Ed Young. Photo credit: Gina M. Randaz

Ed Young, Children’s Book Artist, Passes Away at 91

New York, New York 10/1/23: Acclaimed children’s book artist Ed Young passed away September 29, 2023 in Hastings-on-Hudson, New York at the age of 91. Recipient of the Caldecott Medal and many other honors, Young illustrated over 100 books, many of which he wrote himself.

Born in 1931 in Tianjin, China, Ed Young grew up with four siblings in Shanghai, where their U.S.-educated father was dean of engineering at St. John’s University. As a youth, Young was not a particularly attentive student, being more interested in daydreaming and making up stories.

Young arrived in the United States in 1951, and studied architecture and then art, graduating from the ArtCenter School of Design in Los Angeles. He moved to New York City and worked in advertising while continuing his art studies at Pratt Institute. He nurtured his artistic abilities by sketching at the zoo and elsewhere in the city. In 1962, at the age of 31, through the encouragement of Ursula Nordstrom at Harper & Row, he made his first children’s book, The Mean Mouse and Other Stories. He received a Caldecott Honor for his 1968 book with author Jane Yolen, The Emperor and the Kite. His own Lon Po Po, a Chinese version of the Little Red Riding Hood story, won the Caldecott Medal in 1991, and Seven Blind Mice received the Caldecott honor in 1993. Many other accolades followed, including two nominations for the Hans Christian Andersen Award, and Lifetime Achievement Awards from the Eric Carle Museum and the Society of Illustrators.

A chance meeting with an old friend in 1964 led Young to take up t’ai chi ch’uan, the Chinese martial art and health discipline, with Professor Cheng Man-ch’ing, who had just arrived in New York City from Taiwan. Cheng, a well-known artist and traditional doctor, was one of the first t’ai chi ch’uan masters to actively teach non-Chinese. Through Cheng, for whom he served as a translator, Ed Young began what would become a lifelong exploration not just of t’ai chi ch’uan, but of the essence of Chinese culture: its ideas, language, and history. This would greatly influence his storytelling, artwork, teaching, and daily life. Young himself taught t’ai chi ch’uan for over four decades in Hastings-on-Hudson, as well as at Yale, Naropa Institute, and workshops around the country.

Young always sought book projects that would stimulate him to grow as an artist and person. He retold classic stories in Lon Po Po, Seven Blind Mice, and Pinocchio, experimented with accordian-style format in Bird and Diz , introduced Chinese values and language in Beyond the Great Mountain and Voices of the Heart, shared of his personal life in My Mei Mei, Should You Be a River , and The House that Baba Built, in addition to many books about animals, environment, and the future of the planet.

Working in a wide variety of mediums including pencils, pastels, paints, papercutting, collage, and found objects, Young explored each to its fullest, always experimenting, resulting in stunning, colorful, multilayered pieces that often also appeared in art exhibitions. He was a fast worker, able to complete several books in a year; and delighted in hiding symbols and puzzles in the artwork. In addition to working with well-known writers such as Jane Yolen, he often collaborated with friends. He also donated his artwork to numerous causes.

Very active in the Hastings-on-Hudson community, Ed Young supported the historical society, library, bookstore, and was deeply involved with efforts to clean up and renovate the long-polluted riverfront.

Due to his charming demeanor, a blend of serious and playful, Ed Young was a widely sought-after presenter for education and library events. Author Jane Yolen described him as “a brilliant, funny, sometimes cantankerous man who made me laugh and think at the same time.” Children’s book expert Leonard Marcus wrote, “Ed Young was an artist of absolute integrity. He approached book making with a beginner's mind and a practiced hand. He took the measure of all things and cared nothing about trends. He moved like a cat. Laughter lit up his conversation. Knowing Ed was a joy.”

Ed Young is predeceased by his wife, book designer Filomena Tuosto, and his parents and siblings. He is survived by two daughters, many relatives, friends, and students.