P.D. Eastman

Phillip Dey Eastman wrote and/or illustrated several immensely popular children’s books, including the best-selling works Are You My Mother? and Go, Dog, Go! Born on November 25, 1909, in Amherst, Massachusetts, he began his career in the 1930s working in production design and story, first at Walt Disney Studios and later at Warner Brothers Cartoons.

In 1942, he joined the Army and was assigned to the Signal Corps Film unit, under the direction of Theodor Geisel, better known as Dr. Seuss. Three years later, while working for the United Productions of America as a writer and storyboard artist, he helped create the character, Mr. Magoo.

In 1954, he moved his family to Westport, Connecticut, and Theodor Geisel approached him to write for his new Beginner Book series at Random House. Four years later, Random House published Phil – now P.D. – Eastman’s first children’s book, Sam and the Firefly.

P.D. Eastman died on January 7, 1986.