Du Bois, William Pène, << dyoo BWAH, WIHL yuhm pehn >> (1916-1993), was an American writer and illustrator of books for children. He won the 1948 Newbery Medal for The Twenty-One Balloons (1947), the story of an old professor’s amazing adventures while traveling in a hot-air balloon. Du Bois used simple, lively language. His illustrations are clear, playful, and brightly colored.
Du Bois was born in Nutley, New Jersey. His father was Guy Pene du Bois, a noted painter and art critic. From age 8 to 14, du Bois lived in France. During that time, he acquired a love for France, the fantastic stories of the French science-fiction writer Jules Verne, and especially the circus. These early interests influenced du Bois’s books and pictures.
