🎂 Born 1954: Jon Scieszka
A renowned American children’s author and educator (1954). He was a primary school teacher and possessed a deep understanding of children’s, especially boys’, reading psychology. He skillfully employed postmodern techniques such as deconstruction, irony, metanarrative, and breaking the fourth wall to completely subvert traditional fairy tale conventions. In 2008, he was appointed by the Library of Congress as…The first National Ambassador for Young People’s Literature.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- The True Story of the Three Little Pigs (The True Story of the 3 Little Pigs!(1989, illustrated by Lane Smith) — Selected for “1001 Children’s Books,” a postmodern picture book classic: The story unfolds entirely from the first-person perspective of the Big Bad Wolf, Alexander T. the Wolf. The Wolf claims he only went to the neighbor’s to borrow a cup of sugar to bake a cake for his sick grandmother, that he sneezed a few times due to a bad cold which caused the straw and wooden houses to collapse, and that he ate the piglet simply to avoid wasting food. The work, with its brilliant irony, inspires children to critically consider narrative stances and objective reality.
- A Collection of Hilarious Stories of the Stinky Cheese Boy (The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales(1992, illustrated by Lane Smith) — Selected for “1001 Children’s Books” (winner of the 1993 Caldecott Honor): A satirical picture book that completely subverts traditional layout and narrative logic.
- The Mathematical Curse (Math Curse(1995, illustrated by Lane Smith) — A hilarious picture book about a little girl who is cursed by a single sentence from her teacher, turning all her everyday troubles into tricky math word problems.
| Birth | Jon Scieszka | Jon Scieszka (Wikipedia) / Douban People |
🎂 1940 – Born: Jack Prelutsky
A renowned American children’s poet, singer, and musician (1940). He is widely recognized as a leading figure in contemporary English children’s poetry, adept at breaking down barriers between children and serious poetry through extremely lively and bouncy rhythms, whimsical wordplay, and boundless imagination. He was selected by the Poetry Foundation of America in 2006 as…The first Children’s Poet Laureate in the United States.
- Representative works and content:
- The New Kid in the Neighbourhood (The New Kid on the Block(1984, illustrated by James Stevenson) — Included in “1001 Children’s Books”. One of the most read classic humorous poetry collections in American homes and classrooms, containing over one hundred catchy little poems depicting mischievous children, monster pets, picky eaters, and everyday family life.
- “Rainy Day with Pig and Noodles” (It’s Raining Pigs & Noodles(1993) — Continuing his unrestrained and nonsensical poetic style, he pushed the rhythmic beauty of language and visual association to the extreme.
- Island of Strange and Wonderful Animals (Scranimals(Illustrated by Peter Sís) — A collaboration with illustrator Peter Sís, this book imagines various hybrid plants and animals (such as carrot elephants, strawberry puppies, and banana pythons) as creatures on a fantastical island, creating a delightful interplay between text and illustration.
| Birth | Jack Prelutsky | Jack Prelutsky (Wikipedia) / Douban People |
⚰️ 1990 – Died: Pippi BB (real name Denys Watkins-Pitchford)
A renowned British naturalist, illustrator, and author of children’s and outdoor literature (1905–1990), he used the pen name “BB” (derived from the specification code for shotgun shells). He was a leading figure in 20th-century British rural nature writing, adept at using meticulous scratchboard printing techniques and poetic, simple language to depict the flora and fauna and microcosm of the British wilderness.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- Grey Dwarfs (The Little Grey Men(1942) — Awarded The 1942 Carnegie MedalA classic British natural fantasy novel. The story tells of the last four wild gnomes (Doug, Duggie, Sneez, and Claude) living under the roots of an ancient oak tree in England. To find their brother Claude, who has been missing for a year while on an adventure, the other three build a sturdy boat made of moss and set sail upstream. They embark on their journey accompanied by otters, kingfishers, and other wild animals and birds, and brave the harsh winter snowstorms. The book is filled with profound and tranquil details of wilderness natural history, vividly conveying a sense of awe for nature.
| Passed away | Pipi BB | DJ Watkins-Pitchford (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1980: Danica Novgorodoff
American contemporary cartoonist, graphic novelist, and watercolor artist (1980). She is known for her expressive use of splashed watercolors, dynamic comic panels, and intensely emotional color palettes to depict contemporary issues.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- “The Long Road Downwards” (Comic Version) (Long Way Down: The Graphic Novel(2020, by Jason Reynolds) — Award-winning 2022 Kate Greenaway Medal (CIL)This is a full-color graphic novel adapted from Reynolds’ Newbery Honor novel in free verse. The story follows 15-year-old Will, who enters an elevator with a gun, intending to avenge his brother’s murder. In the short 60 seconds it takes for the elevator to descend from the eighth floor to the first, the ghost of someone who died from gun violence enters each floor. Novgorodov uses visually striking smoky textures and deep blue-red watercolors to vividly portray the boy’s inner turmoil and societal reflections.
| Birth | Danica Novgorodoff | Danica Novgorodoff (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1930 – Born: Byron Barton
A renowned American children’s picture book author and illustrator (1930–2023). He was one of the innovators of early childhood cognitive picture books in the United States in the 20th century. He was skilled at using extremely thick and straight black outlines, full and bright high-purity primary colors, and pure planar geometric shapes to build a safe and clear visual world for young children who are just learning to read.
