In Memoriam: Remembering Those Lost in 2024

Each year I track the children’s book creators we lost during the year. In 2024 we saw some truly great friends go away. Here’s my list. If you’d like an alternative one, you can check out the Publishers Weekly post on the same topic here.

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Norman H. Finkelstein

November 10, 1941-January 5, 2024

“Norm was endlessly insightful and creative and always a joy to talk to. His incredible books championed the vital contributions of Jewish Americans, immigrants, and workers to U.S. history and culture, so future generations wouldn’t forget all their hard-fought accomplishments. I can’t think of a better legacy…” – Della Farrell, Publishers Weekly

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Robie H. Haris

April 3, 1940-January 6, 2024

“Robie treated her readers with the greatest respect, but she was also a born storyteller who knew the value of humor, and even silliness, especially around serious subjects. This is the woman who quite literally ‘wrote the book’ when it comes to discussions of bodies and sexual health; she honored everyone’s need for developmentally appropriate and accurate information.” – Perri Klass, Publishers Weekly

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Niki Daly

June 13, 1946 – January 15, 2024

“Niki Daly was not just an illustrator but a storyteller who captured the imagination of children worldwide. Short-listed for the Hans Christian Andersen Prize and nominated recently for the Astrid Lindgren Award, his books are a testament to his irrepressible spirit and mischievous wit. Through sparkling text and his fresh approach to colour and line, and a knack for pinning down small domestic details, he gave the world stories imbued not only with joy but humanity…” – Di Hofmeyr, IBBY UK

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Petra Mathers

March 25, 1945-February 6, 2024

“Petra was really very important and not as celebrated as she deserved to be… Each book is a slice of life beautifully captured, a little gem. She was a keen observer of the minutiae of the world around her, the small dilemmas of life. And she was a romantic to her very bones.” – Anne Schwartz, Shelf Awareness

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Herman Parish

1953 – February 10, 2024

“Many of us at Greenwillow worked with Herman for more than 25 years and we were honored to do so. He cared deeply about bringing Amelia Bedelia to life for young readers and about making the very best book possible. We will fondly remember his snappy bow ties, his anecdotes and stories, his humor and kindness, his vision and fierce dedication to the timeless Amelia Bedelia, and his magic with words. Herman always knew exactly what Amelia Bedelia would do or say in any given situation–he was second to none and he always knocked it out of the park. We will miss him.” – Greenwillow Books, Shelf Awareness

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Kate Banks

February 13, 1960 – February 24, 2024

“Kate was one of the most remarkable people I’ve ever met. She was kind, compassionate, humble, and incredibly smart and perceptive. And she was also great fun to work with. When I’d ask Kate what she was up to, she’d say, with a small smile in her voice, ‘Oh, you know me; I’m always working on something.’ And then like a magician plucking a bouquet of roses out of thin air, she’d send me these amazing manuscripts that seemed to flow from a deep, authentic place within her—stories filled with an innate understanding of children’s hopes and dreams and fears and struggles, stories that offered kids encouragement and assured them that there was a place in this often difficult world waiting for each of them.” – Rick Margolis, Publishers Weekly

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Leonard Everett Fisher

June 24, 1924 – March 2, 2024

“His energy, intelligence, and boldness informed everything he wrote and painted. His artwork was unlike anyone else’s. He never ‘dumbed’ it down for young readers. He was indeed one of a kind.” – Margery Cuyler, Publishers Weekly

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Lynne Barasch

March 23, 1939 – March 7, 2024

“Her brief texts captured the essence of a story with a minimum of words that told you everything you needed to know. Lynne happily mined her own experiences and those of her children for stories that were lively, informative, and inspiring. I loved her inquisitive spirit and the way our books came together effortlessly.” – Louise May, Publishers Weekly

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Laurent de Brunhoff

August 30, 1925 – March 22, 2024 

“I never really think of children when I do my books,” he told the Wall Street Journal in 2017. “Babar was my friend and I invented stories with him, but not with kids in a corner of my mind. I write it for myself.” – The Guardian

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Mike Thaler

October 8, 1936-March 23, 2024

“Love and creativity are the two basic elements of life to me … If you put love and creativity into everything you do, you’ve got it made. This is the philosophy I live by, and the philosophy I teach.” – Mike Thaler, Publishers Weekly

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Faith Ringgold

October 8, 1930 – April 13, 2024

“I hope people will be inspired by my art and find the courage as I did to do whatever they feel moved to do … It takes courage to be free and express one’s own vision. Everyone is important and has a unique story to tell.” – Faith Ringgold, CNN

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Kathryn Hughes Fitzmaurice

July 19, 1962 – April 20, 2024

“Kathryn was impeccable. She was an impeccable writer, an impeccable dresser, and you have never seen a home as impeccable as hers”. – Jennifer Rofe, The Orange County Register

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Etienne Delessert

4 January 1941 – 22 April 2024

“Étienne was a lion of a man within the Creative Company family. He believed that children’s picture books should never shy away from big ideas or strong emotions, and he loved a good debate. I seldom picked up his phone calls without bracing myself first. The force of his ideas lives on in his work, but now the lion rests.” – Anna Erickson, Publishers Weekly.

You can read my full memorium for Etienne, a friend, here.

