Karen Ostrove
Doodler, cartoonist, illustrator, teacher, muralist and ventriloquist, Karen Ostrove has authored and illustrated children’s classics including Only Nine Chairs, Fins and Scales, Poppy Seeds, Too, and The Modi’in Motel. Her famous puppet shows are popular in Jewish schools and JCCs nationwide. She is the Creative Director of the Celebrate Israel Parade in New York City. She lives in New Jersey.
Interview
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
Eloise in Paris, Nancy Drew books
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Ezra Jack Keats. Stan and Jan Berenstain, Mo Willems (Knuffle Bunny)
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I was always doodling and illustrating stories, and then I realized that I like to write as much as I like to draw. It was just a natural fit.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Practice, practice, practice! Write about what you know. Draw everything you see—whether it’s a shoe or a coffee cup—drawing is a skill that gets better as you work at it.