Uri Shulevitz facts for kids

Uri Shulevitz (born February 27, 1935 – died February 15, 2025) was an American writer and artist. He was famous for creating children's books.

In 1969, he won the Caldecott Medal. This award is for the best picture book illustrations in the U.S. He won it for his work on The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship. This book was a retelling of an old Eastern European fairy tale.

Uri Shulevitz's Early Life

Uri Shulevitz was born in Warsaw, Poland, on February 27, 1935. When he was a young child, his family had to leave Warsaw. This was during World War II when the city was being bombed.

They traveled a lot, first to Bialystok, then to Turkestan. Uri later wrote about these experiences in his 2020 book, Chance: Escape from the Holocaust. This book was even listed as one of the best children's books of the past twenty years by the Wall Street Journal.

His family eventually settled in Paris in 1947. Then, in 1949, they moved to Israel. Uri joined the Israeli Army in 1956 during the Suez Crisis. After that, he lived on a kibbutz called Ein Gedi.

Becoming a Children's Book Creator

In 1959, Uri Shulevitz moved to New York City. He studied painting at the Brooklyn Museum Art School. He also worked as an artist for a publisher of Hebrew children's books.

In 1962, an editor saw his artwork and suggested he create his own children's books. His first picture book, The Moon in My Room, came out in 1963. He went on to write and illustrate over 35 books. His last book, The Sky Was My Blanket, was published in August 2025. It tells a story about his uncle.

Uri Shulevitz lived in New York City with his wife, Paula Brown. He passed away on February 15, 2025, at the age of 89.

Uri Shulevitz's Books

Uri Shulevitz created many wonderful books. Here are some of them:

• The Moon in My Room (1963)
• One Monday Morning (1967)
• The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship (1969)
• Rain Rain Rivers (1969)
• The Magician (1973)
• The Fools of Chelm and Their History (1973)
• Dawn (1974)
• The Treasure (1978)
• Writing With Pictures (1985)
• Toddlecreek Post Office (1990)
• The Secret Room (1993)
• Snow (1998)
• The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela (2005)
• How I Learned Geography (2008)
• When I Wore My Sailor Suit (2009)
• Dusk (2013)
• Chance (2020)
• The Sky Was My Blanket (2025)

Awards and Honors

Uri Shulevitz received many awards for his amazing work:

• 1969: Caldecott Medal for The Fool of the World and the Flying Ship
• 1980: Caldecott Honor for The Treasure
• 1999: Charlotte Zolotow Award for Snow
• 1999: Golden Kite Award for Picture Book Illustration for Snow
• 1999: Caldecott Honor for Snow
• 2005: National Jewish Book Award for The Travels of Benjamin of Tudela
• 2009: Caldecott Honor for How I Learned Geography