Unveiling the Story of
Kate Banks
A Lifelong Tapestry of Words and Dreams
I was born and raised along with my two sisters and one brother in New England (USA) where we spent a lot of time outdoors. Wildlife and the nature, the rhythm of seasons, were a big part of growing up and learning about life, and they have remained an integral part of my creative work.
My parents loved reading and shared that passion with us through bedtime stories, trips to the library, and visits to the bookstore. Our house was filled with books and I guess you could say that reading began as a habit and became a pleasure. Later books would become a refuge, somewhere to escape to after a disappointment, a place to meet new people or to have a laugh or a cry. I met a lot of people I liked in books and some that I didn’t like. I remember feeling very close to many of the characters and learning a lot from them. And as I matured, I found books helped me to sort out life. They were a safe place to become familiar with emotions—confusion, sadness, anger, grief, humiliation, happiness and love. I especially liked picture books, and the way in which words and illustrations could create a whole new world in which sometimes real and other times magical and unexpected things could happen.
I attended Wellesley College and received a Masters degree in History from Columbia University. After a stint in publishing I moved to Europe where I’ve spent the past 25 years, dividing my time between Italy and France with my husband Pierluigi and sons, Peter Anton and Max. I have written many award winning works for children—from picture books to YA novels.
I am often asked where I get ideas for my stories. I used to think that inspiration was a product of my experiences, big and small, which somehow found their way into my writing. While I still believe that to be true to some extent, my own journey has taught me that there is a larger force at work, and I am but the vehicle of an expression that belongs to something collective as well as individual.
After a life threatening medical accident in 2003 I became deeply involved with Energy Medicine Therapies and trained in Reiki, Pranic Healing, Emotional Freedom Technique, TAT, Bodytalk, and Reconnective Healing. I am also a certified hypnotherapist and member of the Past Life Regression Academy.
When I am asked what I do for a job, I am often tempted to say that I don’t work. That’s because I am lucky enough to do something I love for a living. Whether journeying through a story or navigating a therapy session my greatest joy is helping people find their way to the place where head meets heart, where all things are possible.
When I’m not writing or practicing therapy, I love playing the piano, doing pottery, puttering around outdoors, and cooking. I especially like making birthday cakes, but I hate cleaning up. And I love being with children. I love watching them and listening to them as much as I love writing for them.
Discover the Literary Worlds of Storyteller Kate Banks
Coming October 15, 2024
Into The Ether
By Kate Banks
Experience a Blessed Journey in Breathtaking verse in Kate Banks’ First Poetry Collection
With exquisite prose that breathes in and out like the tide Into the Ether delivers a rich rendering of the human experience and the natural world through one woman’s journey as she travels and transcends both time and space.
Awards & Accolades
- New York Times Book Review Best Illustrated Books of the Year
- School Library Journal Best Books of the Year
- Booklist Editors’ Choice
American Library Association - Notable Children’s Books
- Child Magazine Best Books of the Year
- NCTE Notable Children’s Books in the Language Arts
- Book Sense Children’s Pick
- Boston Globe-Horn Book Award
- Horn Book Magazine Fanfare List
- VOYA Top Shelf Fiction for Middle School Readers
- 201 Charlotte Zolotow Award – Best Picture Book
- Dolly Parton Imagination Library
Kate in the Media
Interviews
- Picture Book Buzz: An Interview with Kate Banks
- Interview with Jules Kirkus on City Cat
- Interview with Cooperative Children Book’s Center
- Interview with Jules Kirkus
- Interview with Melissa Buron, “The Author Next Door”