Lita Judge

Lita was born in Ketchikan, Alaska and raised in remote areas of Oregon, Utah, Nevada, and Wisconsin. She spent her summers in Wisconsin with her grandparents, both of whom were prominent wildlife biologists. The house was filled with a menagerie of owls, eagles, and other raptors. Banding harrier hawks and kestrels as well as rehabilitating falcons were all part of summer activities. She also traveled extensively with her parents, camping and photographing wildlife. A passionate interest in dinosaurs at a young age led her to study Geology in college and spend two field seasons working on dinosaur digs in the badlands of Canada for the Tyrell Museum of Paleontology. Now she draws on all these experiences and interests to do what she loves most, writing and illustrating children’s books!

Lita now lives in Peterborough, N.H. with her husband and two cats.




					Strange Creatures: The Story of Walter Rothschild and His Museum written and illustrated by Lita Judge Hyperion, 2011 ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1423113898 Walter, the son of Lady Emma and Lord Nathan Rothschild, was a very unusual boy. He was born in 1868 to a family of bankers and was nearly the richest boy in the world. But that’s not what made him unusual. Walter was so shy he barely spoke. He had no friends, but he loved every creature that crawled, slithered or flew. At the age of seven he saw his first circus and was inspired to declare breathlessly to his parents: "I’m going to collect animals from all over the world and build a museum and I’m going to call it My Museum!" Eventually Walter created the largest zoological collection gathered by one man and was respected throughout the world for his contribution to science. The painfully shy boy who never made a good banker forever changed our understanding of the world’s diversity of creatures.



					Born to Be Giants: How Baby Dinosaurs Grew to Rule the World written and illustrated by Lita Judge Roaring Brook Flash Point, 2010 ISBN 9781596434431 What did a dinosaur look like sitting on its eggs? What kind of parent was a Tyrannosaurus rex? How could an Argentinosaurus, who probably hatched from an egg no bigger than 18 inches long, grow up to weigh more than 17 elephants? It’s a sure bet that kids — always fascinated by dinosaurs — have wondered about these questions. Born to Be Giants, with its glossary of dinosaurs, easy-to-understand text, and full-color illustrations, shows little readers how baby dinosaurs grew up to be Giants. Awards and Recognition Junior Library Guild Selection



					Yellowstone Moran: Painting the American West written and illustrated by Lita Judge Viking, 2009 ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-0670011322 Follow Tom Moran on an unbelievable real-life adventure! In the summer of 1871, a young painter named Thomas Moran joined a team of scientists heading for the untamed land called “the Yellowstone.” He couldn’t believe what he found there—steaming cauldrons of sulfur, belching geysers, even a thousand-foot-deep canyon. Tom had never ridden a horse or slept under the stars before, but the paintings he created on his journey from city boy to seasoned explorer would lead to the founding of America’s first national park.



					Pennies for Elephants written and illustrated by Lita Judge Disney-Hyperion, 2009 ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-142311390-4 In 1914, Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo had twenty bears, three elk, a deer and a monkey, but no elephants. Pennies for Elephants is the story of how the children of New England purchased the first three elephants for the Zoo. The campaign to support the elephant fund crossed ethnic and social boundaries and provided a cause which united the city. The kids contributed every penny they had, and also came up with a number of creative fund raising activities. Based on true events, this heartwarming picture book is a story that demonstrates what kids can accomplish when they put their hearts and minds together.






					One Thousand Tracings: Healing the Wounds of World War II written and illustrated by Lita Judge Hyperion, 2007 ISBN 978-1-4231-0008-9 “Judge's lyrical prose tells the true and poignant story of her grandmother and mother's endeavor to find shoes, clothing and foodstuffs for hundreds of Germans devastated by the war... The book is a powerful testament to one family's ability to affect the lives of hundreds.” - Publishers Weekly Starred Review (6/11/07) Teacher's Guide available here Awards NAPPA Gold Award; 2008 ALA Notable Book; 2008 Michigan Notable Book; New York Public Library 100 Children's Books for Reading and Sharing; Cybil Award Finalist for Nonfiction Picture Books; winner in the 2008 Storytelling World Resource Awards; 2007 NAPPA Gold Award winner from national parenting publications association; honored by the Society of School Librarians International (SSLI); ALA Book Links - Lasting Connections of 2007; 2008 Jane Addams Children’s Honor Book



					D is for Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Alphabet written by Todd Chapman and Lita Judge illustrated by Lita Judge Sleeping Bear Press, 2007 ISBN 978-1-5853-6242-4 Did dinosaurs really die out or is it possible they are still with us today? And what's bigger and scarier than the T-rex? From A to Z, D is for Dinosaur: A Prehistoric Alphabet provides the answers and current theories behind these questions, along with other fascinating aspects of prehistoric life.



					S is for S’mores: A Camping Alphabet written by Helen Foster James illustrated by Lita Judge Sleeping Bear Press, May 2007 ages 4 to 8, ISBN 978-1-5853-6302-5 Next to baseball and fireworks on the Fourth of July, nothing else seems as American as the family camping trip. From what to pack, where to go, and what to do when you get there, S is for S'mores: A Camping Alphabet takes readers on an A-Z trail exploring this outdoor pastime.



					Ugly written by Donna Jo Napoli illustrated by Lita Judge Hyperion, January 2006 ages 9 to 12, ISBN 978-0-7868-3753-3 “Trust Napoli to work her usual alchemy and make a fabulous coming-of-age-story from the bare outline of the reassuring ugly-duckling trope. . . Tucked into this wondrously spun tale so deftly that one might scarcely notice are beautiful lessons about finding oneself, about fitting in (or not), about the implacability of nature and weather and the importance of maternal advice.” - Kirkus Reviews starred review 12/15/05