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Derek Anderson

March 21, 1969 – April 26, 2024

“Derek was an absolute joy to work with—professional, kind, and always ready with a great story about his beloved dog. He loved his characters, and that love spilled onto the page so we couldn’t help but fall in love with them, too. He wrote, ‘I simply look for interesting situations and then sit back and watch to see what they do.’ ” – Tracey Adams, Publishers Weekly

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May “Nonny” Hogrogian

May 7, 1932 – May 9, 2024

“I sat in my corner with my feet on the back of the front seat, and with a sketch pad on my lap. I drew my feet in many, many different positions, and all in contour technique…. What I understood, that they seemed to have missed, was that although a person may have innate ability, inherited or otherwise, to do anything well takes a strong wish, hard work, and perseverance.” – Nonny Hogrogian, Cynsations

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Katey Howes

February 1977 – May 20, 2024

“When I think of Katey I think of joy—she was always so full of laughter, so full of new book ideas. I also think about her incredible commitment to her craft, the way she showed up for every query and edit, and her sheer talent. Katey still feels so present for me. I last saw her in person at the Society of Illustrators, and the feeling of walking through the streets side-by-side with her talking through book ideas still feels so fresh in mind! It gives me some peace knowing how proud she was of her books—her books, and her family.” – Ariel Richardson, Publishers Weekly

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Florence Minor

October 22, 1949 – May 21, 2024

“I couldn’t ask for a better marriage, or a better friend and confidant. She was my soulmate, my art director. She was my everything.” – Wendell Minor, Publishers Weekly

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Cynthia (Dee) Carter DeFelice

Dec. 28, 1951 – May 24, 2024

“Our writers group read aloud to each other, and Cynthia’s readings of sections from her last novel, Fort, had us howling with laughter. A fabulous cook, a gifted storyteller, a wonderful quilter, and a dedicated outdoorswoman, she lived a great and very full life and she will be missed desperately by a wide and loving circle of friends.” – Bruce Coville, Publishers Weekly

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Ruth Stiles Gannett

August 12, 1923 – June 11, 2024

“Ruth baked her own bread, did the crossword every morning, collected berries to make jam, gardened, fed the birds and attended tai chi until she no longer could. She loved to sing — especially with others — and to live sensibly by composting, recycling and walking, and by keeping in touch with family and friends. She was an active supporter of women’s and civil rights, the environment, peace, and progressive politics.” – The Ithaca Journal

I had the pleasure of meeting Ruth in 2009, back when I worked in the Central Children’s Room of New York Public Library. I recorded the encounter here, and even got a photograph with Ruth. At the time I was dumbfounded that I was getting to meet the author of a book that won a Newbery Honor in 1948. I still have a hard time believing it happened. She was lovely.

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James Proimos

January 24, 1958 – July 8, 2024

“Jim was a dear friend—kind, funny, with a truly unique view of the world, which you see reflected in his delightful body of work. We met in TV, but it was his encouragement that led me to give books a try. Getting to collaborate with him on Year of the Jungle was a gift; his art perfectly captured the complexity of that story and made its telling possible. I will miss him always.” – Suzanne Collins, Publishers Weekly

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John Yeoman

1934-July 8, 2024

“The combination of silliness, magic and fable in John’s incredible stories have captivated children for over half a century. John’s passing is a huge loss to the world of children’s books and we will be forever grateful for the stories he’s given us.” – Tiffany Leeson, The Bookseller

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Francine Pascal

May 13, 1932-July 28, 2024

“Francine truly respected her readers,” she said. “That’s one of the things that makes the books withstand the test of time. She knew there was a need for kids to feel comfortable reading and she knew how her stories of friendship, sisterhood, family, and high school issues would hit with her audience. Her books have had an enormous impact on generations of readers. Even today, if you find someone who has read Sweet Valley High, they’ll ask, ‘Were you a Jessica or an Elizabeth?’ Francine understood how you can be pulled in two directions and that we’re all probably a little bit of both.” – Beverly Horowitz, Publishers Weekly

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Lore Segal

March 8, 1928 – October 7, 2024

“Lore would find interest in almost any topic; she would come at it from some unexpected angle, and make so much sense I’d wonder why I hadn’t thought of it that way. Her conversation was engaged, intense, and more often than not slightly amused. And that was why visiting her was such fun.” – Paul O. Zelinsky, Publishers Weekly

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Thomas Rockwell

March 13, 1933 – September 27, 2024

“He was a great lover of Shakespeare, Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith, a dedicated poet, and the kind of man who always returned wrong change. He worked at his typewriter every day of his life.” – Poughkeepsie Journal

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Bruce Degen

June 14, 1945 – November 7, 2024

“He touched and changed the lives of so many people … So many scientists I’ve met said it was his books that led them to their careers. He taught tens of thousands of students during his experience in New York City. We would be at the (Metropolitan Museum) and someone would come up and say, ‘Mr. Degen! Mr. Degen! ’” – Benjamin Degan, The Middletown Press

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Ella Jenkins

August 6, 1924 – November 9, 2024

“Ella traveled the world and performed all over the world … And as she did, she would learn from the people that she was with. She would learn words, or she would learn a song from another country. The first thing she’d say to a taxi driver is, ‘What’s your name and where are you from?’ And then she’ll say, ‘Well, tell me about your country.’ She sees meeting each person as an opportunity to make a friend and learn something.” – Cathy Fink, NPR

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Nikki Giovanni

June 7, 1943 – December 9, 2024

“All I know is the she is the most cowardly, bravest, least understanding, most sensitive, slowest to anger, most quixotic, lyingest, most honest woman I know … To love her is to love contradiction and conflict. To know her is to never understand but to be sure that all is life.” – Barbara Crosby, Time

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John Marsden

September 27, 1950 – December 18, 2024

“I think everybody has to express themselves creatively or else they’ll end up psychically very ill. It doesn’t matter what path you choose, whether it’s art, acting, music, dance, cake decorating, gardening, ceramics. For me it’s writing, because I love words and language, and I love stories.”- John Marsden, Legacy.com

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