Michael P. White is the illustrator of the award-winning “The Library Dragon” by Carmen Agra Deedy. “The Library Dragon” is about Sunrise Elementary School’s big problem: their new librarian, Miss Lotta Scales, is a dragon! According to Publishers Weekly, White’s illustrations are “filled with vibrant color and lots of comical details." White also illustrated Carman Agra Deedy’s award-winning “The Secret of Old Zeb,” a book about a scrappy child who befriends his mysterious neighbor.

White is a graduate from The Art Institute of Atlanta, where he first learned the airbrush technique he uses in his illustrations. He has created original works, mostly humorous commercial art, for a number of corporations.

White’s art is regularly exhibited in galleries, including the Hudgens Center for the Arts. His latest picture book is “Harriet's Horrible Hair Day,” a tale of outrageous, hair-raising schemes by Dawn Lesley Stewart.

At the festival, White will be drawing and showing students how an idea can turn into a story.

“The point is so they haven’t just drawn something, they have started a story,” he said.

White lives in Atlanta with his wife, Traci, his five-year-old daughter, Madeline, and their five dogs.

He is currently working on the sequel to “The Library Dragon”.

White tells teachers and students to follow their dreams because big things will happen if they keep practicing.

“Just put an idea on paper and see where it goes,” he said.

Find out more about Michael P. White.