Yumi Heo

  • Birth of Yumi Heo

    Birth of Yumi Heo

    Yumi Heo was born in Korea, and grew up traveling to small rural towns with her family, due to her father being in the army.
  • Moved to the United States

    Moved to the United States

    Yumi Heo moved to the United States to study at the New York school of Visual Arts, where she received her MFA in illustration. Prior to moving here, she earned her B.A. from San Ji University in South Korea.
  • First Publication

    First Publication

    Yumi published "The Rabbit's Judgment" in 1944. Shortly after she graduated from SVA, the senator editor at Henry Holt Books for Young Readers, Laura Godwin, took her on as an illustrator.
  • Period: to

    New York City Art Project

    Heo designed a public art project for the Manhattan Transit Authority’s art for transit program. Her illustration is called “Q is for Queens” consisting of 30 stained glass windows spotlighting landmarks and people of queens (A Is for Aqueduct Race Park; K Is for Korean Festival are among the images), as part of a major renovation of the #7 line in Long Island City, NY.
  • Winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book & ALA Notable Book Award

    Winner of the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book & ALA Notable Book Award

    Yumi Heo is the recipient of a ALA Notable book award and the Charlotte Zolotow Honor Book for Uncle Peter's Amazing Chinese Wedding, and charming story that also illuminates the many traditions of the chinese weddings.
  • Winner of the Parent's Choice Award

    Winner of the Parent's Choice Award

    Heo won the Parent's Choice award for "10 Days and Nine Nights". Heo captured an older sister's excitement while she waits for her baby sister to join her family through international adoption.
  • Winner of the Christopher Award

    Winner of the Christopher Award

    An award honoring authors who encourage audiences to see the better side of human nature, and motivate artists and the general public to use their best instincts on behalf of others. Yumi Heo was the recipient for her work in Ten Days and Nine Nights
  • Charlotte Zolotow Award

    Charlotte Zolotow Award

    Yumi Heo is the winner of the 2013 Charlotte Zolotow Award for her illustrations in "I'm Flabber Smashed For You."
  • Publishers Weekly Starred Review

    Publishers Weekly Starred Review

    Heo received the Publishers Weekly Starred Review for "Red Light, Green Light," a lift-the-flap-board book introduction to the rules of the road.
  • Loses Battle to Cancer

    Loses Battle to Cancer

    Yumi Heo, creator of more than 30 distinctive books praised for their varying visual perspectives and stylized, died on November 5, 2016 after a long battle with cancer.