Eugene Yelchin (born Yevgeny Arkadievich Yelchin, , born October 18, 1956) is a Russian-American artist best known as an illustrator and writer of books for children and young adults. YelchinÃÂ is a National Book Award finalist forÃÂ The Assassination of Brangwain SpurgeÃÂ co-authored with M. T. Anderson and the recipient ofÃÂ Newbery Honor forÃÂ Breaking Stalin's Nose.ÃÂ He receivedÃÂ Sydney Taylor Award forÃÂ The Genius Under the Table, Golden Kite Award forÃÂ The Haunting of Falcon House,ÃÂ Crystal Kite Award for illustratingÃÂ Won Ton,ÃÂ National Jewish Book Award for illustratingÃÂ The Rooster Prince of Breslov, and Tomie DePaola Award from the Society of Children Books Writers and Illustrators. His books were named Best Books of the Year by the New York Times, People Magazine, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Boston Globe, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus Reviews, Horn Book, USA Today, Amazon, NPR, School Library Journal, and others.
His nephew was actor Anton Yelchin.
Yelchin was born in Saint Petersburg, (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 1980, 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.
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, Macmillan Publishers,ÃÂ HarperCollins,ÃÂ Simon & Schuster,ÃÂ Roaring Brook Press,ÃÂ Candlewick Press,ÃÂ andÃÂ Houghton Mifflin Harcourt. They have been translated into French, Italian, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Korean, Turkish, Romanian, Estonian, and Polish.
In 2025 I Wish I DidnâÂÂt Have to Tell You This received a National Jewish Book Award.
In 2021 The Genius Under the Table: Growing Up Behind the Iron Curtain was awarded the Association of Jewish Libraries Sydney Taylor Honor Award.
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 Illustratorsâ Golden Kite Award.
In 2011 ' that he illustrated received Society of Children's Books Writers and the Golden Kite Award.
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Yelchin's paintings and drawings have been exhibited along with former Soviet non-conformist artists
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.
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).
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