Date made
1980Notes
(American, 1933 - 2024) An accomplished creator, Cyndy authored and illustrated over 150 children’s books for publishers such as Simon and Schuster, Random House, and Golden Books. Growing up in the great depression, she drew on paper bags. Her father, a toolmaker, encouraged her to attend Pratt in order to pursue advertising but she had her heart set on becoming an illustrator. Working for a New York City designer, she was able to illustrate for department store’s children’s fashion sections. The publishing house, Doubleday noticed her work and in 1959 asked her to illustrate a children’s book, and she never looked back. Her papers are housed at the University of Connecticut. Cyndy lived most of her life on a farm in Vermont full of the creatures she populated her books with. Her beloved books, including Pippa Mouse, the Toby series, Peter Rabbit (illustrator), and Suppertime for Freida Fuzzy Paws, brought her whimsical, heartfelt creations to life and captured the imaginations of countless readers. After graduating from Pratt Institute, Cyndy launched her career in Brooklyn, NY, before relocating to Putney, VT, where she continued to write and illustrate. She often said that her lively characters lived in her mind and came out through her hand onto the pages. The artistry in her illustrations reflects her vibrant personality and innate ability to find magic in everyday life. Her work and papers have been memorialized through the UCONN Northeast Children's Literature Collection.