- Representative works and content:
- ““Amazing Vehicles” series(Including “My Little Car”)My Car,“airplane“Airplanes,“truck“Trucks,“train“Trains,“Boat“Boats— A perennial favorite for early childhood transportation and machinery cognition, this book uses precise and simple short sentences and brightly colored vehicle models to help young children develop their initial understanding of living spaces.
- Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs (Dinosaurs, Dinosaurs(1989) — This work transforms massive, ancient prehistoric dinosaurs into playful, minimalist blocks of red, yellow, and green, clearly showcasing the physical characteristics and survival habits of Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, and Stegosaurus.
| Birth | Byron Barton | Byron Barton (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1946 – Born: Eugene Trivizas
A renowned Greek children’s author, criminologist, and professor of law at the University of London (1946). He is hailed as the “spokesperson for contemporary Greek children’s literature,” and is adept at blending rigorous legal logic, satire of totalitarian oppression, and absurd and fantastical fairy tale imagination.
- International Awards and Representative Works:
- At In 2006, he was shortlisted as a finalist for the Hans Christian Andersen Award (HCAA) for Best Writer..
- The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig (The Three Little Wolves and the Big Bad Pig(1993, illustrated by Helen Oxenbury) — A picture book masterpiece that subverts classic fairy tales: Three adorable and kind wolf cubs listen to their mother and build their own house, while a big bad pig wielding a sledgehammer, a drill, and even explosives destroys a brick house, a cement house, and a steel-plated nuclear bunker house. In the end, the wolf cubs build a fragrant flower house, and the big bad pig, smelling the flowers, loses his malice, has a change of heart, and becomes good friends with the wolf cubs.
- His representative works also include the allegorical masterpiece of resistance against tyranny, *The Magic Pillow*.Τα μαγικά μαξιλάリアThe children’s novel *The Last Black Cat* explores prejudice and ecology.The Last Black Cat).
| Birth | Eugene Trivizas | Eugene Trivizas (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1971: Richard Van Camp
A renowned Canadian Indigenous (Dogrib/Tłı̨chǫ) novelist, children’s author, and storyteller (1971). He excels at weaving ancient oral traditions of the Indigenous peoples of the harsh, cold wilderness of northern Canada into his works, reflecting the existential identity of modern Indigenous youth.
- Top Award and Representative Works:
- The Unblessed (The Lesser BlessedGerman translation, 1996. Die ohne Segen sind— Award 2001 German Youth Literature Prize (DJLP) for Young People’s BooksThis is a realistic coming-of-age story about Larry, a 16-year-old Dogreb boy living in a small town in northwestern Canada. After surviving a devastating fire, he grows up with physical and mental trauma, and seeks self-redemption amidst school bullying, first love, and tribal memories.
- His representative works also include the heartwarming and poetic board book picture book for young children, “Little You, Little Miracle” (Little You(Illustration by Julie Flett).
| Birth | Richard Van Camp | Richard Van Camp (Wikipedia) |
🎂 1948 – Born: Michael Hague
A renowned American illustrator of fantasy and classic children’s books (1948). He inherited the classic watercolor tradition of Arthur Rackham and Beatrix Potter, and is known for his delicate and dense feathered hatching, warm and elegant earthy tones, and rich forest fairytale atmosphere.
- Representative works and content:
- For Children’s Prayer Book (A Child’s Book of PrayersThey also created a collection of illustrations for classic European and American children’s books such as “The Wind in the Willows,” “The Wizard of Oz,” and “Peter Pan,” which are full of nostalgia and warmth.
| Birth | Michael Hague | Michael Hague (Wikipedia) |
🎂 Born 1944: Jeanie Adams
Australian children’s picture book author, illustrator, and anthropologist (1944). She worked extensively in the Aboriginal communities of Cape York Peninsula in northern Queensland, Australia.
- Representative works and content:
- Piglet and Honey (Pigs and Honey(1989) — Winner of the Australian Children’s Book Council (CBCA) Book of the Year Award. With sincere and realistic sketches and watercolors, it records the heartwarming life of contemporary Australian Aboriginal families going out for weekend camping trips in the bush, hunting wild boar and collecting wild honey.
| Birth | Jeanie Adams | Jeanie Adams (AustLit) |
⚰️ 1922 – Death: Henri Meunier
A renowned Belgian Art Nouveau printmaker, poster designer, and book illustrator (1873–1922).
- Artistic achievements and contributions:
- He was one of the leading figures of the Art Nouveau movement in Europe at the end of the 19th and beginning of the 20th centuries. His style is characterized by refined and flowing black outlines, flat blocks of color reminiscent of oriental prints, and elegant floral vine decorations, which had a profound aesthetic influence on the posters and typography of early 20th-century European hardcover children’s books.
| Passed Away | Henri Meunier | Henri Meunier (Wikipedia) |
