⚰️ February 28, 2014 — Passed away Michio Mado
Japanese poet and children’s literature authorWindow Road HeroHe died in 1909–2014 at the age of 104.
- Highest Honor:
- Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA): At 1994 AwardedInternational Hans Christian Andersen Award for WritersHe is the first Japanese person to receive this award.
- National status:
- Mr. Elephant（Zou-sanThis children’s song holds a similar status in Japan as “Twinkle Twinkle Little Star” in the English-speaking world; almost every Japanese child knows it.
- Poetry Collection: His poems, such as “The Magical Pocket” and “Tempura Thunderclap,” are full of childlike innocence and Zen-like wisdom. Empress Michiko of Japan personally translated his poetry collections (such as “The Animals”) into English and introduced them to the world.
| Death | Michio Mado | Michio Mado (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born February 28, 1970: Lemony Snicket
American writer and playwrightDaniel Handler(Daniel Handler, pen name) Ramenny Snicott)born.
- Important works and contributions:
- The Baudelaire Adventures Series（A Series of Unfortunate Events(Also translated as “The Unfortunate Encounters”): This is a set of strange books full of Gothic dark humor.
- style: Using the fictional narrator “Raymonny Snicott,” he tells the story of how the three Baudelaire siblings, after the death of their parents, outwit and outmaneuver their evil guardian, Earl Olaf, in a pessimistic and cautionary tone. This series breaks away from the traditional “happy ending” in children’s literature, setting it apart from others.
| born | Lemony Snicket | Lemony Snicket (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born February 28, 1966: Philip Reeve
British author and illustratorPhilip Riverborn.
- Important works and achievements:
- Carnegie Medal: With theArthur is here-Here Lies Arthur(Published in 2007) won awards 2008 Carnegie MedalThis is a demythologized version of the Arthurian legend, offering a unique perspective.
- The City Traction Series（Mortal Engines): It created a grand steampunk/wasteland world where mobile cities devour each other, with amazing imagination (later adapted into the movie “Mortal Engines” by Peter Jackson).
- The End of the Railway（Railhead): A science fiction adventure about interstellar trains.
| born | Philip Reeve | Philip Reeve (Wikipedia) |
🎂 February 28, 1820 – Birth: Sir John Tenniel
British illustrator and cartoonistSir John TynilBorn (1820–1914).
- A strange coincidence: His birthday (February 28) is very close to his death anniversary (February 25/26).
- Indelible contributions: As the lead cartoonist for Punch magazine, his greatest legacy is for Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland.Alice’s Adventures in WonderlandHe illustrated the characters. Tynil played a crucial role in establishing the blonde Alice, the Mad Hatter in his top hat, and the grinning Cheshire Cat.
| born Sir John Tenniel | John Tenniel (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born February 28, 1936: Robin Klein
Famous Australian children’s literature authorRobin Kleinborn.
- Important works and contributions:
- Hating Ashley（Hating Alison AshleyThis is a classic campus novel that depicts the subtle relationship between the self-important Erica Yurken and the perfect transfer student Alison Ashley, from jealousy to understanding, humorously and realistically portraying the psychology of adolescence.
Link |
🎂 Born February 28, 1948: Donna Jo Napoli
American linguist and writerDonna Jo Napoleonborn.
- Important works and contributions:
- She is a prolific writer, especially skilled in…Retelling the Fairy Tale(Fairy Tale Retellings).
- The Pond Prince（The Prince of the Pond): This story of “The Frog Prince” is retelled from the perspective of a frog, which is both humorous and rich in biological details.
- Zell（Zel: It retells Rapunzel and delves deeply into the psychology of the mother, the witch Gosso, with great depth.
| Link |
