🎂 Born 1933: Arnold Lobel
He was a renowned American children’s book author and illustrator (1933–1987). He is widely regarded as one of the greatest masters of early childhood bridge books and picture books in the 20th century.
- Representative works and highest honors:
- The Frog and Toad series (Frog and Toad(This work won both the Newbery Honor and the Caldecott Honor.) Lobel, with the purest and most concise language and extremely gentle dry humor, explores the inclusiveness of friendship, the differences in personality, and the philosophy of daily life, becoming a timeless model for children’s early independent reading worldwide.
- Lobel’s Fables (Fables): Awarded 1981 Caldecott MedalThis demonstrates the pinnacle of his wisdom in modern fable creation.
- “Rat Soup” (Mouse Soup(This is a classic story about a clever mouse that escapes from an owl’s clutches by telling stories.)
| Birth | Aino Lobel | Arnold Lobel (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1923 – Born: Max Velthuijs
Dutch national-level picture book master and illustrator (1923–2005). He and Lobel were born on May 22, which is also the most wonderful “double frog” meeting in the history of children’s books.
- Highest Honor: 2004 Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA) for IllustrationThe winner. The jury praised him for “proving through a simple story that even the most complex emotions can be expressed with minimalist drawings and words.”
- Classic Series:
- Frog Frog series (Frog / KikkerThis green frog, wearing red and white striped shorts, along with his friends (a duck, a pig, and a mouse), performs grand and profound life themes such as love, fear, prejudice, and even “death”.
- Early achievements: As early as 1971, he won the award for “The child and the big fishIt won the Badge Award at the Bologna Children’s Book Fair (BIB).
| Birth | Max Wiltius | Max Velthuijs (Wikipedia) |
⚰️ 2019 — Passed away: Judith Kerr
A legendary British children’s author and illustrator of German descent (1923–2019).
- Immortal Masterpieces:
- Tiger Comes to Have Afternoon Tea (The Tiger Who Cames to TeaA landmark masterpiece in the history of British picture books.
- ““Forgetful Mog” series (Mog the Forgetful Cat): Included in “1001 Children’s Books”.
- Autobiographical novel:Hitler stole the Pink Rabbit (When Hitler Stole Pink Rabbit)。
- Cultural status: Her childhood experience of fleeing Nazi Germany with her parents because of her Jewish identity instilled in her works a deep appreciation for peaceful living beneath a warm exterior. The tiger that comes to have afternoon tea has long become one of the most reassuring visual symbols in the history of children’s books.
| Passed Away | Judith Kerr | Judith Kerr (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1859: Arthur Conan Doyle
A renowned British novelist, poet, and physician (1859–1930).
- Immortal masterpiece: The Complete Sherlock Holmes Stories (The Complete Sherlock Holmes Collection)。
- status: He created Sherlock Holmes, the most famous detective in literary history. Although not originally written specifically for children, its rigorous logical reasoning, brilliant suspense, and the iconic Baker Street have made it an essential read for teenagers worldwide to enter the world of genre fiction and develop logical thinking. His masterpiece, *The Hound of the Baskervilles*, is listed in *1001 Children’s Books*.
| Birth | Arthur Conan Doyle | Arthur Conan Doyle (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born in 1907: Hergé
Georges Prosper Lemy, a famous Belgian cartoonist (1907–1983), whose real name was Georges Prosper Lemy, pioneered the “Ligne claire” style of European comic strips.
- A masterpiece for posterity: The Adventures of Tintin (Les Aventures de Tintin)。
- Historical impact: The story of journalist Tintin and his beloved dog Milu’s adventures around the world has not only been included in “1001 Children’s Books,” but has also served as a “paper geography exposition” for generations of children to open their eyes to the world. Hergé, with his meticulous research into exotic backgrounds and his highly humorous narrative, established the supreme dignity of modern European comics (BD).
| Birth | Hergé | Hergé (Wikipedia) |
⚰️ 2016 — Died: Adolf Born
Czech national treasure: graphic artist, illustrator, and animation director (1930–2016).
- Key Achievements: Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA) Illustrator Finalist; relying on “Mr. Ink Bottle’s Academy》 won 1979 BIB Golden Apple Award.
- Representative works: March and ShebedovovaIllustrated Puss in Boots.
- Artistic Style: Berne’s style blends grotesque humor, the carnival atmosphere of a circus, and the texture of medieval classical prints. His anthropomorphic animals and grotesque figures with glasses and various expressions are a magnificent treasure in the history of Eastern European illustration.
| Died | Adolph Byrne | Adolf Born (Wikipedia) |
🗓️ Other Important Creator Briefings
| event | figure | Details/Awards | Wikipedia link |
|---|---|---|---|
| born | John Low Townsend | British children’s literature critic and author. His representative work is…Gamper’s yardIt is a pioneering work of postwar British realist children’s literature. | JR Townsend |
| born | Rida Yaronin | Finnish author. His picture book works include…Girl and the crow treeIt is highly poetic and has been included in the “1001 Children’s Books”. | Riitta Jalonen |
| Death | Cecil Day-Lewis | British Poet Laureate (also wrote detective novels under the pseudonym Nicholas Black). His representative work of children’s literature is…Waterbury IncidentIt was included in “1001 Children’s Books”. | Cecil Day-Lewis |
| Death | David Rees | British author. Known for his wartime history, *The History of the War*.Exeter Blitz》 won 1978 Carnegie Medal. | David Rees |
| Death | Jules Renard | French writer. Masterpiece:Carrot whiskers》 (Poil de CarotteIt was included in “1001 Children’s Books” for its cold and sharp realism. | Jules Renard |
