Munro Leaf

Munro Leaf, whose birth name was Munroe Wilbur Leaf, was born on December 4, 1905, in Hamilton, Maryland. He was the youngest child in his family, with an elder sister named Elizabeth. By the year 1910, his family had moved to Washington, DC, where his father, Charles W Leaf, had established his career as a machinist at the Government Printing Office.

Wilbur Monroe Leaf, also known as Munro Leaf, was an accomplished author and illustrator of numerous children's books. He is best remembered for his signature character, Ferdinand, the Spanish bull who preferred smelling flowers to fighting in a ring in Spain. Leaf composed "The Story of Ferdinand" in less than an hour one Sunday afternoon in 1935. The book quickly gained popularity and became a bestseller. Despite the controversy surrounding the book during the Spanish Civil War, with political critics charging that it was a satirical attack on aggression, Ferdinand continued to charm children around the world. The story has been translated into over 60 languages and remains a beloved classic today.

Munro Leaf is widely recognized for his contribution to children's literature. His most famous work, "The Story of Ferdinand," was published in 1936 and has remained a bestseller ever since. Leaf passed away in 1976 at the age of 71, leaving behind a legacy of beloved and cherished children's books. His work continues to inspire and delight children and parents alike, crossing cultural and language barriers to spread a message of peace, kindness, and understanding.