Christopher Canyon

Christopher Canyon is the illustrator of several wonderful books for children. When he isn’t in his studio, Christopher enjoys traveling and providing educational and entertaining programs for schools, libraries, and conferences. Christopher received his formal art education at the Columbus College of Art & Design in Columbus, Ohio. His work has been selected for many exhibits and publications including the Society of Illustrators, the Mazza Collection at the University of Findlay, Ohio, and the Natural History magazine.

Christopher has adapted and illustrated several of John Denver’s songs as children’s picture books, including Sunshine On My Shoulders, Ancient Rhymes: A Dolphin Lullaby, Take Me Home, Country Roads, and Grandma’s Feather Bed. Chyristopher says, “To have this opportunity to share John Denver’s music and message with the children of today is truly a dream. John gave the world so many thoughtful songs about relationships; our global need to live together in peace and the importance of caring for our environment. These messages, as relevant today as ever, and John’s music and voice continue to touch our lives and lift our spirits.”

Three of Christopher’s books, Sunshine On My Shoulders, The Tree in the Ancient Forest and Stickeen, have won the American Bookseller Association’s Benjamin Franklin Award for best children’s picture book of the year. Take Me Home, Country Roads was awarded the 2006 National Parenting Publications Association’s Honor Award. Grandma’s Feather Bed was awarded the the 2008 Publisher’s Marketing Association Gold Award, the 2007 iParenting Media Greatest Products Call Award, and the 2008 Moonbeam Children’s Book Bronze Award. His other Dawn Publication titles include Wonderful Nature, Wonderful You and the beautiful Earth trilogy, Earth and You – A Closer View: Nature’s Features, Earth and Us – Continuous: Nature’s Past & Future , and Earth and Me – Our Family Tree: Nature’s Creatures. Christopher lives with his wife and cat in central Ohio.