Aliki grew up in Philadelphia in a very Greek family. Hertalent for drawing, first recognized by her kindergarten teacher,was encouraged by her parents and other teachers she will neverforget.After graduating from the Philadelphia College of Art, shestarted a career in advertising art. She married Franz Brandenbergand lived in Switzerland for three years, where she wrote andillustrated her first book, The Story of William Tell.
After they moved to New York, she wrote My Five Senses, the bookthat changed her career and her life. Besides her own books, Alikihas illustrated many by other authors, including Franz. Theirchildren, Jason and Alexa, who have artistic careers of their own,appear in many of Aliki's books as cats, mice, or themselves.
Aliki loves music, theater, films, museums, reading, and diggingin her garden in London, where she lives. She travels frequently tothe United States, Greece, Switzerland, and other countries, manyof which are reflected in her books.
NOTES FROM ALIKI0nce, when
I was reading one of my books to Jason, who was just learningwords, I asked him, "What is my name?" He said, "Byaliki." Ilaughed. But in many ways I am a bi-Aliki. Greek and American.Bilingual. Author and illustrator. Writer of fiction andnonfiction-books that come from inside out (feeling books), andoutside in (research books).
I had no thought of becoming a writer until it happened. Butearly on, I developed a lifelong habit of writing down my feelings.I realized it helped me understand my hurt, anger, bewilderment, orhappiness. Words flowed out into poetry, letters, and journals. Itwas practice for later on.
I wrote The Two of Them when my father died. I wrote We Are BestFriends when we moved from New York to London. I wrote about mychildhood seaside vacations in Those Summers. In fact, it was onone such family vacation that I was born unexpectedly (in WildwoodCrest, New Jersey -- but we never lived there)!
Marianthe's Story, two books in one volume, is very much my own.In one of its two parts -- Painted Words -- Mari is lucky to havesuch an understanding teacher and the ability to express herselfthrough pictures (as was 1). In Spoken Memories, the villagers arecomposites of family and friends, and the voice is often mygrandmother's. She cared passionately about education and passed iton to us.
All by Myself! -- snapped after watching my nephew Peter, who wasjust learning to dress himself. We can take nothing for granted.All skills -- from the simplest to the most complicated -- arelearned. They take patience, perseverance, and determination. Withsome, a little talent helps. Life is one big challenge. I'm stilltrying to learn to swim.
My research books come from a fascination with a subject I knowonly a glimmer about. It can take three years to read, delve, dig,write, and repeat the process for the illustrations. It can betorture, because Virgos don't like to make mistakes.
To write My Visit to the Aquarium, I visited eleven aquariums --the most fun research ever. But then I had to get the right fishinto the right tank. My Visit to the Zoo was even harder. Ninezoos, hundreds of books, magazines, and related matter. And withall due respect to the author, the illustrator has twice the work.I call it hard fun.
All books -- read or made -- change lives. None more than WilliamShakespeare & the Globe. I was challenged by wanting tocompress 40.0 years into 38 pages, to tell (in words and pictures)a story that comes full circle. It didn't help that we know verylittle about Shakespeare the man. But I was enveloped by his words-- which brought him to life. When I finally finished, the pain ofloss -- which lasted months -- was like parting from a belovedfriend.
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