The Eric Carle Museum of Picture Book Art is celebrating Margaret Wise Brown Day on May 15th. I think most parents would recognize Ms. Brown's name from the cover of the classic Goodnight Moon and, in addition to that forever favorite, she authored hundreds of children's books and stories. She is credited with changing literature for the youngest audiences by including a level of observation, wit, and warmth that had not been present in writing for children. She also championed for her illustrators to receive the same royalties she did at a time when the artists were certainly undervalued.
In their celebration of the centennial of Margaret Wise Brown the Carle Museum has a day of readings, presentations, and films planned, but if you are not in the area and are curious, the margaretwisebrown.com site has fascinating information about this revolutionary figure in children's literature.
