Brian Won
Brian Won wore many hats as a busboy, shoe salesman, art store cashier, art director, and designer before he turned his talents to illustrating children's books. His debut book, Hooray for Hat!, was published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt in 2014.
A Chicago native, Brian graduated from California’s Art Center College of Design with an honorary ninth term before co-founding National Television, a design and animation company. Brian's awards include the Silver Medal by the Society of Illustrators and the 2012 Mentorship Award from the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators.
He currently lives in Eagle Rock, California with his wife and young son.
Reviews
The Great Truck Switcheroo
“In this latest in the Adurable series, three pups learn how to cooperate by sharing their trucks and teaching one another. Ms. Polly tells puppies Cheddar, Dig Doug, and Puddles that they’ll be making snickerdoodles, the little dogs are eager to help out and taste test. Before they can have a nibble, Ms. Polly gives the pups an important task: “You must do busy work while I finish baking the cookies.” The job? Using one another’s trucks to move a pile of dirt across the road. They struggle at first with swapping vehicles and learning the maneuvers, but they eventually discover that if they help each other, they can get the job done and enjoy some cookies. Dogs and trucks are surefire toddler fodder, and Shea tells a relatable tale that children and adults will appreciate. Caregivers will get a kick out of a page filled with a barrage of preschooler-esque questions (“Are they done yet?” “I want to help!” “Are they done yet?”). With soft edges and anthropomorphized dogs, Won’s illustrations have tons of kid appeal. Most pages show the images against a white background, but the pages that really stand out are those with colorful backdrops. These irresistible pups demonstrate both the frustrations and benefits of collaboration with a friendly reminder that cooperation often leads to success. A delightful tale of darling doggies who teach readers to work together while learning themselves.”—Kirkus Reviews
Little Pups in Big Trucks
“Using big trucks and deductive reasoning, three well-intentioned pups collaborate in this lively series kickoff, which toys with basics of child development. When Dig Doug, Cheddar, and Puddles take the wheels of three trucks on the first day of puppy school, they’re clearly excited about the arrangement: “They are cute pups! They are in big trucks! They are...// ADURABLE!” But after some enthusiastic parallel play lodges the instructor’s red jeep beneath a pile of rocks, the hounds seek to fix things, learning about object permanence (“The big rocks do not go away just because you cannot see them”) and comparative sizing (“The rocks look smaller, but they are still very big and I am still very stuck”) before making an inference that saves the day. Shea’s smartly wry narration, coupled with Won’s unlined digital art, are the ideal vehicle for this tale of cheerfully indefatigable protagonists, construction equipment, and revelation—a deadpan board book delight.”—Publishers Weekly
This Pup is Stuck
“One dig-happy pup has trouble listening to directions and winds up getting in too deep. Cheddar, Puddles, and Dig Doug are back in this latest board book in Shea and Won’s Adurable series. When Miss Polly assigns the truck-driving dogs the task of making a swimming spot, Dig Doug ignores directions and gets stuck inside the deep hole he created. The problem-solving pups work together to help Dig Doug drive his way out. The message here is clear: Listening is important, especially when it comes to safety. When Dig Doug frets that he’s not a good puppy, Miss Polly carefully reminds him that he’s very good at digging but needs to remember that “other things are also important.” The story concludes with the pups taking a swim even though readers never see them finish their work. Won’s adorable doggies in their sunglasses and trucks are clear toddler fodder. Little readers will enjoy the illustrations of Dig Doug digging deep into the dirt, passing dino bones, bunnies, a mole holding a lantern, and even a treasure chest. Another page provides an interesting shift in perspective, showing the view from above as the other dogs look down at Dig Doug in the hole. This story lends itself to conversations about paying attention, working together, and making mistakes. Toddlerhood lessons in an “adurable” puppy package.”—Kirkus Reviews
Hooray for Today
"Buoyant and funny, this second outing cleverly works within the structure of Won's debut, but he allows himself more freedom to riff and, in doing so, hits all the right notes."—Kirkus Reviews, Starred Review
"A winning read-aloud sure to resonate best with preschoolers reluctant to bed down for the night and for ardent fans of Won’s Hooray for Hat."—School Library Journal
Hooray for Hat
"A lighthearted celebration of friendship and sharing."—School Library Journal
"This lighthearted story revels in the small acts that make life better—cheers all around."—Kirkus Reviews
"Won explores the way a simple gift and a little attention from friends can have nearly magical healing properties."—Publishers Weekly
"A tip of the hat to this buoyant debut."—Booklist