Happy Birthday Robert McCloskey!

Today, September 15th, is the birthdate of the late, great children's book author and illustrator, Robert McCloskey. Though Mr. McCloskey authored and illustrated only eight of his own books and illustrated ten written by others, he received two Caldecott awards, three Caldecott honors, and countless accolades for his body of work.

His most famous books is MAKE WAY FOR DUCKLINGS, about a family of mallard ducks living in Boston Public Garden. The Water Library has a copy for loan available. McCloskey's book, BLUEBERRIES FOR SAL, has a special place in the heart of the Water Library staff as it has been the favorite of both my daughters.

This quote attributed to McCLoskey sums up what might have been his appeal: "But I'm not a nut, really, as anybody can see. I have one foot resting on reality and the other foot planted firmly on a banana peel."

His biographical sketch in Wikipedia is here.

Brief biography here.