Sheridan alumnus Jon Klassen was among six Ontario college graduates presented with a Premier’s Award on Monday evening at a gala event held at the Sheraton Centre in Toronto. The Premier’s Awards is an annual program that honours the outstanding social and economic contributions of Ontario college graduates.
A 2005 graduate of Sheridan’s Classical Animation program and 2002 graduate of Art Fundamentals, Klassen was recognized with a Premier’s Award in the Creative Arts and Design category.
He has received the industry’s top honours and sold over a million copies of his books worldwide, all within five years of launching his career as a children’s book author and illustrator.
In 2013, Klassen was the first Canadian to win the prestigious American Library Association’s Caldecott Medal for This is Not My Hat (published by Candlewick Press). He also received the Caldecott Honor for Extra Yarn, becoming only the second author-illustrator to receive both awards in the same year. As well, Klassen is the first Canadian to win Britain’s Kate Greenaway Medal for children’s illustration. The Caldecott Committee recognized Klassen once again in 2015 with an Honor for Sam & Dave Dig a Hole which he illustrated. Klassen’s illustrations can be found in The Nest, a recent book by the highly popular author, Kenneth Oppel.
Klassen turned to illustration full time following the success of his first illustrated book, Cats’ Night Out, which won a Canadian Governor General’s Award in 2010. Previously, he worked for animation studios DreamWorks and LAIKA, contributing to feature films Kung-Fu Panda and Coraline.