McCloskey, Robert (1914-2003), was a famous American author and illustrator of children’s books. McCloskey won the Caldecott Medal twice, in 1942 for Make Way for Ducklings (1941) and in 1958 for Time of Wonder (1957). He was the first artist to win the award two times. The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually to the most distinguished picture book by an American. McCloskey both wrote and illustrated almost all his children’s books from 1941 to 1966. Critics have praised his stories and water-color illustrations for their warmth and gentle humor.
McCloskey wrote and illustrated Make Way for Ducklings after closely studying the habits of mallard ducks. The book portrays mother and father mallard ducks as they establish a permanent home for their family of ducklings in Boston. The book is considered a classic of children’s literature.
McCloskey based many of his stories on family summer experiences on an island near Maine. These stories include Time of Wonder, Blueberries for Sal (1948), One Morning in Maine (1952), and Burt Dow, Deep-Water Man: A Tale of the Sea in the Classic Tradition (1963). McCloskey’s two daughters inspired two of the characters in the books. The 1963 book was McCloskey’s last as an author. He spent the rest of his career concentrating on artwork.
McCloskey created two memorable characters in the boys Lentil and Homer Price. They appear in Lentil (1940), McCloskey’s first book; and Homer Price (1943) and its sequel, Centerburg Tales (1951). All three books are set in an Ohio town about 1914 and portray the town’s many colorful characters with humorous realism.
McCloskey illustrated four books written by the children’s author Keith Robertson about the comical adventures of a 13-year-old boy named Henry Reed and his friend, Midge, beginning with Henry Reed, Inc. (1958). McCloskey also illustrated Journey Cake, Ho! (1953) by his mother-in-law, the noted children’s author Ruth Sawyer.
John Robert McCloskey was born on Sept. 15, 1914, in Hamilton, Ohio. He attended the Vesper George School of Art in Boston from 1932 to 1936 and the National Academy of Design in New York City from 1936 to 1938. McCloskey died on June 30, 2003.
