Duvoisin, Roger, 1900-1980

Roger Duvoisin (1900-1980), a native of Geneva, Switzerland, was an author and illustrator of children's books. His wife, Louise Fatio (1904-1993) from Lausanne, Switzerland, wrote many of the books Mr. Duvoisin illustrated.

From the description of Roger Duvoisin and Louise Fatio papers, 1934-1968. (University of Oregon Libraries). WorldCat record id: 72823625

Swiss-born, American author and illustrator of children's books.

From the description of Winkie's world : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448558

From the description of Days of sunshine, days of rain : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448535

From the description of In my garden : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686426

From the description of The sweet patootie doll : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686441

From the description of Snowy and Woody : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686439

From the description of Easter treat : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402961

From the description of Riema, little brown girl of Java : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402977

From the description of Soomoon, boy of Bali : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402978

From the description of Day and night : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490675

From the description of They put out to sea : the story of the map : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490687

From the description of Veronica : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490689

From the description of Follow the wind : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448537

From the description of Not a little monkey : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438301

From the description of Donkey-donkey, : the troubles of a silly little donkey : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438280

From the description of Angélique : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448532

From the description of The three sneezes and other Swiss tales : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438308

From the description of Mother Goose : a comprehensive collection of the rhymes : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438294

From the description of Lisette : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438287

From the description of The wishing well in the woods : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448557

From the description of The beaver pond : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448533

From the description of The happy lion in Africa : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448538

From the description of What ever happened to the Baxter place? : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448556

From the description of The three-cornered hat : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448551

From the description of A for the ark : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438269

From the description of I saw the sea come in : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448540

From the description of The night before Christmas : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438298

From the description of The house of four seasons : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448539

From the description of Busby & Co. : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438273

From the description of The Christmas whale : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438274

From the description of "I won't," said the king, or, The purple flannel underwear : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438286

From the description of Petunia and the song : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448549

From the description of The Christmas forest : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448534

From the description of Please pass the grass! : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438302

From the description of The dog Cantbark : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438278

From the description of Tigers don't bite : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448553

From the description of The four corners of the world : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438281

From the description of Petunia's treasure : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448550

From the description of And there was America : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448531

From the description of Nubber bear : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448548

From the description of A little boy was drawing : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448541

From the description of Wake up, city! : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448555

From the description of "Hi, Mister Robin!" : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438282

From the description of The sitter who didn't sit : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438303

From the description of Timothy Robbins climbs the mountain : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448554

From the description of The happy lion : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490678

From the description of Sophocles, the hyena : a fable : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490686

From the description of The pointed brush : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490684

From the description of The camel who took a walk : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490673

From the description of A fish is not a pet : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490676

From the description of Follow the road : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490677

From the description of Amahl and the night visitors : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490671

From the description of Moustachio : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448547

From the description of Which is the best place? : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438313

From the description of Dozens of cousins : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448536

From the description of Houn' dog : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438284

From the description of Tell me, little boy : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438305

From the description of The talking cat, and other stories of French Canada : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438307

From the description of The three happy lions : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490688

From the description of The missing milkman : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62448546

From the description of Little Red Nose : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438293

From the description of The April umbrella : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438272

From the description of Poems from France : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490685

From the description of One thousand Christmas beards : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490683

From the description of A child's garden of verses : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686423

From the description of Under the trees and through the grass : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686442

From the description of The poodle who barked at the wind : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686438

From the description of Petunia : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686435

From the description of Sun up : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686440

From the description of Petunia takes a trip : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686436

From the description of Crocus : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686424

From the description of Veronica and the birthday present : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686443

From the description of White snow, bright snow : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686444

From the description of Hector and Christina : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402962

From the description of Bhimsa, the dancing bear : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402959

From the description of Bennie, the bear who grew too fast : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402958

From the description of Anna, the horse : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402957

From the description of The nine lives of Homer C. Cat : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402973

From the description of The hungry leprechaun : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402963

From the description of The little church on the big rock : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402972

From the description of Wobble, the witch cat : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402980

From the description of One step, two... : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402974

From the description of Christmas pony : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402960

From the description of Wake up, farm! : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402979

From the description of Petunia's Christmas : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402975

Swiss-born, American author andillustrator of children's books.

