Happy Birthday, Jeanette Winter

Today is the birthday of author and illustrator Jeanette Winter, who was born on October 6, 1938. In addition to writing and illustrating The Librarian of Basra, a nonfiction picture book for 8- to 12-year-olds about how one determined woman helped save the Basra Central Library's books during the invasion of Iraq in 2003, Winter has written and/or illustrated numerous other children's books. Among my favorites is September Roses, a poignant story based on Jeanette Winter's experience a few days after the September 11, 2001 terrorist attack in New York City.

(Cover art courtesy of Harcourt)