Marc Simont (1915-2013) was a Paris-born American artist, political cartoonist, and prolific illustrator of children’s books. Inspired by his father, Spanish painter Joseph Simont, Marc began drawing early. In 1935 he moved to New York, studied at the National Academy of Design, and served three years in the military.
His first illustrated children’s book appeared in 1939. Over the decades, he illustrated nearly a hundred books, working with authors like James Thurber, Margaret Wise Brown, and Marjorie Weinman Sharmat (notably on the Nate the Great series).
In 1957 he won the Caldecott Medal for his luminous, painterly illustrations in A Tree Is Nice by Janice May Udry. Throughout his career, he also received Caldecott Honors for other works. He maintained a delicate, expressive style — spare lines, rich color, and emotional depth.
Simont lived his later years in Cornwall, Connecticut, where he passed away at the age of 97.
Amazon | Marc Simont
A Tree Is Nice is a small book about something we usually walk past without thinking. Janice May Udry simply lists what a tree gives us — shade, fruit, a place to sit, branches to climb, leaves to play with. There’s no moral spelled out, no dramatic message. Just everyday […]
Marc Simont (1915-2013) was a Paris-born American artist, political cartoonist, and prolific illustrator of children’s books. Inspired by his father, Spanish painter Joseph Simont, Marc began drawing early. In 1935 he moved to New York, studied at the National Academy of Design, and served three years in the military.
