As both author and illustrator, Arnold Lobel's importance is undeniable. The various awards that his books have received underscore this evaluation, but even more importantly, the prominent qualities of his works--their warmth and humor, social commentary, and basic truth--make Arnold Lobel an important figure in contemporary children's literature.

Although he was born in Los Angeles, Lobel spent almost all of his childhood in Schenectady, New York. His parents, Joseph and Lucille Stark Lobel, discouraged over not having found a western "pot of gold," had moved back east when he was six months old. Shortly after, they decided to get a divorce and arranged for Lobel to be brought up by his grandparents. Despite his parents' breakup, these very early years of childhood were happy ones for Lobel; he especially admired his grandmother's calm ability to handle any crisis. However, from kindergarten to the second grade, he was often...