Jonah Winter

Jonah Winter, a children’s book author, illustrator, and poet, was born in Fort Worth, Texas, and raised in Dallas. His educational background is in poetry writing. His mother, Jeanette Winter, is also an illustrator. Together, they collaborated on Jonah’s first picture book and continued to work together on other children’s books.

Winter’s forty-one books for children are picture biographies based on the lives of significant historical figures. His books promote social justice, facts, artistic expression, nonconformity, and baseball. These titles include Mother Jones and Her Army of Mill Children, illustrated by Nancy Carpenter (Schwartz & Wade, 2020); Thurgood, illustrated by Bryan Collier (Schwartz & Wade, 2019); Ruth Bader Ginsburg: The Case of R.B.G. vs. Inequality, illustrated by Stacy Innerst (Abrams, 2017); My Name Is James Madison Hemings, illustrated by Terry Widener (Schwartz & Wade, 2016); Hillary, illustrated by Raul Colon (Schwartz & Wade, 2016); Jazz Age Josephine, illustrated by Marjorie Priceman (Atheneum, 2012); Frida, illlustrated by Ana Juan (Arthur A. Levine Books, 2002); and Diego, illustrated by Jeanette Winter (Alfred A. Knopf, 1991). 

Winter is also the author of four poetry books: Book Reports (Octopus Books, 2007); the chapbook The Continuing Misadventures of Andrew, the Headless Talking Bear (Octopus Books, 2006); Amnesia (Oberlin College Press, 2004); and Maine: Poems (Slope Editions, 2002).

Winter’s awards include the Jane Addams Children’s Book Award and a Parents’ Choice Award Gold Medal, in addition to notable book mentions in major newspapers.

Before writing and illustrating children’s picture books, Winter worked as an editor of children’s books. Winter currently resides in Pennsylvania.