Vita

Murrow

Award Winning Children’s Author

Illustrator, Educator & Filmmaker

Travels from: Boston, MA

“Murrow strikes a tone that is both earnest and good-humored as these royals audaciously rewrite the rules.” — Publishers Weekly, starred review

Vita Murrow is an Author, Educator and Artist. Her experience spans leading literacy programs, classroom teaching and educational T.V. and film. She holds an M.S Ed in Teaching and Literacy from the Bank Street College of Education in New York City, and a BFA in Photography and Video Art from Cornish College of the Arts in Seattle. She is an alumnus of the Aardman Animation Industry Academy’s highest-level courses.

Vita is the author of nine books for children that centre progressive values, interrogate matters of inclusion and representation, and foster connection and uplift art. Her recent feminist fairy tale retellings “High Five to the Hero” & “Power to the Princess” were celebrated as “Brilliant.” By Kirkus Reviews. Vita’s recent title “Sterling” from her series “True Stories of Animal Heroes” won a 2023 Renaissance Quiz Writers Choice Award. Together with her husband Artist Ethan Murrow, Vita is the co-creator of the short film “Dust,” (official selection in the 46th annual New York Film Festival). The Murrows’ children’s book debut, “The Whale”, was nominated for a CILIP Greenway Medal. Their recent title “Zero Local” was nominated for a 2021 ALSC Notable Children’s Book award and received a 2021 Massachusetts Book Award Honor.

Vita's Featured Titles

Elementary School Classroom Visits or Grade Team Assembly

Classroom visits include a vibrant, playful, and educational power point presentation along with a drawing or writing oriented student-centered experience/activity. Run time 45 min

Assemblies/literacy events similarly include a short presentation on process. Followed by a sneak peek of in process work, or reading, or “show and tell” of demos/props with Q and A. Run time 45-60 min.

Middle and Upper School Lecture

Assemblies or classroom visits that include a short slide presentation on process, how an idea becomes a book. Also, a bit about me, and my team. I always include a sneak peek or “in process” look behind the scenes and a generous Q and A. Run time 45-60 min.

Middle School Writing Residence

A series of consecutive visits working directly with students as a guest critic or mentor writer. Built exclusively in collaboration with the classroom educator or student rep, I bring the nexus of my years as an educator, literacy specialist and children’s writer. Totally bespoke and focused on the content or interests of the students. A few weeks, to a semester based on curricular goals and cohort needs and interests.

College Lecture on Storytelling and Narrative

Guest lecture in fields as art, design, literature, architecture, social sciences. I am a guest who can offer a unique perspective on storytelling and narrative. Previous examples include visiting with UPENN Landscape Architecture students to talk with them about how students can tell the story of their work, their research, and conceptual goals, to a larger lay audience.

The Case for Wordless and Limited Word Picture Books, a session for educators

Knowing how to read, or best utilize wordless or limited word picture books can sometimes be daunting. Art can feel at times inaccessible to adults who don’t get to practice as visual story tellers every day. So, it’s my pleasure introduce educators and parents, to the rich world at home in wordless books. One of the most inclusive and universal storytelling platforms, that harkens back to our first language, the language of gesture and drawing. I’ll trace a path from humans earliest visual storytelling to some of the makers at today’s forefront of this exciting sub-genre in kidlit.

Writer as Actor: How Performance Informs Writing That Comes to Life

From years as a childhood actor, to graduating from a performing arts school, to working in film, TV and animation, performance has become central to my writing. I speak with audiences of all ages about embodied character performance, and how studying and practicing an actor’s toolkit, can serve the development of characters in writing and life-like renderings of art, illustration, or animation.

A Tale of Two Murrows: The Art and Storytelling of Ethan and Vita Murrow

I frequently speak on behalf of Ethan and myself regarding the work we do together as artists which includes film, photography and highly illustrates books for young people. I offer a similar program to that of my own solo presentations, but with emphasis on collaboration, performance and in-depth information on how Ethan I actually work as a team from idea, to finished art.

