20 Facts About Arnold Lobel

Arnold Stark Lobel was an American author of children's books, including the Frog and Toad series and Mouse Soup.

Arnold Lobel wrote and illustrated these picture books as well as Fables, a 1981 Caldecott Medal winner for best-illustrated US picture book.

Arnold Lobel was born in Los Angeles, California, to Lucille Stark and Joseph Arnold Lobel, and raised in Schenectady, New York, the hometown of his parents, by his German-Jewish grandparents.

Arnold Lobel was frequently bullied in his childhood and often read picture books at his local library.

Arnold Lobel died of cardiac arrest on December 4,1987, at Doctors Hospital in New York, after suffering from AIDS for some time.

Arnold Lobel loved his work and once said, "I cannot think of any work that could be more agreeable and fun than making books for children"; rather than a writer or author, he called himself a "daydreamer".

Arnold Lobel began drawing during a period of extended illness as a second grader.

Arnold Lobel used animals as characters because he felt it helped with the suspension of disbelief.

Joseph Stanton, writing in The Journal of American Culture, argues that Arnold Lobel's style was "timid" before Arnold Lobel started writing easy readers.

Arnold Lobel's writing and illustrations went through several phases in his career.

In 1977 interview for The Lion and the Unicorn, Arnold Lobel explained that he wrote these books by imagining what children would want to read.

Arnold Lobel's chosen vocabulary, subject matter, and writing style helped to re-conceive what an easy reader book could be.

Arnold Lobel identified the exploration of his own feelings as a reason that he improved as a writer.

Arnold Lobel illustrated close to 100 books during his career which were translated into dozens of languages.

Arnold Lobel is among a small group of people who have been honored as both an author and illustrator for the Newbery and Caldecott medals.

Arnold Lobel won the 1981 Caldecott Medal from the American Library Association, recognizing Fables as the year's best-illustrated US children's picture book.

Arnold Lobel's work won the Caldecott Honor in 1971 and 1972 for Frog and Toad are Friends and Hildilid's Night.

Arnold Lobel won a Newbery Honor Award in 1973 for Frog and Toad Together.

Arnold Lobel won the Garden State Children's Book Award from the New Jersey Library Association for Mouse Soup.

Arnold Lobel was recognized by the National Education Association, the American Library Association, the Boys' Club, the Society of Children's Book Writers, and the Laura Ingalls Wilder Foundation.