Leonard Weisgard facts for kids

Leonard Joseph Weisgard (born December 13, 1916 – died January 14, 2000) was a talented American writer and illustrator. He created pictures for over 200 children's books. He is most famous for his work with the well-known writer Margaret Wise Brown.

Early Life and Art

Leonard Weisgard was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He spent a lot of his childhood growing up in England. Later, he returned to the United States. He studied art at the Pratt Institute in New York City. This is where he learned many of the skills he would use in his career.

Starting His Career

Weisgard published his very first book in 1937. It was called Suki the Siamese Pussy. Just two years later, he started working with Margaret Wise Brown. Their first book together was The Noisy Book. This was the beginning of a long and successful partnership.

Award-Winning Work

Leonard Weisgard won a big award in 1948. He received the Caldecott Medal for his amazing illustrations. This award is given to the artist of the most outstanding American picture book for children. He won it for the book The Little Island. Margaret Wise Brown wrote the story for this book.

He and Margaret Wise Brown worked together many times. They created another popular book called The Important Book in 1949. In total, Weisgard drew pictures for at least 14 of Brown's books. Some of these books were even published after she passed away. He also illustrated The Secret River. This book was written by Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings.

Later Life

In 1951, Leonard Weisgard married Phyllis Monnot. They later moved to Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1969. They lived there with their three children. Leonard Weisgard passed away in Denmark on January 14, 2000. His beautiful illustrations continue to be loved by children and families everywhere.