🎂 Born 1985: Levi Pinfold
A British picture book creator and illustrator (1985). He is known for his extremely detailed and realistic watercolor paintings, his retro and slightly surreal magical compositions, and his solemn and realistic visual tension.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- The Big Black Dog (Black Dog(2011) — Awarded 2013 Kate Greenaway Medal (CIL) Plaque Award at the BIB International Biennale: The story tells of a giant black dog appearing outside the Hope family’s door. Everyone in the family is terrified by the dog’s enormous size and locks their doors and windows. Only the youngest sister, “Little Dot,” calmly steps out of her room. She sings to entice the giant dog to follow her, and as it chases, the dog gradually shrinks until it becomes a cute little dog that the family accepts. The work, with its highly dynamic visuals, humorously and profoundly explores the overcoming and acceptance of fear.
- Green Baby (Greenling(2015) — It tells the story of an elderly couple living in the countryside who find a baby covered in green plants called “Green Baby”. As Green Baby grows, it blooms and bears fruit everywhere, showing the vigorous vitality of nature and the harmony between man and nature.
- His representative works also include the illustrations for “Mysterious Log: Magical Illusions” (ILLUSIONOLOGY).
| Birth | Levi Pinfold | Levi Pinfold (Wikipedia) |
⚰️ 1986 – Death: Evelyn Ness
American children’s picture book author and illustrator (1911–1986). She was an important female creator in the history of American picture books in the mid-20th century. She was skilled at using textured woodcuts, prints and watercolors to express children’s inner imagination and emotional fluctuations.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- Sasa’s Moonlight (Sam, Bangs & Moonshine(1966, also translated as *Sam, Pons and Moonlight*) — Awarded 1967 Caldecott MedalThe story takes place in a small fishing village. A girl named Sasha loves to tell exaggerated lies (which she calls “moonlight”), such as claiming her mother is a mermaid and that she has a lion cub. Her lies nearly cause her friend Thomas and her cat Bunce to perish on a cliff during a storm. Through this experience, Sasha learns to distinguish between genuine imagination and harmful lies, and experiences the value of honesty and growth.
| Passed Away | Evaline Ness | Evaline Ness (Wikipedia) |
⚰️ 1967 – Died: Esther Forbes
American historical novelist and historian (1891–1967). She won the Pulitzer Prize for History for her biography of the American Revolutionary War, and her children’s historical novels are known for their extremely meticulous historical details and noble literary style.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- Freedom Fighters (Johnny Tremain(Johnny Tremaine, 1943) — Awarded The 1944 Newbery MedalThe story takes place in Boston in 1773, on the eve of the American Revolutionary War. Johnny, a young man with exceptional talent as a silversmith’s apprentice, becomes a printing press clerk after accidentally burning his right hand. After meeting members of the Boston Tea Party and patriotic youths, Johnny becomes deeply involved in the Boston Tea Party and the Lexington shootings, transforming from an arrogant and selfish boy into a responsible young warrior fighting for freedom and dignity.
| Deceased | Esther Forbes | Esther Forbes (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1937: Walter Dean Myers
African American children’s and young adult literature writer (1937–2014). He was one of the leading figures in American children’s literature in the second half of the 20th century, and served as the National Ambassador for Young Adult Literature. He dedicated his life to realistically portraying the struggles, moral choices, and dignity of African American youth in Harlem neighborhoods.
- Supreme Honors and Representative Works:
- Posthumously awarded by the American Library Association in 2019 Children’s Literature Heritage Award (CLLA) Lifetime Achievement Award; recipient of the Printz Award five times.
- Scorpion (Scorpions(1988) — Award 1989 Newbery HonorThe story follows Jamal, a 12-year-old Black boy from Harlem, who is thrust into the position of leader of the “Scorpion” street gang after his brother goes to prison. Facing guns, violence, and poverty, Jamal struggles to understand the futility of violence and the difficulty of protecting genuine friendship.
- Somewhere in the Dark (Somewhere in the Darkness(1992) — Awarded 1993 Newbery HonorThe story follows teenager Jimmy as he embarks on a cross-country road trip with his long-lost father, uncovering the truth about his father’s past and forging a deep understanding between father and son.
| Birth | Walter Dean Myers | Walter Dean Myers (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1955: Ann M. Martin
Ann Matthews Martin (1955), an American children’s novelist. She is best known for her popular children’s novel, *The Babysitter Club*.The Baby-sitters ClubThe series excels at depicting the sincere friendship between girls, family changes, and psychological growth.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- Corners of the Universe (A Corner of the Universe(2002) — Awarded 2003 Newbery HonorThe story takes place in the summer of 1960. Twelve-year-old Heidi was living a peaceful life until her uncle Adam, whom she had never heard of before and who suffered from mental illness and autism, came to live with her. During that long summer, Heidi experienced the fragility of life and the acceptance of understanding through her interactions with her uncle, and stepped out of the corner of her own growth.
