Birthday of picture book authors:
Verna Aardema Vugteveen (b.1911). Her book, Why Mosquitoes Buzz in People’s Ears (1975), illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon, received the Caldecott Medal in 1976. She also wrote several other picture book folk tales, mostly from Africa.
Cynthia Rylant (b.1954). Ms. Rylant is the author of the picture books When I Was Young in the Mountains, Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea, and Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures, among many others. Her novel Missing May won the 1993 Newbery Medal and A Fine White Dust was a 1987 Newbery Honor book. Newbery Project reviews of Missing May.
Peter Spier (b.1937). Dutch-born American author and illustrator of some of my favorite picture books: The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night (1961), London Bridge Is Falling Down (1967), Star-Spangled Banner (1973), Noah’s Ark (1977), Bored—Nothing to Do! (1978), Oh, Were They Ever Happy! (1978), Rain (1982), The Book Of Jonah (1985), We The People: The Constitution Of The United States Of America (1987), and People (1980).
Also born on this date were American patriot Nathan Hale and Tibetan patriot The Dalai Lama.