Matthew Manuel Tavares (born December 4, 1975) is an American author and illustrator of picture books for children. He attended Bates College, and now lives in Maine with his wife and two daughters.
Tavares is the author-illustrator of Henry Aaron's Dream, Mudball, Zachary's Ball, and Oliver's Game, and the illustrator of 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and Jack and the Beanstalk.
Lady Liberty: A Biography (written by Doreen Rappaport, illustrated by Matt Tavares) received a 2008 Parents' Choice Awards Gold Award, a 2008 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, a 2009 International Reading Association Teacher's Choice Award, and was on the 2010 Texas Bluebonnet Award master list.
Jack and the Beanstalk (written by E. Nesbit, illustrated by Matt Tavares) received a 2006 Parents' Choice Awards Gold Award, and was selected to the New York Public Library's "Children's Books 2006: 100 Titles for Reading and Sharing" list.
Mudball received a 2005 Parents' Choice Awards Gold Award, and was named to the Notable Social Studies Trade Books for Young People list.
Oliver's Game received a 2004 Parents' Choice Awards Silver Honor, and a 2004 International Reading Association Children's Book Award, Notable.
Zachary's Ball received a 2000 Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Gold Seal Award, and a 2000 Massachusetts Book Award Honor.