🎂 1917 – Born: Barbara Cooney
American children’s picture book author and illustrator (1917–2000). She was a giant in the history of American picture books in the 20th century, creating more than 100 works in her lifetime. She was skilled at depicting natural beauty, the New England countryside and the spiritual heritage of life with extremely elegant watercolor, scratch art and a warm historical texture.
- Double Caldecott Medal winner:
- The Golden Voice and the Fox (Chanticleer and the Fox(1958) — Awarded 1959 Caldecott MedalAdapted from Chaucer’s “The Nun’s Tale” in *The Canterbury Tales*, this classic fable tells the story of a proud rooster named “Golden Voice” who is tricked away by a cunning fox with flattery. The rooster then uses his wit to make the fox speak, thus escaping danger. Cooney’s exquisite illustrations in a medieval miniature style imbue this classic literature with a high degree of popular appeal.
- The Ox-Cart Driver (Ox-Cart Man(1979, by Donald Hall) — Awarded 1980 Caldecott MedalThis work depicts the seasonal work rhythm of an ordinary farming family in early 19th-century New England. The farmer loads his oxcart with the goods he has sewn, crafted, and harvested throughout the year, takes them to the market to sell, exchanges them for necessities, and then returns home, repeating the cycle endlessly. The work is hailed as a poetic epic about traditional farming life and the cycle of life.
- A semi-autobiographical masterpiece passed down through generations:
- Flower Granny (Miss Rumphius(1982) — Winner of the National Book Award: The book tells the story of Miss Rumphius, who, from a young age, listened to her grandfather’s tales of distant lands and made three vows: to travel to faraway places, to live by the sea in her old age, and to “do something to make the world a more beautiful place.” She spent her life traveling the world, and in her later years lived by the sea, scattering countless lupin seeds on hillsides and roadsides, filling the earth with flowers. The book’s phrase, “to do something to make the world a more beautiful place,” has influenced countless readers worldwide.
| Birth | Barbara Cooney | Barbara Cooney (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1946 – Born: Frank Asch
American children’s picture book author and illustrator (1946). He was skilled at using simple and clean cartoon characters, saturated flat colors, and stories full of childlike logic to depict children’s exploration of nature and emotional dependence in their early years.
- Representative works and content:
- ““Moon Bear” series(Inaugural work: “Happy Birthday, Moon”)Happy Birthday, Moon(1982) — This story tells of a little bear who wants to give the moon a birthday present. He climbs a high mountain and speaks to the moon, mistaking the “echo” from across the valley for the moon’s reply. The little bear buys a hat, hangs it on a tree branch, and gives it to the moon. Although the hat is later blown away by the wind, both the little bear and the moon still believe they have received each other’s heartfelt wishes. The story, through the simple psychology of egocentric children, showcases a charmingly innocent and kind heart.
- Other notable works include “Milk and Biscuits“Milk and Cookies)wait.
| Birth | Frank Asch | Frank Asch (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1953: Martin Jarrie
French illustrator and fine art painter (1953). He was skilled at using thick oil paint with rich embossed and imprinted textures, surrealist collage of objects, and mysterious light and shadow compositions, and his works have a strong contemporary art feel.
- Top international awards and representative works:
- With his two works, “Mr. Click, Knock on the Door!“Toc, toc! Monsieur Cric-Crac!(Text by Alain Serres) and The Mechanical Dragon (Le colosse machinalAt the same time, it won amazing awards. Grand Prix at the 1997 Bratislava International Biennial of Illustrations (BIB)With its stunning composition and exquisite visual style, it infuses children’s picture books with a profound artistic experience.
| Birth | Martin Jarrie | Martin Jarrie (Wikipedia) |
🍃 [other]
| event | figure | Details/Awards | Wikipedia/Data Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| born | Gerald W. Johnson | American historian and journalist (1890–1980). His first book in a trilogy of American history for young people, *The Birth of America* (…), is…America Is Born: A History for Peter(Illustrated by Leonard Weisgard, 1959) This book provides an objective, rigorous, and vivid narrative of the discovery and exploration of the New World, and has won numerous awards. Newbery Honor, 1960His subsequent representative works also include “America Moving Forward” (…).America Moves Forward). | Gerald W. Johnson |
| born | David Mostyn | British illustrator and cartoonist (1944). His work includes Brian Patten’s children’s humorous poetry collection, *Grinding with Jelly*.Gargling With Jelly(1985) created illustrations with hilarious and exaggerated lines, and his works were included in “1001 Children’s Books”. | David Mostyn |
| born | Roger Lea MacBride | American author and politician (1929–1995). He was the grandson of Rowland Ingalls Wilder, author of “Little House.” In his later years, he compiled and wrote the sequel series to “Little House” (which recorded the childhood experiences of his mother, Rose Wilder Lane), thus preserving the realistic style of this American classic. | Roger MacBride |
| Death | Dillwyn Parrish | American painter and children’s author (1894–1941). His fantasy story collection, *The Dream Bus*, co-authored with his sister Anne Parish.The Dream Coach(1924) won the award for its beautiful poetry and imagination. Newbery Honor, 1925. | Dillwyn Parrish |
| Death | Geoffrey Willans | British author and screenwriter (1911–1958). His most famous work is *Down with Skoll*.Down with Skool!(1953, illustrated by Ronald Searle) is a humorous satire of the outdated teaching system and adult rules of a boys’ boarding school, written from the perspective of Nigel, and is included in “1001 Children’s Books”. | Geoffrey Willans |
