Laurie Caple

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A fondness for nature provides the inspiration behind Laurie Caple's artwork. Raised in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, she was an avid explorer of nearby forests and wetlands. She has created illustrations for sixteen books of fiction and nonfiction as well as numerous periodicals, including American Girl and Cricket. Laurie is currently working on a new picture book for Clarion Children's Books titled GiantSea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Era. She is also artist-in-residence for Hamline University's Center for Global Environmental Education and has served as creative consultant for the award-winning television program for children, "Once Upon a Tree." She recently teamed with Caldecott Honor medalist Ted Lewin to create artwork on permanent display in New York's Central Park Wildlife Center. She is represented by Marcia Wernick of the Sheldon Fogelman Agency in New York City.

Ms. Caple lives atop a wooded hill in northern Wisconsin with her husband and two sons. Her studio overlooks a small, untamed lake where she delights in observing many forest creatures including black bear, otter, and eagles. When not painting, she can be found hiking and photographing nature. Laurie believes that every child is talented, original, and has something important to say through creative expression. Frequently invited to speak in elementary schools, she has also been instrumental in initiating many gallery shows honoring children's art.




			Global Warming and the Dinosaurs: Fossil Discoveries at the Poles Clarion Books, 2009 written by Caroline Arnold ISBN 978-0618803385 Dinosaurs are usually pictured in warm, tropical environments, but fossils found at the poles are filling in the gap of knowledge about how and where these creatures lived. Evidence from bones and teeth to trackways and skin impressions raises important questions: How did dinosaurs cope with three months of total darkness in winter? What plants grew in the polar regions? How cold was it? What are the implications for today, as glaciers retreat, ice shelves melt, and permafrost thaws? The polar regions are a unique "library" of the past, and Caroline Arnold introduces readers to the gigantic prehistoric creatures that inhabited them.



			North Star Numbers: A Minnesota Number Book Sleeping Bear Press, 2008 written by Kathy-Jo Wargin ISBN 978-1585361878 North Star Numbers: A Minnesota Number Book, is part of the Count Your Way Across the USA series.



			Giant Sea Reptiles of the Dinosaur Age Clarion, 2007 written by Caroline Arnold ISBN978-0618504497 Throughout the Dinosaur Age, enormous reptiles called ichthyosaurs, plesiosaurs, and mosasaurs swam the seas. Some of these massive creatures weighed more than 20 tons. Others had snake-like necks as long as 23 feet. From Kansas and Canada to Antarctica and New Zealand, fossil bones of these real-life sea monsters have been found. Acclaimed science author Caroline Arnold and noted natural-history artist Laurie Caple pair up once again to show how fossil evidence worldwide is helping us learn about these amazing reptiles. Featuring eerily beautiful illustrations that bring "fossil creatures" to life, this thoroughly researched book gives insight into what Earth was like when prehistoric predators roamed the seas.



			The Legend of Old Abe: a Civil War Eagle Sleeping Bear Press, 2006 written by Kathy-jo Wargin ISBN978-1-58536-232-5 During the Civil War, it was not uncommon for Army units to have mascots to lift spirits and build loyalty among the soldiers. One of the most famous mascots was Old Abe, a remarkable eagle from Wisconsin. Named in honor of President Lincoln, the eagle became the mascot of the Eighth Regiment of the Wisconsin Volunteer Infantry. Old Abe was beloved by foot soldiers and officers alike. He made them laugh with his antics—stealing chickens, shaking hands, and creating warmth amidst the harsh conditions of war. Soaring over the battlefields, he rallied his comrades through numerous skimishes and engagements. When his exploits became larger that life and extolled throughout the country, even the Confederates knew he was a force to be reckoned with and made the bird a target!



			Mama Loves Me From Away Boyds Mills Press, 2004 written by Pat Brisson (fiction, picture book) ISBN 978-1-56397-966-8 Sugar and her mama share something special—their birthdays! Sugar loves to hear the story about the day she was born. Mama has lots of other great stories, too. But when Mama has to go away, Sugar feels terrible. She misses everything about her mother—especially the stories. There are no shops in prison for Mama to buy a birthday present for Sugar. So Mama makes a unique gift on their first birthday apart—something that will help them stay a little bit closer on the long days and nights away from one another. Pat Brisson has written a heart-breaking—yet loving—story about a mother and child separated by a prison sentence and about how they try to stay in touch despite the physical distance between them. With tenderness and warmth, Laurie Caple has captured the relationship between mother and child as their life together is dramatically changed.



