Bio

  "I had been interested in children's books for a long time, including high school, when I spent hours poring over books by authors like Maurice Sendak, David Wiesner , Don and Audrey Wood, and Chris Van Allsburg .  The librarians at my local library didn't quite know what to make of me, a teenager spending hours reading in the picture book section. In college, I was a regular illustrator for The Harvard Crimson, and I got the opportunity to interview Maurice Sendak when he was a guest lecturer for a children's literature class.  When I graduated from college, I got a job as an editorial assistant at a design magazine, thinking I might eventually become an architect or an urban planner.  I soon realized I wasn't a huge fan of the design world, but I did like being an editor. At the time, I was taking a children's book class at the School of Visual Arts. It occurred to me that since I like editing and children's books, maybe I should be a children's books editor.  I landed a job at Harry N. Abrams, Inc, an illustrated book publisher. I had the amazing opportunity to work with people I had admired for so long, particularly Maurice Sendak, Tony Kushner, and Laurent de Brunhoff. 


Linas Alsenas, 2001 Harvard University graduate in History of Art and Architecture, grew up with his two older siblings and two parents. Author of Mrs. Claus Takes a Vacation and Peanut, Linas plans to continue writing and illustrating books for children and young adults. He currently lives in Sweden with his partner and their pet parrot named Oliver.