A look at a variety of artists as children and the events that shaped their lives. Utilizing illustrated vignettes and anecdotes from their childhood, this book reveals the formative conditions of artists as varied as Tove Jansson, Maurice Sendak, and Hayao Miyazaki. Both a celebration of creativity and an exploration of inspiration, this collective biography takes a look at the artists who shaped tens of millions of children's intellectual lives. With snippets of writing wisdom, quotes and timelines, Before They Were Artists proves that art is always needed, even in the toughest of times.