Leo Lionni

Born in Amsterdam, Netherlands in 1910, he became a naturalized American citizen at the age of 29 and was active as a designer.
His works, which combine refined and excellent graphics with profound philosophy, have influenced many people in a wide range of fields such as painting, graphics, and design, and Leo Lionni is today called "the world's greatest picture book author."
In Japan, "Swimmy" (Japanese title) and "Alexander and the Wind-Up Mouse" (Japanese title) have been included in elementary school Japanese language textbooks and continue to inspire many children.
Leo Lionni passed away in Tuscany, Italy, in October 1999, much mourned.