Gyo Fujikawa American illustrator and children's book author Date of Birth: 03.11.1908 Country: USA

Biography of Gio Fujikawa

Gio Fujikawa was an American illustrator and author of children's books who gained recognition as one of the earliest illustrators of picture books featuring children of different races, before it became socially acceptable. Born in Berkeley, California, in a Japanese family, Gio was named after a Chinese emperor admired by her father. She earned a scholarship to study at the Chouinard Art Institute in California from 1933 to 1939. Before moving to New York in 1941, she worked as a designer and artist for Walt Disney in California. From 1943 to 1951, Fujikawa worked for advertising agency William Douglas McAdams, promoting prescription drugs.

In 1951, Fujikawa transitioned to freelance work. Around five years later, she connected with Debra Dorfman, an editor at Grosset & Dunlap, and was given the opportunity to illustrate a collection of poems by Scottish author Robert Louis Stevenson titled 'A Child's Garden of Verses'. This was her first experience as an illustrator, followed by her own book, 'Babies', which she both wrote and illustrated in 1963. She was among the first to include multi-racial characters in her stories, a practice she continued until the end of her career.

Fujikawa's books were reprinted for mass consumption and published worldwide. Her most successful works, including 'Babies', 'Baby Animals', 'A to Z Picture Book', and 'Oh!, What A Busy Day!', accurately reflected the joyous childhood every child deserves. Her illustrations exuded sweetness and nostalgia without being overly saccharine. Fujikawa depicted children with round, happy faces, rosy cheeks, and simple, innocent eyes.

In addition to her children's books, Fujikawa worked on commercial projects for brands such as 'Beech-Nut' baby food and 'Eskimo Pie' ice cream. She created the iconic image of a round-faced child wearing a furry Eskimo hat for the promotion of Eskimo Pie. She also designed six postage stamps for the United States Postal Service, including the 1997 self-adhesive stamp featuring a yellow rose.

Fujikawa was a lifelong member of the Society of Illustrators. She passed away on November 26, 1998, at New York Hospital.

Reflecting on her work, Fujikawa once said, "In making illustrations for children, I derive the greatest pleasure from trying to answer the never-ending question that arises deep within my subconscious: Will this picture capture a child's imagination? What can I do next to improve? Will it help unfold the story? I am far from successful (whatever that word may mean), but I am so grateful to the little readers who 'find something' in each of my books."