Jill Kalz grew up in New Ulm, a small German town in southern Minnesota (which explains her fondness for sauerkraut and her unusually high tolerance for polka). She received her BA and MFA, both in creative writing, from Minnesota State University, Mankato, and is currently putting them to good use as a senior editor at Picture Window Books, an educational children’s book publisher. In addition to her nearly 50 titles for children, Jill has also published work for adults in Minnesota Monthly, The Nebraska Review, The Ohio Review, Cream City Review, and other magazines.

Jill enjoys traveling (especially to places on the ocean), buying books, playing with her Nikon P80, watching movies, and going to the theater. She lives in New Ulm with a charismatic Bichon named Tuckerbean, who loves peanut butter, leaf piles, and chatting up the deer, squirrels, and bunnies that regularly visit his backyard.

Farmer Cap
"Pfeffernut County" series
illustrated by Sahin Erkocak
Picture Window Books, 2007
ISBN 978-1404831391

Farmer Cap is a strange old man. All of his neighbors think so. But their minds may change when they see what he harvests this year.

Awards
2008 Minnesota Book Awards Readers' Choice Award; 2008 Minnesota Book Awards finalist; 2008 American Inhouse Design Award ("Pfeffernut County" series); 2008 Distinguished Achievement Award (Reading and Language Instruction Category, Fiction, K-5) from the Association of Educational Publishers for the "Pfeffernut County" series

Henry Shortbull Swallows the Sun
"Pfeffernut County" series
illustrated by Sahin Erkocak
Picture Window Books, 2007
ISBN 978-1404836952

Henry Shortbull gleefully hogs every toy, crumb, and bit of attention in sight, refusing to share with anyone. But when he goes so far as to swallow the sun, Henry quickly realizes that greed can be awfully cold and dark.

Awards
2008 American Inhouse Design Award ("Pfeffernut County" series); 2008 Distinguished Achievement Award (Reading and Language Instruction Category, Fiction, K-5) from the Association of Educational Publishers for the "Pfeffernut County" series

The Boy Who Loved Trains
illustrated by Sahin Erkocak
Picture Window Books, 2007
ages 5 to 7, ISBN 978-1-4048-2401-0

Conner is crazy about trains. They are almost all he thinks about. But a present from Aunt Sally might change everything.

Tuckerbean in the Kitchen
illustrated by Benton Mahan
Picture Window Books, 2007
ages 5 to 7, ISBN 978-1-4048-2402-7

Tuckerbean can’t go with Peni and her mom on their trip. Instead, he goes to the Puppy Inn, where he winds up cooking all sorts of international treats for his fellow canine guests.

Bears on Ice
Illustrated by Troy Olin
Picture Window Books, 2006
ages 5 to 7, ISBN 978-1-4048-1577-3

Los Osos Pescan (Spanish)
ISBN 978-1-4048-2696-0

Don, Roman, and Ray are ready for their day of ice fishing. They have their hooks, their poles, and their bait. Will these three hungry bears catch any fish?

Dolphins
Creative Education, 2006
ages 9+, ISBN 978-1-5834-1432-3

Dive into the wet world of dolphins, and discover what these playful mammals eat, when their young are born, and how they are built for survival. Learn about their relationship with humans throughout history, too.

Flying with Oliver
Illustrated by Benton Mahan
Picture Window Books, 2006
ages 5 to 7, ISBN 978-1-4048-1583-4

Oliver loves to fly radio-controlled airplanes. He makes them glide, tip, and flip. He even makes them smoke! Fly with Oliver and his imagination into the big, blue sky.

Galen’s Camera
illustrated by Ji Sun Lee
Picture Window Books, 2006
ages 5 to 7, ISBN 978-1-4048-1610-7

La cámara de Carlitos (Spanish)
ISBN 978-1-4048-2701-1
Galen sees many ordinary things with his eyes. He sees his dad’s shoelace, his puppy’s nose, a flock of geese … But what sorts of amazing things does Galen see with his camera?

Awards
2007 Bank Street College "Best Children's Books of the Year"

Giraffes
Creative Education, 2006
ages 9+, ISBN 978-1-5834-1350-0

Everything about them is an exaggeration. Step onto the savanna and learn all about giraffes and how these long-necked, long-legged creatures have fascinated humans for thousands of years.