Carter, Abby

Personal

Married; children: Samantha, Carter. Hobbies and other interests: Baking.

Addresses

Home and office—Hadlyme, CT.

Career

Illustrator and graphic artist. Fresh Samantha, Saco, ME, cofounder, 1992.

Illustrator

Marc Gave, Tess and Tim, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1988.

Marc Gave, Travels with Tess and Tim, Parents Magazine Press (New York, NY), 1990.

Gabrielle Charbonnet, Snakes Are Nothing to Sneeze At, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1990.

Susan Beth Pfeffer, Twin Surprises, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1991.

Michael Crowley, New Kid on Spurwink Ave., Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1992.

Kathryn Cristaldi, Baseball Ballerina, Random House (New York, NY), 1992.

Jayne Harvey, Great-Uncle Dracula, Random House (New York, NY), 1992.

Susan Beth Pfeffer, Twin Troubles, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1992.

(Selected by Dorothy M. Kennedy), I Thought I'd Take My Rat to School: Poems for September to June, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1993.

Doug Johnson, Never Babysit the Hippopotamuses!, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1993.

Jayne Harvey, Great-Uncle Dracula and the Dirty Rat, Random House (New York, NY), 1993.

Michael Crowley, Shack and Back, Little, Brown (Boston, MA), 1993.

Gabrielle Charbonnet, Tutu Much Ballet, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1994.

Maryann Macdonald, The Pink Party, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 1994.

Suzanne Williams, Edwin and Emily, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 1995.

Anita Hakkinen, Summer Legs, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1995.

Doug Johnson, Never Ride Your Elephant to School, Henry Holt (New York, NY), 1995.

Leah Komaiko, Annie Bananie Moves to Barry Avenue, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 1996.

Suzanne Williams, Emily at School, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 1996.

Gibbs Davis, Camp Sink or Swim, Random House (New York, NY), 1997.

Marthe Jocelyn, The Invisible Day, Dutton Children's Books (New York, NY), 1997.

Judy Truesdell Mecca, What a World!: Play Script, Pleasant Co. (Middleton, WI), 1998.

Judy Truesdell Mecca, Check under the Bed: A Mystery for You and Your Friends to Perform, Pleasant Co. (Middleton, WI), 1998.

Marthe Jocelyn, The Invisible Harry, Dutton Children's Books (New York, NY), 1998.

Christina Hamlett, Hairum-Scarum, Pleasant Co. (Middleton, WI), 1998.

Leah Komaiko, Annie Bananie and the People's Court, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Bonnie Graves, No Copycats Allowed!, Hyperion Books for Children (New York, NY), 1998.

Leah Komiako, Annie Bananie and the Pain Sisters, Delacorte Press (New York, NY), 1998.

Jeri Dayle, Sock Crafts, Random House (New York, NY), 1999.

Kathryn Cristaldi, Baseball Ballerina Strikes Out, Random House (New York, NY), 2000.

Marthe Jocelyn, The Invisible Enemy, Dutton Children's Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Reeve Lindbergh, My Hippie Grandmother, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2003.

Rose-Marie Provencher, Slithery Jake, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2004.

Suzanne Williams, The Marvelous Mind of Matthew McGhee, Age 8: Master of Minds, Aladdin (New York, NY), 2004.

Katharine Kenah, The Best Seat in Second Grade, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2005.

Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2005.

Elise Broach, What the No-Good Baby Is Good For, Putnam's (New York, NY), 2005.

Katharine Kenah, The Best Teacher in Second Grade, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2006.

Barbara M. Joose, Dead Guys Talk: A Wild Willie Mystery, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Jennifer Richard Jacobson, Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2006.

Bonny Becker, Holbrook: A Lizard's tale, Clarion Books (New York, NY), 2006.

Dayle Ann Dodds, Full House: An Invitation to Fractions, Candlewick Press (Cambridge, MA), 2007.

Katharine Kenah, The Best Chef in Second Grade, HarperCollins (New York, NY), 2007.

Also illustrator of graphics for Fresh Samantha.

Sidelights

Illustrating has always been a part of Abby Carter's life. Even as a young girl she created illustrations for a card company that she and her grandmother owned. Growing up to become a professional book illustrator, Carter has contributed art to over a dozen children's

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books, such as Slithery Jake, by Rose-Marie Provencher, My Hippie Grandmother, by Reeve Lindbergh, and The Best Teacher in Second Grade by Katharine Kennah. In addition to her book illustration work, Carter created graphics for Fresh Samantha, a juice company that she and her husband founded in 1992 and named after their daughter. The company was sold in 2000.

