Simms Taback
Encyclopedia
Simms Taback is an American author
, graphic artist, and illustrator
and winner of the Caldecott Medal
. Taback has illustrated over 35 books, including the Caldecott Medal winning Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
and the Caldecott Honor book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
.
Taback graduated from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and served in the United States Army. He was a designer for CBS Records
and The New York Times
. He was the founder and president of the Illustrators Guild (later the New York Graphic Artists Guild) and taught art at the School of Visual Arts and Syracuse University
.
Taback designed the first McDonalds Happy Meal
box in 1977. He lives with his wife in Ventura, California
.
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
, graphic artist, and illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
and winner of the Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
. Taback has illustrated over 35 books, including the Caldecott Medal winning Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat
Joseph Had a Little Overcoat is the title of a 1999 book by Simms Taback that won the 2000 Caldecott Medal. The main character is Joseph, a 40-something Jewish farmer, who has a little striped overcoat. When it is old, Joseph makes it into a little jacket and so on until he makes it into a button....
and the Caldecott Honor book There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly
"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" is a children's song with a cumulative structure. The song was written by Alan Mills, and the lyrics were penned by Rose Bonne...
.
Taback graduated from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and served in the United States Army. He was a designer for CBS Records
CBS Records
CBS Records is a record label founded by CBS Corporation in 2006 to take advantage of music from its entertainment properties owned by CBS Television Studios. The initial label roster consisted of only three artists; rock band Señor Happy and singer/songwriters Will Dailey and P.J...
and The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
. He was the founder and president of the Illustrators Guild (later the New York Graphic Artists Guild) and taught art at the School of Visual Arts and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
.
Taback designed the first McDonalds Happy Meal
Happy Meal
A "Happy Meal" is a meal specifically marketed at children, sold at the fast-food chain McDonald's since June 1979. A toy is typically included with the food, both of which are usually contained in a small box or paper bag with the McDonald's logo....
box in 1977. He lives with his wife in Ventura, California
Ventura, California
Ventura is the county seat of Ventura County, California, United States, incorporated in 1866. The population was 106,433 at the 2010 census, up from 100,916 at the 2000 census. Ventura is accessible via U.S...
.
Books
The following is a partial list of Simms Taback books:- I Miss You Every Day
- This is the house that Jack built (2004) based on the nursery rhymeThis Is the House That Jack Built"This Is the House That Jack Built" is a popular British nursery rhyme and cumulative tale. It has a Roud Folk Song Index number of 20584. It is Aarne-Thompson type 2035.-Lyrics:This is perhaps the most common set of modern lyrics:...
- Joseph Had a Little Overcoat (2000)
- There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly (1998) based on the children's songThere Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly"There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" is a children's song with a cumulative structure. The song was written by Alan Mills, and the lyrics were penned by Rose Bonne...
- Kibitzers and Fools