Arnold Lobel facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arnold Lobel
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| Born | Arnold Stark Lobel May 22, 1933 Los Angeles, California |
| Died | December 4, 1987 (aged 54) Manhattan, New York, U.S. |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Children's picture books |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Caldecott Medal 1981 |
| Spouse | Anita Lobel |
| Children | Adrianne Lobel, Adam Lobel |
Arnold Stark Lobel (May 22, 1933 – December 4, 1987) was an American author and illustrator. He is famous for his children's books. His most well-known works include the Frog and Toad series and Mouse Soup. He wrote and drew the pictures for these books. He also created Fables, which won a special award. This award was the 1981 Caldecott Medal. It honors the best-illustrated U.S. picture book of the year.
Lobel also drew pictures for books by other writers. One example is Sam the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley. This book was published in 1969.
Contents
About Arnold Lobel
Lobel was born in Los Angeles, California. His parents were Lucille Stark and Joseph Lobel. He grew up in Schenectady, New York. Arnold's childhood was not always easy. He was often picked on by others. But he loved reading picture books at his local library.
He went to the Pratt Institute in Brooklyn. This is an art school. In 1955, he finished school. He married Anita Kempler. She was also a children's writer and illustrator. They met at art school. They worked in the same studio. They even worked together on some books. They had two children, Adrianne and Adam. They also had three grandchildren.
After college, it was hard for Lobel to make a living. He wanted to be a children's book author or illustrator. So, he worked in advertising and for trade magazines. He did not enjoy this work very much.
Arnold Lobel died on December 4, 1987. He passed away in New York City.
Creating Books for Kids
Lobel truly loved his job. He once said that making books for children was "agreeable and fun." He saw his work as a kind of daydreaming.
Lobel started drawing when he was in second grade. He was sick for a long time then. His career began in the 1960s. He started by writing and illustrating "easy readers." These are books for kids who are just learning to read. He also created fables. His drawing style was often simple. He frequently used animals as his characters. Lobel used animals because he felt it helped readers believe the stories.
His second book was A Holiday for Mister Muster. This book and others were inspired by the Prospect Park Zoo. The Lobel family lived across the street from this zoo in Brooklyn. Cartoons his children watched also gave him ideas. Popular TV shows like Bewitched and The Carol Burnett Show were also inspirations.
Lobel's writing and drawings changed over time. His early books often had broad humor. They were sometimes written in verse. He would return to this style later in his career. In an interview, Lobel said he first imagined what kids would want to read. But he later realized his books needed more "weight." He decided to use his own feelings and experiences. He said he was writing "adult stories, slightly disguised as children's stories." In the 1970s, his illustrations changed. He started using more pastel colors instead of just primary colors. His stories often featured a single character. Or they showed two characters who worked well together. Lobel's drawings helped show the feelings in his stories. They were almost like watching a movie.
Lobel's choice of words and topics changed easy reader books. He felt exploring his own feelings made him a better writer. He believed that adult and children's emotions were very similar. His work was described as "sunny, warm, even cosy." But writing was sometimes "painful" for Lobel. He preferred drawing over writing. He only started writing because it meant more money. Even in 1983, he was still learning to trust his writing skills. He never felt skilled enough to write a long novel for adults or children.
Lobel illustrated nearly 100 books in his career. These books were translated into many languages. He won several awards. But he was not always widely known during his lifetime.
The Frog and Toad Series
The Frog and Toad series has four books. They tell stories about two best friends, Frog and Toad. Lobel felt that his own personality was in these characters. He said, "Frog and Toad are really two aspects of myself." Frog is more adventurous. Toad is a bit clumsy. This difference made their friendship feel real and special. Many people believe their strong friendship is a big reason why kids love these books.
Fables
The book Fables has about 20 short stories. Each story features animal characters. The book was praised for being cheerful. It also had a clear moral lesson at the end of each story. Fables won the Caldecott Medal in 1981 for its amazing illustrations. This was Lobel's first time winning this top award.
Awards and Honors
Arnold Lobel is one of the few people to win honors for both writing and illustrating. These honors are the Newbery Medal and Caldecott Medal. He won the 1981 Caldecott Medal from the American Library Association. This was for Fables, as the best-illustrated U.S. children's picture book.
His work also received Caldecott Honors in 1971 and 1972. These were for Frog and Toad are Friends and Hildilid's Night. He won a Newbery Honor Award in 1973. This was for Frog and Toad Together (1972). He also won the Garden State Children's Book Award. This was from the New Jersey Library Association for Mouse Soup (1977). Other groups also recognized his work. These include the National Education Association and the American Library Association.
See also
In Spanish: Arnold Lobel para niños
