Jean de Brunhoff (1899–1937)

Jean de Brunhoff 1899 - 1937 Jean de Brunhoff (born December 9, 1899) was a French writer and illustrator known for creating the Babar books, the first of which appeared in 1931. He was the fourth and youngest child of Maurice de Brunhoff, a publisher. After the first book Histoire de Babar (The Story of Babar), six more titles followed before Jean de Brunhoff died of tuberculosis at the age of 37. He was buried in Père Lachaise Cemetery in Paris. Many people credit Jean's wife, Cécile de Brunhoff, as the real creator of Babar. After Jean's death, his brother Michel de Brunhoff, who was the editor of French Vogue, oversaw the publication in book form of his two last books, Babar and His Children and Babar and Father Christmas. The Babar series continues to be an international bestseller. Babar the elephant is an iconic character who has also been paid tribute by many museums worldwide. (Bowker Author Biography)

— biography from The Story of Babar

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