Carter's illustrations have been recognized by critics for their cheerful, colorful, and exciting images. For instance, a Kirkus Reviews writer called Carter's work for My Hippie Grandmother "a wonder in electric Kool-Aid acid colors" and added that the artist possesses such a lively vision that "her watercolor and gouache figures fairly dance off the page." Booklist reviewer Carolyn Phelan characterized My Hippie Grandmother as a "sunny picture book" and commented that Carter's pictures "reflect the spirit of the verse" and capture the music in Lindberg's lighthearted story. Reviewing the picture book for School Library Journal, Judith Constantinides also noted the rhythm to be found in Carter's color illustrations and concluded that "colorful watercolor-and-gouache illustrations capture the happy mood of the verse."

Biographical and Critical Sources

PERIODICALS

Booklist, June 1, 2002, Gillian Engberg, review of The Invisible Enemy, p. 1723; March 1, 2003, Carolyn Phelan, review of My Hippie Grandmother, p. 1203; January 1, 2004, Hazel Rochman, review of Slithery Jake, p. 880; May 15, 2005, Hazel Rochman, review of What the No-Good Baby Is Good For, p. 1663; July, 2005, John Peters, review of Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle, p. 1929; August, 2005, Kay Weisman, review of The Best Seat in Second Grade, p. 2039; May 1, 2006, Carolyn Phelan, review of Dead Guys Talk: A Wild Willie Mystery, p. 48; June 1, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of The Best Teacher in Second Grade, p. 84; September 1, 2006, Julie Cummins, review of Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, p. 137; January 1, 2007, Carolyn Phelan, review of Holbrook: A Lizard's Tale, p. 96.

Good Housekeeping, November, 1999, Caroline Sorgen, "A Juicy Tale," p. 26.

Horn Book, September-October, 2006, Betty Carter, review of Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, p. 586.

Kirkus Reviews, January 1, 2003, review of My Hippie Grandmother, p. 63; June 15, 2005, Jennifer Jacobson, review of Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, p. 684; June 15, 2005, Katharine Kenah, review of The Best Seat in Second Grade, p. 684; June 15, 2006, Katharine Kenah, review of The Best Teacher in Second Grade, p. 634; July 15, 2006, Jennifer Richard Jacobson, review of Andy Shane and the Pumpkin Trick, p. 724; October 15, 2006, review of Holbrook, p. 1065.

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Publishers Weekly, October 27, 1997, review of The Invisible Day, p. 76; July 17, 2000, review of School Zone, p. 148; December 23, 2003, review of My Hippie Grandmother, p. 70; January 19, 2004, review of Slithery Jake, p. 75.

Resource Links, February, 1999, review of Invisible Harry, p. 9; April, 2002, Joanne de Groof, review of The Invisible Enemy, p. 23.

School Library Journal, September, 2000, Lisa Smith, review of Baseball Ballerina Strikes Out!, p. 193; May, 2002, Alison Grant, review of The Invisible Enemy, p. 154; April, 2003, Judith Constantinides, review of My Hippie Grandmother, p. 132; March, 2004, Edith Ching, review of The Marvelous Mind of Matthew McGhee, p. 187; March, 2004, Rosalyn Pierini, review of Slithery Jake, p. 180; July, 2004, Lisa G. Kropp, review of I'd Thought I'd Take My Rat to School: Poems for September to June, p. 45; June, 2005, Suzanne Myers Harold, review of What the No-Good Baby Is Good For, p. 105; August, 2005, Rachael Vilmar, review of Andy Shane and the Very Bossy Dolores Starbuckle, p. 97; October, 2005, Katharine Kenah, review of The Best Seat in Second Grade, p. S40; July, 2006, Gloria Koster, review of The Best Teacher in Second Grade, p. 80; September, 2006, Caitlin Augusta, review of Dead Guys Talk, p. 174; December, 2006, review of Holbrook, p. 94.

ONLINE

HarperCollins Web site,http://www.harpercollins.com/ (November 1, 2007), "Abby Carter."

HK Portfolio Web site,http://www.hkportfolio.com/ (November 1, 2007), "Abby Carter."

Houghton Mifflin Web site,http://www.houghtonmifflinbooks.com/ (November 1, 2007), "Abby Carter."