From the description of Jo-Yo's idea : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62686427

Swiss-born, American author and illustrator of children' s books.

From the description of Around the corner : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62490672

Swiss-born, American illustrator and author of children's books; Caldecott Medal, 1948.

From the description of Papers, 1932-1979. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62438268

Roger Duvoisin (1904-1980) a native of Geneva, Switzerland, was an author and illustrator of children's books. His wife, Louise Fatio, from Lausanne, Switzerland, wrote many of the books Mr. Duvoisin illustrates. After training at the Ecole de Beaux Arts. Mr. Duvoisin in 1924 became a potter in Ferney, Switzerland. In 1927 he entered the textile industry as a designer and was soon hired by an American firm, which brought him to the United States. In 1932, the company was bankrupt and Mr. Duvoisin began his career in children's literature. Louise Fatio, educated in Geneva, wrote her first book The Happy Lion, which Mr. Duvoisin illustrated, was widely translated and won the West German Republic First Prize for Children's Fiction in1956.

Roger Duvoisin has written and illustrated two successful series Petunia and Veronica, and other works, including The Happy Hunter, which was among the New York Times' 10 best Illustrated books of the Year for Children, a list of his works have appeared in 1952, 1954, 1955, 1961, 1965, and 1966. As an illustrator he won the Caldecott Medal in 1948 for White Snow, Bright Snow, written by Alvin E. Treselt. Hide-and-Seek Fog, also in conjunction with Treselt, was chosen as a runner-up for the Caldecott and was honored by the Graphic Arts Awards Competition, the New York Herald Tribune's Spring Festival Book Awards and the above mentioned New York Times annual listing. He received a Rugers Bi-Centennial award in 1966, a Hans Christian Anderson Biennial runner-up in 1968, and an award from the Society of Illustrators in 1961.

From the guide to the Roger Duvoisin and Louise Fatio papers, 1934-1968, (Special Collections and University Archives, University of Oregon Libraries)

Roger Antoine Duvoisin was born August 28, 1900 (some sources say 1904) in Geneva, Switzerland. He studies at the College Moderne in Geneva, and the Ecole des Beaux Arts and Ecole des Art Decoratifs in Paris. Early in his career he worked in Switzerland as a scenery designer, and later as a textile designer in Paris. He came to the United States in 1927 to work as a textile designer, and then began illustrating book and magazine advertisements. In 1932 he wrote and illustrated his first book for children, A Little Boy Was Drawing. Throughout his long and prolific career he wrote and illustrated dozens of books for children, and won the 1948 Caldecott Medal for White Snow, Bright Snow.

During the 1950s he illustrated many books written by his wife, children's author Louise Fatio. Their 'Happy Lion' books were extremely popular for their illustrations and gentle messages of friendship and tolerance. Roger Duvoisin was noted for his illustrations for a variety of animal characters such as Petunia the goose, Jasmine the cow, and Veronica the hippopotamus. Each animal has a unique personality, and the situations they get themselves into are at once readily understood and appreciated by readers, as is Duvoisin's sense of playfulness and his ability to teach while entertaining, such as when Petunia learns the pitfalls of pretension and Jasmine the value of individuality. Duvoisin believed that children's imaginations needed to be stimulated, especially by nature, and that art work should arouse them, the 'frightening' illustrations as well as the 'tasteful' ones. Duvoisin worked in a variety of media, and believed that the simpler the illustration the better. In 1976 he received the Kerlan Award for his contribution to children's literature. He died on June 30, 1980, in Morristown, New Jersey.

Biographical Sources: Something About the Author vols. 2, 23, 30. Children's Literature Review vol. 23

From the guide to the Roger Duvoisin Papers, 1932-1979, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])