Well known for his dramatic and historically accurate illustrations, Michael Dooling is the illustrator of over sixty-five books and the author of five including Young Thomas Edison, that School Library Journal said, Belongs in every library. The Great Horseless Carriage Race and George Washington's Army and Me, both written and illustrated by Michael, have been optioned for major Hollywood Motion Picture. Horn Book praised his work as noteworthy-and handsome-examples of the illustrator as historian. Michael has illustrated a commemorative stamp of Benjamin Franklin for The United States Postal Service, articles for Reader's Digest, and picture books, chapter books, and Middle Grade Novels for numerous publishers including Scholastic, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, HarperCollins, Philomel, Puffin Books, McElderry Books, Henry Holt, Holiday House, Beechtree, Atheneum, Disney, and many others. Born in 1958, Michael grew up in the small town of Marlton, New Jersey, surrounded by peach and apple orchards. He played baseball, built tree houses, and had snowball fights. He also loved to read and draw; a combination that eventually led to illustrating children's books. His mother, Patricia, encouraged him to draw and he could always be found doodling away. He even had a dog named, Doodles! Michael graduated with a Master's Degree in Illustration from Syracuse University and is a member of the Society of Illustrators in New York. He lives in Audubon, New Jersey, with his wife, Jane. They have two daughters and five grandchildren, ranging in age from two to twelve. In 2013, Michael was selected to a Top Ten List of Great Author Visits by the Pennsylvania School Library Association.
