Although he has become an author and illustrator of children's books late in life, following a successful career as a commercial designer and painter, Leo Lionni has nevertheless made an enormous and invaluable contribution to picture books for young children over the past three decades. He has combined his skill as a designer and as a graphic artist continually seeking to wed form with content in each of his books, and his integrity as an author-illustrator in conveying a sense of great care and craftsmanship in the making of picture books, to produce a series of illustrated fables and parables for children that stress the importance of aesthetic values, individuality, and self-worth.

In contrast to illustrators who have evolved a consistent personal style, Lionni has sought to match his style and choice of medium to the content of each individual story, and in so doing has brought a...