			Pterosaurs: Rulers of the Skies in the Dinosaur Age written by Caroline Arnold Clarion, 2004 ages 8 to 11, ISBN978-0-618-31354-9 One hundred million years ago, the skies were filled with enormous flying reptiles. With wings spans up to nearly forty feet, pterosaurs were the dominant life form on earth. The relationship of these giants of the air to dinosaurs and to other reptiles, their varied appearance and lifestyles, their evolution and extinction, the fossil discoveries that scientists are continually making throughout the world—all are depicted in this beautifully illustrated, accessible book for young scientists and their parents and teachers. Once again, acclaimed science author Caroline Arnold and meticulous watercolorist Laurie Caple have teamed up to create an eye-opening look at an amazing group of prehistoric animals and what the world was like when these incredible creatures ruled the skies of earth.



			When Mammoths Walked the Earth written by Caroline Arnold Clarion, 2002 ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0-618-09633-6 Growing to weights of 10 tons and distinguished by enormous curling tusks, mammoths were the largest land animals of the Ice Age. Today, discoveries of mammoth fossils—in places ranging from tar pits and sinkholes to frozen tundra and the bottom of the sea—are expanding our view into the lives of these fascinating giants. In this meticulously researched, clear, and accessible book, award-winning nonfiction author Caroline Arnold describes the natural history of mammoths, highlighting their physical features and adaptation to the environment. Laurie Caple"s stunning, scientifically accurate watercolors complement the text and provide an intriguing look at these huge creatures and what the world was like at the time when mammoths walked the earth.



			Dinosaurs with Feathers written by Caroline Arnold Clarion, 2001 ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0-618-00398-3 In this comprehensive and impeccably researched book, award-winning nonfiction author Caroline Arnold explores a growing body of fossil evidence that reveals that dinosaurs were the ancient ancestors of birds. Many scientists have long believed that dinosaurs and birds were related, because of their numerous shared characteristics. But it is the most recent findings—of dinosaurs with feathers—that have finally cemented the bird-dinosaur connection. Illustrated with detailed watercolors, this book presents new and old evidence of how these ancient creatures are related to modern birds. It will convince all readers that at least one branch of the dinosaur family tree is not extinct but, in fact, alive and well—and flying.



			Giant Shark: Megalodon, Prehistoric Super Predator written by Caroline Arnold Houghton Mifflin, 2000 ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0-395-91419-9 For millions of years, a massive shark more than twice as huge as the modern-day great white shark cruised the depths of the ocean, attacking and devouring prey. Fossil remains reveal megalodon to have been more than fifty feet long, with razor-sharp teeth, each the size of a human hand, and jaws so large it could swallow prey larger than a common dolphin. It was the biggest predatory shark ever. Award-winning author Caroline Arnold takes young readers deep beneath the prehistoric sea to investigate the habits of this monstrous shark. Fluid, detailed watercolors accompany this clear and accessible account of one of the most incredible creatures to inhabit our world.



			Flower Watching with Alice Eastwood written byMichael Elsohn Ross Carolrhoda, 1999 Ages 9-11, ISBN 978-1-57505-005-8 Wildlife Watching with Charles Eastman written by Michael Elsohn Ross Carolrhoda, 1999 Ages 9-11, ISBN978-1-57505-004-1 Bug Watching with Charles Henry Turner written by Michael Elsohn Ross Carolrhoda, 1996 Ages 9-11, ISBN978-1-57505-003-4 Awards Chosen for Best Books for Children list, Science Books and Films, 1999 Bird Watching with Margaret Morse Nice written by Michael Elsohn Ross Carolrhoda, 1996 Ages 9-11, ISBN978-1-57505-002-7 Awards Chosen for Best Books for Children list, Science Books and Films, 1999 Clyde Tombaugh and the Search for Planet X written by Margaret K. Wetterer Carolrhoda, 1996 Ages 9-11, ISBN978-0-87614-969-0