Biography
Kurt Wiese was born in Minden, Germany on April 22, 1887. He yearned to be an artist but being an artist in his town was looked down upon. He eventually found himself traveling in China as a merchant. Wiese was captured by the Japanese when World War I first broke out. He lived in a prisoner of war camp for several years. The love of art came back to him as he watched nature during this period. Wiese was released five years later and began working for an animated film company. He moved to the United States and wrote more than twenty books and illustrated over three hundred. Much of his work has an Asian impression. He illustrated the first Bambi book written by Felix Salten. He also worked with Rudyard Kipling on The Jungle Book. There is a collection of his work available to the public at University of Oregon. He died on May 27, 1974 in New Jersey. He was considered one of the pioneers of lithography in picture books.
Kurt Wiese illustrated the book The Five Chinese Brothers. This work was a source of ethnic and violence controversy. It was stated that all Chinese people looked the same and had yellow skin. Also, the execution tactics were too violent for young children.
You Can Write Chinese was written and illustrated by Kurt Wiese. It was given the Caldecott Honor Book Award in 1946. This was the first of two Chinese books he authored and illustrated to win the Caldecott Honor Award.
Awards
Caldecott Honor Book Award in 1948 for Fish in the Air
Newbery Honor Book winner Young Fu of the Upper Yangtze (illustrator)
Newbery Honor Books Honk the Moose (illustrator)
Daughter of the Mountains (illustrator)
Li Lun, Lad of Courage (illustrator)
Partial Bibliography
The Chinese Ink Stick, Doubleday, Doran & Co. (Gardencity, NY), 1929.
Fish in the Air, Viking Press (New York), 1948.
Happy Easter, Viking Press (New York), 1952.
Joe Buys Nails, Doubleday Doran, & Co. (New York), 1931.
Karoo the Kangaroo, Coward -McCann (New York), 1929.
Little Boy Lost in Brazil, Dodd, Meade, & Co. (New York), 1942.
You can Write Chinese, Viking Press (New York), 1945.
Complete illustrated bibliography can be found: https://picasaweb.google.com/109539592195744412186/KurtWieseIllustratedBibliography#
Resources
http://www.answers.com/topic/kurt-wiese
http://epl.bibliocommons.com/list/show/69128707_wendylibrarian/70680896_banned_and_challenged_picture_books
http://www.michenermuseum.org/bucksartists/artist.php?artist=302
Artwork
