Wednesday, February 22, 2017

Obituary Note: Dick Bruna



Shelf Awareness

Dutch artist and children's author Dick Bruna, "whose much-loved cartoon rabbit Miffy has sold more than 80 million books since her creation in 1955," died February 16, the Guardian reported. He was 89. Bruna produced his last Miffy book in 2011 and retired in 2014.

Born into a family of publishers, Bruna "began his career as an illustrator of book jackets, including Ian Fleming's James Bond series and Georges Simenon's Inspector Maigret thrillers," the Guardian wrote. Miffy, however, made him a celebrity. Fans from all over the world travelled to Utrecht to visit the Miffy Museum and Bruna's house.

The Bookseller noted that the author "has published over 100 books, 32 about Miffy... His most famous character is known as Nijntje ('little rabbit') in Dutch, with the English translator Olive Jones first christening the animal Miffy."

Alexandra Maramenides, managing director for Simon & Schuster Children's U.K., which issued a "complete relaunch" of the brand in 2014, said, "We are deeply saddened by the loss of Dick Bruna.... We feel very privileged to have worked with Dick Bruna, whose Miffy character is treasured by parents and children alike. Our sympathies are with his family."

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