“THANK YOU for the amazing time spent with you today. Our students had a great time hearing all about your personal experience as a writer, the writing process and getting to know a bit more about what it truly means to be an author. Thank you for sharing that unique experience with them. On a personal note, it was such a pleasure getting to meet and chat with you. You are such a lovely person and I will certainly be singing your praises to local colleagues in the arts and enrichment field.” — Bancroft School

“Vita, the talk was amazing! I spent the rest of the day throwing Vita quotes at the students. The conversation was so good. As students in their first year of design I know that many of the students really connected to you and your work. Thank you again for taking the time and sharing your great work and energy!” — Professor Sean Burkholder, Stuart Weitzman School of Design, University of Pennsylvania

“It was a great event. I absolutely loved hearing about your work. I must say it was not the presentation I was expecting…It was so much more!” — Nobscot Reading Council Reviews

“This volume is a treasure for readers who are tired of traditional helpless princesses who fall in love instantly and “live happily ever after. Brilliant.” — Kirkus Starred Review

“It is girls who take the initiative and direct the action in these fractured fairy tales with a contemporary twist. The author and illustrator offer racial, ethnic, and cultural diversity. Recommended for all collections!” — School Library Journal

“This book is beautiful, and about how love and friendship can overcome evil.” — Risa, 9yrs

“Exciting, surprising, a fun fairytale book that is utterly breathtaking!” — Valentina, 8yrs

“A whale of a tale, beautifully rendered in nothing but pencil. A wordless story of a modern girl and boy. Every illustration showcases the capabilities of pencil forming a series of stunning, photorealistic snapshots. VERDICT A lovely addition.” — School Library Journal

“Wordless, with masterful artwork and an intriguing narrative undertow, this whale’s tale will transfix.” — Kirkus Starred Review

“Husband-and-wife team, debut with a sumptuously illustrated, semi-wordless story of discovery and collaboration. Dynamically varied perspectives, the inky mysteries of the water’s depths, and attention to realistic detail give the artwork a strong, visceral impact.” — Publishers Weekly

“The artwork is the star of the piece. As in the Murrows’ The Whale, the photorealistic pencil drawings are expertly detailed and textured, while the gray palette creates a subdued tone, initially fitting to the theme. The illustrator later adds hints of bright yellow to characters who are literally touched by art—which will help younger readers unlock the meaning behind the story. A touching addition.” — School Library Journal

“The second collaborative wordless picture book from the Murrows (The Whale, 2016), this evokes city life through beautiful pencil drawings…The amount of detail in each illustration is astounding—one spread features the artist’s arm and hand drawing a picture, and careful crosshatching gives it an impressive photorealistic effect…children will continue talking about the artwork long after the book is closed.” — Booklist

“Where words so often fail, the wordless breathes life into people’s smallest actions and deepest impacts, as the Murrows’ spreads uplift the mundane. It’s a positive love letter to community (even among commuter-train regulars), diversity, and paying it forward…Timely and timeless, as kindness always is.” — Kirkus Reviews

“Taut pencil drawings by married collaborators Ethan and Vita Murrow (The Whale) show how art can forge community in public spaces. Meticulously drafted spreads capture the action on an urban train…Detailed portraits of passengers by the Murrows value each one as an individual. The initial artist, cued as gender fluid, is portrayed as a hero whose powers depend on creativity and loving-kindness.” — Publishers Weekly

Grown Ups Read Princess Stories Link

Picturebook Makers Blog Link

Dust Film Link

Honors, Awards & Recognition

“Sterling” from the series “True Stories of Animal Heroes” won a 2023 Renaissance Quiz Writers Choice Award
Together with her husband Artist Ethan Murrow, Vita is the co-creator of the short film “Dust,” which was an official selection in the 46th annual New York Film Festival
“The Whale” was nominated for a CILIP Greenway Medal
“Zero Local” received a 2021 Massachusetts Book Award Honor
“Zero Local” received a 2021 Junior Library Guild Gold Medal
“Zero Local” was nominated for a 2021 ALSC Notable Children’s Book award

Media clips

Boston Globe | With a New Children’s Book husband-and-wife artists envision ‘kindness and connectedness’ on public transportation

Book Riot | MAKE LEARNING FUN: BEST NARRATIVE NONFICTION BOOKS FOR KIDS

Let’s Talk Picture Books | Let’s Talk Illustrators #153: Vita Murrow & Ethan Murrow

Media Kit

By clicking the link below you will be directed to a Google Docs Folder
where you can download author photos and cover images.