Robert Burleigh, who wrote about historical figures and other subjects in more than 50 children’s books, has died at 90, the Chicago Tribune reports.
Burleigh was born and raised in Chicago, according to his website, and educated at DePauw University and the University of Chicago. He worked as an English teacher and a journalist, publishing his first book, the poetry collection The Triumph of Mittens, in 1979. He was also a sculptor and painter who exhibited his work under the name Burleigh Kronquist.
In the 1980s, he began writing picture books for children. Many were biographies of prominent figures, including The Secret of the Great Houdini, illustrated by Leonid Gore; Langston’s Train Ride, illustrated by Leonard Jenkins; Stealing Home: Jackie Robinson: Against the Odds, illustrated by Mike Wimmer; and Edward Hopper Paints His World, illustrated by Wendell Minor.
His other books include Flight, illustrated by Wimmer; It’s Funny Where Ben’s Train Takes Him, illustrated by Joanna Yardley; I Love Going Through This Book, illustrated by Dan Yaccarino, and Sylvia’s Bookshop, illustrated by Katy Wu. His most recent book, Winter Magic, illustrated by Minor, was published in 2024.
Christy Ottaviano, who edited many of Burleigh’s books, posted a remembrance of him on Instagram. “Bob had a great ear for poetry and all of his books were infused with an infectious cadence, rhythm, and rhyme pattern,” she wrote. “He loved taking impressive subjects like Abraham Lincoln, Henry David Thoreau, Edward Hopper, and the Wright Brothers and making them accessible to children through his lyrical prose.”
Michael Schaub is a contributing writer.
