Brooke, Leonard Leslie (1862-1940), an English portrait painter and water-colorist, is known best for his picture books. He wrote and illustrated Johnny Crow’s Garden (1903) and its two sequels. These books are considered Brooke’s most outstanding and original work. His portrayal of animal characters and his skill as an artist in line and color have given him a distinguished place in the history of books for children.
Brooke did much of his early work as an illustrator in line drawings. Among the first books he illustrated was George MacDonald’s The Light Princess in 1890. He illustrated Mrs. Molesworth’s stories from 1891 to 1897. He also illustrated The Nursery Rhyme Book (1897), edited by the Scottish poet Andrew Lang. His other books include The Golden Goose Book (1905), Ring o’ Roses (1922), and A Roundabout Turn (1930), which was written by R. H. Charles.
Brooke was born on Sept. 14, 1862, in Birkenhead, England. He died on May 1, 1940.
