Tomi Ungerer facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tomi Ungerer
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Ungerer in 2014
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| Born | Jean-Thomas Ungerer 28 November 1931 Strasbourg, Alsace, France |
| Died | 9 February 2019 (aged 87) Cork, Ireland |
| Occupation | Artist, illustrator, writer |
| Alma mater | Municipal School for Decorative Arts (Strasbourg) |
| Period | 1957–2019 |
| Genre | Children's picture books |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Commander of the Legion d'Honneur (2018) Hans Christian Andersen Award for Illustration (1998) |
Jean-Thomas "Tomi" Ungerer (born November 28, 1931 – died February 9, 2019) was an artist and writer from Alsace, a region in France. He wrote and illustrated over 140 books during his life. Tomi Ungerer was well-known for his clever and sometimes funny drawings that made comments about society. He was also famous for creating cartoons and posters, including those for movies and political causes.
In 1998, Ungerer received the international Hans Christian Andersen Medal. This award is given to people who have made a "lasting contribution" as children's illustrators.
Contents
Tomi Ungerer's Life Story
Early Life and Inspirations
Tomi Ungerer was born in Strasbourg, France, on November 28, 1931. He was the youngest of four children. His father, Theodore, was an artist and engineer who made special clocks. When Tomi was five, his father passed away, and his family moved to Logelbach.
Tomi also lived through a difficult time when Germany took over his home region of Alsace. During this period, his family's house was even taken by the German army. As a young man, he found inspiration in the drawings he saw in The New Yorker magazine, especially the work of an artist named Saul Steinberg.
Starting His Career in the U.S.
In 1956, Tomi Ungerer moved to the United States. The very next year, a publisher called Harper & Row released his first children's book, The Mellops Go Flying. Soon after, his second book, The Mellops Go Diving for Treasure, was also published. By the early 1960s, he had created at least ten children's picture books. He also illustrated books written by other authors.
Ungerer also drew pictures for many famous magazines and newspapers. These included The New York Times, Life, and Harper's Bazaar. During the 1960s, he started making posters that spoke out against the Vietnam War.
Return to Children's Books
The famous children's author Maurice Sendak praised Ungerer's book Moon Man (1966). Sendak called it "easily one of the best picture books in recent years." After his book Allumette: A Fable in 1974, Ungerer stopped writing children's books for a while.
However, he eventually returned to children's literature with Flix in 1998. Tomi Ungerer gave many of his original writings and artwork for his early children's books to the Children's Literature Research Collection. This collection is part of the Free Library of Philadelphia.
Supporting European Unity
A common idea in Ungerer's artwork was his support for European unity. He believed in bringing countries together, especially France and Germany, in his home region of Alsace. He also strongly supported European values like tolerance and diversity. In 2003, the Council of Europe named him an Ambassador for Childhood and Education. This group includes 47 nations.
In 2007, his hometown of Strasbourg opened a museum dedicated to his work. It is called the Musée Tomi Ungerer/Centre international de l’illustration.
Ungerer spent his time living in both Ireland and Strasbourg. He and his wife had moved to Ireland in 1976. Besides being a graphic artist and drawer, he was also a designer and a collector of toys. He enjoyed collecting things that showed the funny side of human behavior.
Later Life and Legacy
A documentary film about Tomi Ungerer's life, called Far Out Isn't Far Enough: The Tomi Ungerer Story, was made in 2012. This film was shown at the 2013 Palm Springs International Film Festival. From 2015 to 2016, two art museums, the Kunsthaus Zurich and the Museum Folkwang, held a large exhibition of Ungerer's art. This exhibition especially featured his collages.
Tomi Ungerer passed away on February 9, 2019, in Cork, Ireland. He was 87 years old.
Tomi Ungerer's Creative Work
Tomi Ungerer often described himself as a storyteller and someone who used humor to comment on society. His work often included political satire, like his drawings and posters against the Vietnam War or against animal cruelty. He also created many imaginative stories for children's books. His published works are kept by the German National Library.
Popular Children's Books
- The Mellops Go Flying (1957)
- Mellops Go Diving for Treasure (1957)
- Crictor (1958)
- The Mellops Strike Oil (1958)
- Adelaide (1959)
- Christmas Eve at the Mellops (1960)
- Emile (1960)
- Rufus (1961)
- The Three Robbers (1961)
- Snail, Where Are You? (1962)
- Mellops Go Spelunking (1963)
- Flat Stanley (1964) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, written by Jeff Brown
- One, Two, Where's My Shoe? (1964)
- Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls (1964) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, poems collected by William Cole
- Oh, What Nonsense! (1966) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, edited by William Cole
- Orlando, the Brave Vulture (1966)
- Warwick's Three Bottles (1966) – with André Hodeir
- Cleopatra Goes Sledding (1967) – with André Hodeir
- What's Good for a 4-Year-Old? (1967) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, text by William Cole
- Moon Man (Der Mondmann) (Diogenes Verlag, 1966)
- Zeralda's Ogre (1967)
- Ask Me a Question (1968)
- The Sorcerer's Apprentice (1969) — text by Barbara Hazen
- Oh, How Silly! (1970) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, edited by William Cole
- The Hat (1970)
- I Am Papa Snap and These Are My Favorite No Such Stories (1971)
- The Beast of Monsieur Racine (1971)
- The Hut (1972)
- Oh, That's Ridiculous! (1972) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, edited by William Cole
- No Kiss for Mother (1973)
- Allumette; A Fable, with Due Respect to Hans Christian Andersen, the Grimm Brothers, and the Honorable Ambrose Bierce (1974)
- The Great Song Book — edited by Timothy John (1978) English version of Das grosse Liederbuch, 1975
- Tomi Ungerer's Heidi: The Classic Novel (1997) — illustrated by Tomi Ungerer, text by Johanna Spyri
- Cats as Cats Can (1997)
- Flix (1998)
- Tortoni Tremelo the Cursed Musician (1998)
- Otto: The Autobiography of a Teddy Bear (1999)
- Zloty (2009)
- Fog Island (2013)
Awards and Honors
Tomi Ungerer received many important awards for his work. The Hans Christian Andersen Award is given every two years by the International Board on Books for Young People. It is the highest honor for a children's book writer or illustrator. Ungerer won the illustration award in 1998.
In 2018, he was also made a commander of the Legion of Honour. This is a very high award given by the French government.
Images for kids
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A postage stamp Ungerer designed to celebrate 40 years of friendship between Germany and France; the stamp was issued in 2003.
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A plaque honoring Tomi Ungerer in Strasbourg.
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The Fontaine de Janus on Place Broglie in Strasbourg.
See also
In Spanish: Tomi Ungerer para niños
