Eugene Yelchin

Eugene Yelchin (born Yevgeny Arkadievich Yelchin, Евгений Аркадьевич Ельчин, born October 18, 1956) is a Russian-American artist best known as an illustrator and writer of books for children.

His novel Breaking Stalin's Nose was awarded a Newbery Honor in 2012. The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge he co-authored with M. T. Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature in 2018.

His nephew was actor Anton Yelchin.

Education and early career
Yelchin was born in Leningrad, Russia, to a Jewish family. In 1979, Yelchin graduated from Leningrad State Theater Academy.

From 1979 to 1983 he designed sets and costumes for leading Russian theater companies including Alexandrinsky (Pushkin's) Theater and Akimov Comedy Theater in Leningrad.

In 1979–80, with a group of peers from the Theater Academy he co-founded Tomsk Children's Theater in Siberia.

In 1983, Yelchin emigrated to the United States. In 1988, Yelchin graduated from the Southern California Film School in Los Angeles and began directing TV commercials and illustrating advertising campaigns.

Books for children
In 2006 at the Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators conference Yelchin received Tomie DePaola Illustration Award and began writing and illustrating books for children.

His books have been published by Scholastic Press, Henry Holt, HarperCollins, Simon & Schuster, Roaring Brook Press, Candlewick Press, Clarion Books and Harcourt. They were translated into French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Romanian, Estonian, and Polish.

Selected awards
In 2018 The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge he co-authored with Matthew Tobin Anderson was named National Book Award Finalist.

In 2012 Breaking Stalin's Nose, a middle grade novel that he wrote and illustrated received the Newbery Honor.

In 2010 his illustrations for The Rooster Prince of Breslov received a National Jewish Book Award.

In 2017 his novel The Haunting of Falcon House received Society of Children's Books Writers and Illustrators’ Golden Kite Award.

In 2011 Won Ton: A Cat Tale Told in Haiku that he illustrated received Society of Children's Books Writers and the Golden Kite Award.

As author/illustrator

 * The Genius Under the Table. 2021. Candlewick Press ISBN 978-1-536-21552-6
 * Spy Runner. 2019. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-1-250-12081-6
 * The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge(with M.T. Anderson). 2018. Candlewick Press ISBN 978-0-7636-9822-5
 * Pip & Pup. 2018. HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 978-1-62779-394-0
 * Spring Hare. 2017. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-1-62779-392-6
 * The Haunting of Falcon House. 2016. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-9845-7
 * Arcady's Goal. 2014. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-9844-0
 * Breaking Stalin's Nose. 2011. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-80-509216-5
 * The Next Door Bear. 2011. HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 978-0-06-125925-8
 * Heart of a Snowman. 2009. HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 978-0-06-125926-5
 * Ghost Files. 2008. HarperCollins Publishers ISBN 978-0-06-128395-6

As illustrator

 * The Assassination of Brangwain Spurge 2018. Candlewick ISBN 978-0763698225
 * The Rooster Who Would Not Be Quiet! 2017. Scholastic Press ISBN 978-0-545-72288-9
 * Elephant in the Dark. 2015. Scholastic Press. ISBN 978-0-545-63670-4
 * Crybaby. 2015. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-8974-5
 * Won Ton and Chopstick. 2015. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-9987-4
 * Seeds, Bees, Butterflies, and More! 2013. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-9211-0
 * Dog Parade. 2011. Harcourt Children's Books ISBN 978-0-15-206690-1
 * Won Ton, A Cat Tale Told in Haiku. 2011. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-8995-0
 * The Rooster Prince Of Breslov. 2010. Clarion Books Houghton Mifflin Harcourt ISBN 978-0-618-98974-4
 * Seven Hungry Babies. 2010. Atheneum Books For Young Readers ISBN 978-1-4169-5402-6
 * The Cobbler's Holiday Or Why Ants Don't Wear Shoes. 2008. Roaring Brook Press ISBN 978-1-59643-234-5
 * Who Ate All The Cookie Dough? 2008. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-8267-8
 * The House of a Million Pets. 2007. Henry Holt and Company ISBN 978-0-8050-7974-6

Paintings
Yelchin's paintings and drawings have been exhibited along with former Soviet non-conformist artists


 * 2002: "Russian Revolutions: Generations of Russian Jewish Avant-Garde Artists” at the Mizel Center for Arts and Culture
 * 2006: “Territories of Terror: Mythologies and Memories of the Gulag in Contemporary Russian-American Art” at Boston University (2006)
 * 2010: "Shattered Utopia: Russian Art of the Soviet and Post-Soviet Periods" at Fort Collins Museum of Contemporary Art

Yelchin is a member of the Jewish Artists Initiative of Southern California. His paintings and drawings are represented by Sloane Gallery of Contemporary Russian Art.

Other works
Yelchin created original storyboards for the popular Coca-Cola Polar Bears campaign and designed characters for several animated features including 2012 Oscar winner Rango directed by Gore Verbinski (2012 Oscar for Best Animated Feature).

Awards and honors

 * National Book Award Finalist for Young People's Literature
 * Newbery Honor
 * 2010: National Jewish Book Award in the Illustrated Children's Book category for The Rooster Prince of Beslov. Text by Ann Redisch Stampler.
 * SCBWI Golden Kite Award
 * SCBWI Crystal Kite Award
 * People Magazine Picks
 * New York Times Notable Children's Books
 * The New York Times Editor's Choice
 * Amazon Best Books of the Year
 * NPR Best Books of the Year
 * The Washington Post Best Books of the Year
 * Publishers Weekly Best Books of the Year
 * The Boston Globe Best Books of the Year
 * Huffington Post Best Picture Books of the Year
 * USA Today Sentinel Choice
 * School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
 * Kirkus Revirews Best Books of the Year
 * Horn Book Fanfare Best Book of the Year
 * BookPage Best Children's Books of The Year
 * NY Bank Street Best Children's Book of the Year
 * Children's Book Review's Best Young Adult Books
 * New York Public Library Best Children's Books
 * Chicago Public Library Best of the Best Books
 * Booklist Editor's Choice
 * Booklist Top Ten Science Fiction and Horror for Youth
 * Junior Library Guild Selection
 * Booklist Top Ten Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror
 * SLCSC Distinguished Work of Historical Fiction Award
 * Association for Library Service Notable Children's Books
 * Charlotte Huck Award for Outstanding Fiction
 * Judy Lopez Memorial Award
 * William Allen White Children's Book Award
 * Oklahoma Sequoyah Book Award
 * International Reading Association Award
 * Editor's Choice by Historical Novel Society
 * Nerdy Book Club Best Books of the Year
 * CCBC Librarians Book of the Week