Happy 90th Birthday Richard Scarry!

We all grew up reading the Richard Scarry stories, some of my favorites

From Sterling Publishers:

June 5, 2009 is the anniversary of Richard Scarry’s 90th birthday.

One of the bestselling children’s authors of all time, Richard Scarry has taught several generations of children all about the world around them – from their alphabet, to counting, identifying colors and exploring a day at school.

Richard Scarry considered himself an entertainer disguised as an educator and few children’s book authors have equaled him in that role. “Everything has an educational value if you look for it,” he once said. “But it’s the fun I want to get across.”

Though he passed away in 1994, Richard Scarry has never been more popular or better loved by readers. A prolific artist, he created more than 300 books that have sold over 200 million copies worldwide and been translated into 30 languages.

For 90 days in June, July and August, teachers, librarians, booksellers, and fans both young and old are encouraged to celebrate Richard Scarry’s life and work by having “A Very Scarry Summer.”

From Wiki:

Richard McClure Scarry (June 5, 1919 – April 30, 1994) – last name pronounced /’skæ ri/, rhyming with “marry”^[1] – was an enormously popular American Children Authors and illustrator who published over 300 books with total sales of 300 million worldwide.

Scarry was born in Boston, MA where his parents ran a shop. The Scarry family enjoyed a comfortable life even during the time of the Great Depression. Following high school graduation, Scarry enrolled in a business college but soon dropped out, finding it not to his liking. He then studied at the School of Museum of Fine Arts, where he remained until being drafted into the US Army  during World War II.

Following the war, Scarry worked for the art departments of various magazines before making a career breakthrough in 1949 with The Little Golden Books.

Have a Very Scarry summer!