Michael Martchenko

Born in Carcassonne, France, Martchenko moved to Canada when he was seven, where he graduated from the Ontario College of Art. Martchenko's early interest in drawing became apparent when he began creating his own depictions of his favourite comic books. Martchenko's fame in high school, Glenview Park Secondary School, Cambridge, Ontario, was based on the realistic "flip page" comics that adorned every one of his school texts and workbooks.{{cite web|title=Michael Martchenko|url=http://www.guelphpl.ca/munsch/illustrations.cfm|website=Guelph Public Library|accessdate=12 February 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150212210435/http://www.guelphpl.ca/munsch/illustrations.cfm|archivedate=12 February 2015}}

Although Martchenko began his career as a commercial artist, he was later approached by Robert Munsch and Annick Press representatives to consider a career in children's book illustrating after they saw his work at a graphic arts exhibition.{{cite web|title=Michael Martchenko|url=http://www.annickpress.com/author/Michael_Martchenko|website=Annick Press|accessdate=12 February 2015}} His first Munsch book was 1980's The Paper Bag Princess after his six-year-old daughter read the story; he is now the go-to illustrator for Munsch books.{{cite web |last1=Siegel |first1=Alisa |last2=Levine |first2=Karen |last3=Holdsworth |first3=Pauline |title=It does have a happy ending. |url=https://www.cbc.ca/radiointeractives/thesundayedition/it-does-have-a-happy-ending |website=The Sunday Edition |publisher=CBC Radio |accessdate=16 December 2019 |date=13 December 2019}}

In 1984, Martchenko began his artistic partnership with Allen Morgan, author of the "Matthew’s Midnight Adventure" series. It was not until 1990 that he first authored and illustrated his own book, Birdfeeder Banquet. His second self-authored and illustrated book, Ma, I’m a Farmer, was published in 2003.

Martchenko's most famous works are made in partnership with Canadian Author Robert Munsch on their long lived partnership Martchenko has said "I think that respecting each other's talents and experience, plus good communication can go a long way to creating a positive work relationship. You need to be on the same page creatively and share the same desire to produce the best books that you can. Robert Munsch and Allen Morgan's stories are funny, zany, and at times, a little crazy – so I fit right in. My type of visual humour, which at times can be a little crazy also, seems to complement their stories. Being able to exchange ideas is important as well. I can suggest changes to copy and they can make suggestions to illustrations. If it improves the story, we're all okay with that. We like one another, we get along and egos don't get in the way. It's worked for all these years and still does."{{Cite web|url=https://ago.ca/agoinsider/between-lines|title=In between the lines}}

Aside from his passion for illustrating children's books, Martchenko also has an interest in aviation and military art and history.{{cite web|last1=Jenkinson|first1=Dave|title=Linda Granfield|url=https://umanitoba.ca/cm/profiles/granfield.html|website=CM Magazine|publisher=The Manitoba Library Association|accessdate=12 February 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304060554/https://umanitoba.ca/cm/profiles/granfield.html|archive-date=4 March 2016|url-status=dead}}

Martchenko and his wife, Patricia, live in Toronto's Leaside.{{Cite web |date=September 2017 |title=Illustrator Michael Martchenko finds his muse in Leaside |url=https://leasidelife.com/illustrator-michael-martchenko-finds-his-muse-in-leaside/}} They have three daughters: Holly, Susan, and Janet.

• Birdfeeder Banquet (1990)
• Ma, I’m a Farmer (2003)

With Robert Munsch

• 50 Below Zero
• Angela's Airplane
• The Boy in the Drawer
• The Dark
• David's Father
• The Fire Station
• From Far Away
• Hugs
• I Did It Because...
• I Have to Go!
• Jonathan Cleaned Up—Then He Heard a Sound
• Kiss Me, I'm Perfect
• Look At Me!
• Moira's Birthday
• More Pies
• Mortimer
• Murmel, Murmel, Murmel
• No clean clothes
• The Paper Bag Princess: 25th Anniversary Edition
• The Paper Bag Princess
• Pigs
• Playhouse
• Show and Tell
• Something Good
• Stephanie's Ponytail
• Thomas' Snowsuit
• Wait and See
• Smelly Socks
• Zoom

With Allen Morgan

• Matthew and the Midnight Tow Truck (1984)
• Matthew and the Midnight Turkeys (1985)
• Matthew and the Midnight Money Van (1987)
• Matthew and the Midnight Pilot (1997)
• Matthew and the Midnight Ball Game (1997)
• Matthew and the Midnight Flood (1998)
• Matthew and the Midnight Hospital (1999)
• Matthew and the Midnight Wrestlers (1999)
• Matthew and the Midnight Bank (2000)
• Matthew and the Midnight Wrecker (2001)
• Matthew and the Midnight Movie (2002)
• Matthew and the Midnight Firefighter (2003)
• Matthew and the Midnight Pirates (2005)

With Rick Rossiter

• Mixed Up Michael

With Don Gillmore

• Sophie and the Sea Monster

With Loris Lesynski

• Boy Soup

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• {{cite web|url=http://www.authorviews.com/authors/martchenko/video.php|title=AuthorViews video interview|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070809122808/http://www.authorviews.com/authors/martchenko/video.php|archivedate=2007-08-09}}

{{Portal |Children's literature}}

• {{LCAuth|n84116376|Michael Martchenko|43|ue}}

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Category:1942 births

Category:Living people

Category:Canadian illustrators

Category:Franco-Ontarian people

Category:Canadian children's book illustrators

Category:Canadian people of Ukrainian descent

Category:People from Carcassonne

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