A Birthday Cake for Little Bear

Max Velthuijs was born in The Hague, Netherlands on May 22, 1923. He studied painting and graphic design at the Academy of Visual Arts in Arnhem and then worked in publishing and advertising as a graphic designer. He began illustrating children's books in 1962 when a Dutch publisher asked him to illustrate a famous book of rhymes for children. He wrote and illustrated more than 20 children's books during his lifetime including A Is for Monkey, A Birthday Cake for Little Bear, Crocodile's Masterpiece, Frog in Love, Frog in Winter, Frog and the Stranger, and Frog Is Frightened. He received many awards for his illustrated books including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Illustration in 2004. He died from lung cancer on January 25, 2005 at the age of 81.

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