- His representative works also include the children’s psychological novel *Rosie and Rain*.Rain Reign).
| Birth | Ann M. Martin | Ann M. Martin (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1942 – Born: Bianca Pitzorno
Italian children’s literature writer and translator (1942). She is a key figure in contemporary Italian children’s literature, and is skilled at using a humorous, witty, and highly empathetic style to showcase children’s independent thinking, resistance to outdated rules, and rich inner emotions.
- International Awards and Representative Works:
- At In 2012, he was shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA) for Best Writer..
- Listen to My Heart (Ascolta il mio cuore(1991) — A classic Italian children’s realistic novel: Set in a primary school in Sardinia in the 1950s, the story tells of three distinctive little girls who, with their wisdom, unity, and sense of justice, launch a hilarious and tenacious resistance against a harsh, snobbish teacher who favors the rich.
- His representative works also include the science fiction fairy tale “Chlorophyll from the Blue Sky” (Clorofilla dal cielo blu), Polisena’s House (Polissena del Porcello) and The House in the Trees (The House in the Tree).
| Birth | Bianca Pitzorno | Bianca Pitzorno (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1935: Brian Doyle, Brighton Doyle
Canadian children’s and young adult literature author and educator (1935–2024). He was known for his realistic children’s novels full of dark humor, historical texture, and concern for the vulnerable.
- Supreme Honors and Representative Works:
- At In 2005, she won the NSK Neustadt Prize for Children’s Literature.He was also shortlisted for the Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA) for Best Author.
- Angel Square (Angel Square(1984) — This film tells the story of Tommy, a 20-year-old teenager in Ottawa in the 1940s, who becomes a detective in Angel Square, a place where different communities and cultures clash, in order to investigate the truth behind the unprovoked attack on his friend’s father. It is full of humor and anti-inclusive reflections.
- His representative works also include the humorous holiday novel *The Knight-Errant Saves Christmas* (Rover saves Christmas).
| Birth | Brian Doyle, Brighton Doyle | Brian Doyle (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1939: Karl-Heinz Appelmann
German picture book illustrator, printmaker, and book designer (1939). He worked for a long time in the East German publishing industry, and his works are characterized by distinctive, clean lines and traditional printmaking colors.
- International Awards and Representative Works:
- Based on “Kambaki: African Fairy Tales” (Kjambaki: afrikanische MärchenThe illustrations drawn by [author’s name] won an award. Golden Apple Award at the 1971 Bratislava International Biennial of Illustrations (BIB).
| Birth | Karl-Heinz Appelmann | Karl-Heinz Appelmann (Wikipedia) |
⚰️ 1964 – Death: Ian Fleming
British novelist, journalist, and intelligence officer (1908–1964). He is world-renowned for his classic spy novel series, James Bond (007).
- Children’s Literature Masterpieces and Highlights:
- Flying All-Purpose Vehicle (Chitty Chitty Bang Bang: The Magical Car(1964, illustrated by John Burningham) — Listed in “1001 Children’s Books.” This is the only children’s fantasy novel Fleming wrote specifically for his son. The story tells of an eccentric inventor father who buys and repairs an old racing car called “Chitty Chitty Bombon.” The family then discovers that the car can not only drive itself but also float on water and fly, taking them on a fantastical adventure to the other side of the Channel to outwit thieves. It was later adapted into a classic musical and a film of the same name.
| Passed Away | Ian Fleming | Ian Fleming (Wikipedia) |
🍃 [other]
| event | figure | Details/Awards | Wikipedia/Data Links |
|---|---|---|---|
| born | Tim Wynne-Jones | A British-Canadian children’s novelist (1948). His representative collection of stories is *Some Better Planets*.Some of the Kinder Planets(1993) With a witty and humorous touch, it shows lighthearted moments in the daily lives of teenagers about collecting strange objects, exploring the universe, and accepting changes in their families. It was included in “1001 Children’s Books”. | Tim Wynne-Jones |