Bruce McMillan


Bruce McMillan VWS ' is a contemporary American author of children books, a photo-illustrator and watercolor artist living in Shapleigh, Maine. Born in Massachusetts, he grew up in Bangor, Maine, and Kennebunk, Maine. He received a degree in biology from the University of Maine. In addition to his 45 children's books, seven of them set in Iceland, he's authored two books of humor, Punography, featured in Life magazine, and Punography Too. His interest in biology is often reflected in his books' topics. He's published three genres of children's picture books: concept books, nonfiction and fiction. In 2006 he was honored by the Maine Library Association with the honoring his outstanding body of work of children’s literature in Maine.
McMillan's watercolor art has been in numerous juried shows in New England and his were a two-page feature in the Maine Sunday Telegram Arts Section. His watercolor Browns Head Light Vinalhaven was Best in Show at the Port Clyde Art Gallery Third Annual Invitational 10 x 10 Show in 2017. His watercolors are in private collections in the US, Canada, Iceland and Switzerland.
McMillan's most noted award winning children's book is Nights of the Pufflings, set on the Icelandic island of Heimaey. The story introduces a local children's tradition of rescuing young birds, pufflings ', who take their first flight on August nights, some stranded in the village streets. The children then set them free at the beach at daytime. His books were the first photo-illustrated children's books ever featured on the covers of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, The Horn Book Guide and Booklinks magazine.
McMillan's honored with a permanent corner in the Springvale Public Library's Children's Room, , where nine of his original photo-illustrations from Grandfather's Trolley are on permanent display.
McMillan's taught Writing, Illustrating, and Publishing Children's Picture Books for the Professional Development division open to the public at the University of Southern Maine and the University of New Hampshire, where he still teaches at UNH after forty years, with students successfully published by major US publishers. He's spoken at hundreds of schools and conferences in the US.
Several of McMillan's children's books were translated into other languages, Icelandic, German and Korean. Hand-colored original photo-illustrations from Grandfather's Trolley are in the public collections of the Mazza Collection, University of Findlay, Findlay, Ohio, Keene State College original children's art collection, Keene, New Hampshire, and the .

Children's books

BookAwards
The Problem with ChickensNew York Times Best Illustrated Book of 2005
Parents' Choice Approved Picture Book seal A Publishers Weekly Best Children's Book of 2005
Star Review - School Library Journal, 2005
Star Review - Publishers Weekly, 2005
Days of the DucklingsParents' Choice Non-fiction, 2001 A Best Children's Book of the Year 2002, Children's Book Committee at the Bank Street College of Education
Star Review, Children's Book Committee Bank Street College of Education, 2002
Triangle Review, The Horn Book Guide, Spring 2002
Jelly Beans for SaleAmerican Library Association Notable Book, 1997 New York Public Library 100 Best Books for Reading and Sharing, 1996
Chicago Public Library's Best of the Best, 1996
Puffins Climb, Penguins RhymeAmerican Bookseller Association Pick of the List, 1995
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children - National Science Teacher's Association / Children's Book Council, 1995
Two Star Review - Science Books and Films, 1995
Nights of the PufflingsAmerican Library Association Notable Book, 1996
A Children's Book of Distinction - Hungry Mind Review, 1996
Parents' Choice Picture Book, 1995
Parenting magazine Certificate of Excellence, 1995
A Lupine Honor Book, Maine Librarians Association, 1996
A Best Book of the Year, School Library Journal, 1995
A Best Kids' Book of the Year, Crayola Kids magazine, 1995
A Few Good Books selection, Booklinks magazine, 95
A Blue Ribbon Book, The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 1995
Star Review, The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 1995
Star Review, School Library Journal, 1995
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children - National Science Teachers Association / Children's Book Council, 1995
First photo-illustrated book featured on the cover of The Bulletin for the Center of Children's Books, 1995
First photo-illustrated book featured on the cover of The Horn Book Guide
One Sun, A Book of Terse VerseAmerican Library Association Notable Book, 1991
A Best Kid's Book of 1990 - Parents Magazine, 1990
Outstanding Science Trade Book for Children, National Science Teacher's Association / Children's Book Council, 1990
Star Review - The Bulletin of the Center for Children's Books, 1990
Selection - Children's Book-of-the-Month Club, 1990
Selection - Junior Library Guild, 1990