Birthdays

Garth Williams (1912-1996)

Author, Illustrator

"With the precision of Durer but with his own sense of innocence and wonderment, Mr. Williams created a world of storybook characters. Although the books were written by a diverse range of authors, the drawings all had Mr. Williams's impeccable, heartwarming touch.

"Generations of children picture their favorite fictional characters as drawn by Mr. Williams: that dapper mouse Stuart Little; the kindhearted spider Charlotte and her friend, Wilbur the pig; and bears, dogs, kittens, crickets, elves, fairies, children and grown-ups in books by Laura Ingalls Wilder, George Selden, Charlotte Zolotow, Else H. Minarik and many others. Mr. Williams also wrote the text for seven children's books, but it is primarily as an illustrator that his work is cherished.

"He believed that books 'given, or read, to children can have a profound influence.' For that reason, he said, he used his illustrations to try to 'awaken something of importance . . . humor, responsibility, respect for others, interest in the world at large.'"

Sir Kingsley Amis, CBE (1922-1995)

Author

"If you can't annoy somebody, there's little point in writing."