Kurt Wiese (1887–1974)
Author of Happy Easter
About the Author
German-born Kurt Wiese lived on a farm in Frenchtown, New Jersey. He wrote and illustrated over 20 childrenÂ’s books, and illustrated over 300 books by other authors. Wiese was awarded many honors during his career including the New York Herald Tribune Children's Spring Book Festival Award in 1941 show more for Captain Kid's Cow, in 1942 for Lions on the Hunt and in 1945 for The Wizard and His Magic Powder. He received the Caldecott Honor Book Award in 1946 for You Can Write Chinese and in 1948 for Fish in the Air. He also won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1959 for The Five Chinese Brothers, in 1965 for The Story About Ping, and in 1970 for Honk, The Moose. Wiese worked primarily in full-color, and also did mural work painting the animals in murals in the Union Hotel in Flemington. Significant pieces of this art still remain on display in the dining room. He was a noted Hunterdon County childrenÂ’s book illustrator, and donated a collection of his original drawings to the Flemington Public Library. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Image credit: James A. Michener Art Museum
Works by Kurt Wiese
Buddy, the Bear 3 copies
Bambi. A Thrushwood Book 3 copies
Ella The Elephant 2 copies
Liang and Lo 2 copies
Laughing Matter 1 copy
Associated Works
Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea (1869) — Illustrator, some editions — 21,234 copies, 283 reviews
Picture Book of Wisconsin (1951) — Illustrator, some editions; Illustrator, some editions — 13 copies
Picture Book of Mississippi (1956) — Illustrator; Illustrator, some editions; Illustrator — 9 copies
Laughing matter; — Illustrator — 3 copies
Animals of a sagebrush ranch — Illustrator — 3 copies
Virgin Islands in Story and Picture — Illustrator — 3 copies
Blackfellow Bundi: A Native Australian Boy — Illustrator — 1 copy
The United States Books (Set of 50) — Illustrator — 1 copy
The Engineer — Illustrator — 1 copy
Odie Seeks a Friend — Illustrator — 1 copy
Young Jackie Robinson — Illustrator — 1 copy
Guatemala in Story and Picture (Pictured Geography) — Illustrator — 1 copy
A Very Special Pet — Illustrator — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Birthdate
- 1887-04-22
- Date of death
- 1974-05-27
- Gender
- male
- Occupations
- illustrator
- Short biography
- Kurt Wiese (April 22, 1887 – May 27, 1974) was a German-born book illustrator. Wiese wrote and illustrated 20 children's books and illustrated another 300 for other authors. Wiese was born in Minden, Germany. He lived and traveled in China for six years, selling merchandise as a young man. At the outbreak of World War I, he was captured by the Japanese, and turned over to the British. He spent five years as a prisoner, most of them in Australia, where his fascination with the animal life inspired him to start sketching again. After his release at the end of the war, Wiese returned to Germany but the economy was so bad that he moved to Brazil. It was there that he began his illustration career, and in 1927 moved to the United States. His first critical success was with the illustrations for Felix Salten's Bambi in 1929. In 1930 he married Gertrude Hansen, with whom he lived on a farm in Kingwood Township, New Jersey.
- Nationality
- Germany
- Birthplace
- Minden, Westphalia, Germany
- Places of residence
- China
Australia
Kingwood Township, New Jersey, USA
Brazil - Associated Place (for map)
- Minden, Westphalia, Germany
Members
Reviews
Dispatched by their mother to bring home eggs that they can color for Easter, a fluffle of young rabbits descend on their neighbor, a hen sitting on her nest of eggs. Reluctant at first, she eventually parts with the eggs, which she had been attempting to hatch for weeks. Bringing the eggs home, the rabbits and their mother begin to decorate them, only to find that there is a surprise in store...
Published in 1952, Happy Easter is the first book I have read that was both written and show more illustrated by Kurt Wiese, although I have read Marjorie Flack's 1933 The Story About Ping, which he illustrated. I found it charming, appreciating both the simple and humorous story, and the lovely artwork. The conclusion, in whichthe eggs hatch after all, disclosing chicks in the same rainbow hues as their now-painted shells was entertaining and novel, and will likely please younger children. Recommended to picture book audiences who are looking for lighthearted, secular Easter tales, and to anyone who enjoys vintage picture book art. show less
Published in 1952, Happy Easter is the first book I have read that was both written and show more illustrated by Kurt Wiese, although I have read Marjorie Flack's 1933 The Story About Ping, which he illustrated. I found it charming, appreciating both the simple and humorous story, and the lovely artwork. The conclusion, in which
Caldecott Honor
Maybe 7 decades ago, when new, this was a valuable entry to children's library collections. ?áNow I'm not sure. ?áThe basic premise is that an American boy is attending a Chinese primary school, and the teacher is painstakingly making pictures that evoke the characters that they symbolize. ?áIt's an awful stretch, sometimes. ?áBut indeed, one could learn a bit of calligraphy from the book. ?áNo pronunciation guide, though.
Maybe 7 decades ago, when new, this was a valuable entry to children's library collections. ?áNow I'm not sure. ?áThe basic premise is that an American boy is attending a Chinese primary school, and the teacher is painstakingly making pictures that evoke the characters that they symbolize. ?áIt's an awful stretch, sometimes. ?áBut indeed, one could learn a bit of calligraphy from the book. ?áNo pronunciation guide, though.
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Awards
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Associated Authors
Statistics
- Works
- 20
- Also by
- 174
- Members
- 617
- Popularity
- #40,746
- Rating
- 3.9
- Reviews
- 5
- ISBNs
- 16