You Know (2005) The Twelve Bots of Christmas (2005) Yellowbelly and Plum Go to School (2007) One Trick Pony (2017) Apocalypse Taco (2019)

Nathan Hale's Hazardous Tales series

One Dead Spy (2012) Big Bad Ironclad! (2012) Donner Dinner Party (2013) Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood (2014) The Underground Abductor (2015) Alamo All-Stars (2016) Raid of No Return (2017) Lafayette! (2018) Major Impossible (2019) Blades of Freedom: A Tale of Haiti, Napoleon, and the Louisiana Purchase (2020) Cold War Correspondent: A Korean War Tale (2021) Let's Make History! Create Your Own Comics (2022) Above the Trenches (2023) Bones and Berserkers (2025)

As illustrator

Balloon on the Moon, written by Dan McCann (2008) The Dinosaurs' Night Before Christmas, written by Anne Muecke (2008) Rapunzel's Revenge, written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (2008) Calamity Jack, written by Shannon Hale and Dean Hale (2010)

The Mighty Bite Series

The Mighty Bite (2023) The Mighty Bite #2: Walrus Brawl at the Mall (2024) The Mighty Bite #3: Hog-Rocket Ruckus'' (2025)