Richard Scarry Biography

Fast Facts

• Posthumously awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award from The Society of Illustrators in 2012
• Began his writing and illustrating career with Little Golden Books in 1949
• Worked as a cartographer and graphic designer for the United States Army for five years
• Quote: "It's a precious thing to be communicating to children, helping them discover the gift of language and thought․ I'm happy to be doing it․"
• Well known children's author and creator of the fictional world of Busytown
• His papers and drawings are in the collection of the University of Connecticut archives
• The characters in his works are always anthropomorphic, human-like, animals
• Made his fortune by placing a thousand-to-one bet on a horse that won the Paris Grand Prix
• When asked his age, he would always hold up one hand and laugh, saying, "five!"