⚰️ 2018 — Died: Richard Peck
A distinguished American author of children’s and young adult literature (1934–2018). With his extremely humorous, refined, and heartwarming writing style, he created one of the most famous grandfather figures in the history of American children’s literature.
- Highest Honor: 2001 Newbery Medal The winner.
- Representative works:
- A Year in the Countryside(Alternative translation: Seven Summers with My Strange Grandma)A Year Down Yonder): Awarded the Newbery Medal in 2001.
- A Place Far From Chicago(Or translated as “That Year at Grandma’s House”)A Long Way from Chicago): Awarded the Newbery Silver Medal in 1999.
- status: Parker vividly portrayed life in the American Midwest during the Great Depression. His character, the tall, rough, seemingly unconventional yet righteous and wise “Grandma Dowdel,” has become an eternal warm haven in the hearts of countless readers.
| Died | Richard Parker | Richard Peck (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1942 – Born: Armin Greder
A renowned Swiss-Australian illustrator and picture book author. He is a rare contemporary master of realism who dares to use strong visual critique and allegorical forms to confront the darker aspects of human society, prejudices, and geopolitical issues.
- Key Achievements: With the work “An ordinary day-An ordinary day) won Golden Apple Award at the 2003 Bratislava International Biennial of Illustrations (BIB).
- Representative works:
- Islands: Daily Stories (Die InselA visual masterpiece that has shocked the world, profoundly revealing humanity’s blind xenophobia, fear, and collective indifference when faced with those who are different through the experience of a refugee who has washed ashore on an island.
- Artistic Style: Greta is adept at using bold charcoal and somber tones. His compositions are full of expressionist tension, not glossing over problems for children, but rather provoking deep reflections on humanity and society through highly impactful images.
| Birth | Armin Greid | Armin Greder (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1942: Jana Kiselová-Siteková
A national treasure of Slovakia, this female illustrator was born on the same day as Armin Grede, but she showcases another extreme of visual art in picture books—the ultimate in classicism, lyricism, and romance.
- International Outstanding Achievements: She is a regular at the Bratislava International Biennial of Illustrations (BIB) and a multiple winner of major awards.
- 1991 BIB Plaque“The Green Forest Daughter“Zbojníkova dcéra RonjaAstrid Lindgren’s famous work).
- 1995 BIB Golden Apple AwardAdam and EveAdam a Eva).
- 2001 BIB Golden Apple AwardThumbelinaPalculienka) and The Little Watch (Hodinky).
- 2009 BIB Honours AwardMy Guardian Angel (Anjeličku, môj strážničku).
- Artistic features: Her painting style is delicate and refined, often possessing the elegant texture of medieval murals and miniature paintings. Her depiction of light and shadow, plant textures, and human expressions is full of poetry and sacredness, endowing classical fairy tales and fantasy literature with unparalleled visual dignity.
| Birth | Yana Kiselova-Sitaikova | Jana Kiselová-Siteková (Bibiana) |
🎂 1892 – Born: Elizabeth Foreman Lewis
She was a renowned American author (1892–1958). She was a pioneer in introducing the realities of Eastern (especially Chinese) life into the mainstream American children’s literature.
- Highest Honor: The 1933 Newbery Medal The winner.
- Representative works: Fu Qingnian on the Upper Yangtze River (Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze)。
- Historical background: Lewis lived in Chongqing, China, as a missionary and teacher. This award-winning work, set in Chongqing in the 1920s, realistically and delicately portrays the growth and struggles of Fu Qingnian, a coppersmith’s apprentice. Although limited by the Western perspective of that era, its documentary style greatly contributed to the Western world’s understanding of ordinary Chinese life at the time.
| Birth | Elizabeth Forman Lewis | EF Lewis (Wikipedia) |
🗓️ More important creator briefings
| event | figure | Details/Awards | Wikipedia link |
|---|---|---|---|
| Death | Clara Judson | A prolific American biographer. (Based on…)Abraham Lincoln, a friend of the people》 has won numerous awards Newbery Medal. | Clara I. Judson |
| born | Catherine Hale | British illustrator. His “Orlando the Groundhog Cat” series, with its extremely gorgeous lithograph style, was included in “1001 Children’s Books”. | Kathleen Hale |
| born | Candace Fleming | A renowned American nonfiction and bridge book author. His representative work is…Aesop Elementary School’s Amazing Fourth GradeIt has been widely praised in campus reading. | Candace Fleming |
| born | Martha Alexander | American children’s picture book author, best known for her work “A is you are very cute.》 (A You’re AdorableFull of rhythm and warmth. | Martha Alexander |
| Death | Robbie Branscomb | American regional realist writer. His famous work is…The Murder of Bates the HoundIt perfectly combines rural suspense with children’s psychology. | Robbie Branscum |
