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Born on September 15, 1914 in Hamilton, Ohio, and married to children’s librarian Margaret Durand in 1940, children’s literature legend Robert McCloskey died on June 30, 2003.
The author and illustrator of eight children’s books, all published by May Massee at Viking Children’s Books, and the illustrator of ten books by other authors (one of whom was Margaret Durand’s mother, Ruth Sawyer). McCloskey said, “I’m not prolific. I have to wait until it bubbles out.”
Named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress in 2000, McCloskey won the Caldecott Medal twice, once for Make Way For Ducklings (1941) and once for Time of Wonder (1957).
Although his picture books are very well-known, his books for middle-grade readers will be familiar to older readers: Lentil (1941), about a boy who learns to play a harmonica, and Homer Price (1943) and its sequel Centerburg Tales (1951).
The Massachusetts Legislature named Make Way for Ducklings the official state children’s book.