Mordicai Gerstein (November 24, 1935 – September 24, 2019) was an American artist, writer, and film director, best known for illustrating and writing

children's books A child ( : children) is a human being between the stages of birth and puberty, or between the developmental period of infancy and puberty. The legal definition of ''child'' generally refers to a minor, otherwise known as a person younge ...

. He illustrated the comic

mystery fiction Mystery is a fiction genre where the nature of an event, usually a murder or other crime, remains mysterious until the end of the story. Often within a closed circle of suspects, each suspect is usually provided with a credible motive and a re ...

series ''

Something Queer is Going On ''Something Queer is Going On'' (later redubbed ''The Fletcher Mysteries'') is a children's mystery book series written by Elizabeth Levy Elizabeth Levy (born April 4, 1942) is an author who has written over eighty children's books in a va ...

''. Gerstein was born in

Los Angeles, California Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the wo ...

. He illustrated the ''Something Queer Is Going On'' series, written by

Elizabeth Levy Elizabeth Levy (born April 4, 1942) is an author who has written over eighty children's books in a variety of genres. Born in Buffalo, New York, she is currently living in New York City. She has appeared as a contestant on " Funny Or Die's Bil ...

, from 1973 to 2003. He won the 2004

Caldecott Medal The Randolph Caldecott Medal, frequently shortened to just the Caldecott, annually recognizes the preceding year's "most distinguished American picture book for children". It is awarded to the illustrator by the Association for Library Servic ...

for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing ''

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers ''The Man Who Walked Between the Towers'' is an American children's picture book written and illustrated by the American author Mordicai Gerstein. Published in 2003, the book recounts the achievement of Philippe Petit, a French man who walked on ...

'' (Roaring Brook Press, 2003), which he also wrote. Created in response to the

September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks, commonly known as 9/11, were four coordinated suicide terrorist attacks carried out by al-Qaeda against the United States on Tuesday, September 11, 2001. That morning, nineteen terrorists hijacked four commerc ...

, it features the story of

Philippe Petit Philippe Petit (; born 13 August 1949) is a French high-wire artist who gained fame for his unauthorized high-wire walks between the towers of Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris in 1971 and of Sydney Harbour Bridge in 1973, as well as between the T ...

's unauthorized high-wire walk between the Twin Towers of the

World Trade Center World Trade Centers are sites recognized by the World Trade Centers Association. World Trade Center may refer to: Buildings * List of World Trade Centers * World Trade Center (2001–present), a building complex that includes five skyscrapers, a ...

on August 7, 1974. Gerstein directed four holiday specials for NBC TV in the late 1970s and early 1980s based on the ''

Berenstain Bears The ''Berenstain Bears'' is a children's literature franchise created by the late Stan and Jan Berenstain and continued by their son, Mike Berenstain, who assumed partial authorship in 2002, and full authorship in 2012 following Jan's death. ...

'' book series, the most notable being '' The Berenstain Bears' Christmas Tree'', which premiered on December 3, 1979. Gerstein lived in

Northampton, Massachusetts The city of Northampton is the county seat of Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population of Northampton (including its outer villages, Florence and Leeds) was 29,571. Northampton is known as an a ...

Works

Gerstein wrote and illustrated the following books: * ''Moose, Goose, and Mouse'' (2021, with Jeff Mack) * ''I Am Hermes!'' (2019) * ''The Boy and the Whale'' (2017) * ''I Am Pan!'' (2016) * ''The Sleeping Gypsy'' (2016) * ''The Night World'' (2015) * ''You Can't Have Too Many Friends!'' (inspired by Drakestail; 2014) * ''The First Drawing'' (2013) * ''How to Bicycle to the Moon to Plant Sunflowers'' (2013) * '' Dear Hot Dog'' (2011) * ''A Book'' (2009) * ''Minifred Goes to School'' (2009) * ''Leaving the Nest'' (2007) * ''The White Ram: A Story of Abraham and Isaac'' (2006) * ''Carolinda Clatter!'' (2005) * ''The Old Country'' (2005) * ''

'' (2003) * ''Sparrow Jack'' (2003) * ''What Charlie Heard'' (2002) * ''Fox Eyes'' (2001) * ''Queen Esther the Morning Star'' (2001) * ''The Absolutely Awful Alphabet'' (1999) * ''Noah and the Great Flood'' (1999) * ''Victor'' (1998) * ''The Wild Boy'' (1998) * ''Stop Those Pants!'' (1998) * ''Jonah and the Two Great Fish'' (1997) * ''Behind the Couch'' (1996) * ''Bedtime Everybody!'' (1996) * ''The Giant'' (1995) * ''The Shadow of a Flying Bird'' (1994) * ''The Story of May'' (1993) * ''The New Creatures'' (1991) * ''The Sun's Day'' (1989) * ''Beauty and the Beast'' (1989) * ''William, Where Are You?'' (1989) * ''The Mountains of Tibet'' (1987) * ''The Seal Mother'' (1986) * ''Tales of Pan'' (1986) * ''The Room'' (1985) * ''Roll Over'' (1984) * ''Prince Sparrow'' (1984) * ''Follow Me!'' (1983) * ''Arnold of the Ducks'' (1983) Gerstein wrote two books that were illustrated by his wife,

Susan Yard Harris Susan is a feminine given name, from Persian "Susan" (lily flower), from Egyptian '' sšn'' and Coptic ''shoshen'' meaning "lotus flower", from Hebrew ''Shoshana'' meaning "lily" (in modern Hebrew this also means "rose" and a flower in general), ...

: * ''Daisy's Garden'' (1995) * ''Anytime Mapleson and the Hungry Bears'' (1990) Gerstein also illustrated numerous books by other writers, including: * ''Frankenstein Moved In On The Fourth Floor'' (1981), by

* ''Dracula Is A Pain in the Neck'' (1983), by

* ''Gorgonzola Zombies in the Park'' (1993), by

* ''Apple Sauce Season'' (2009), by Eden Ross Lipson * ''How to Paint the Portrait of a Bird'' (2007), by

Jacques Prévert Jacques Prévert (; 4 February 1900 – 11 April 1977) was a French poet and screenwriter. His poems became and remain popular in the French-speaking world, particularly in schools. His best-regarded films formed part of the poetic realist movemen ...

(1900–1977) * ''

Something Queer Is Going On ''Something Queer is Going On'' (later redubbed ''The Fletcher Mysteries'') is a children's mystery book series written by Elizabeth Levy Elizabeth Levy (born April 4, 1942) is an author who has written over eighty children's books in a va ...

'' (1973 to 2003), mystery series by

Awards

* 2004:

for ''The Man Who Walked Between the Towers'' * 2004:

Boston Globe–Horn Book Award The Boston Globe–Horn Book Awards are a set of American literary awards conferred by ''The Boston Globe'' and ''The Horn Book Magazine'' annually from 1967. One book is recognized in each of four categories: Fiction and Poetry, Nonfiction, and P ...

children's book category for ''The Man Who Walked Between the Towers'' * 2006: Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Children's Video * 2006:

National Jewish Book Award The Jewish Book Council (Hebrew: ), founded in 1944, is an organization encouraging and contributing to Jewish literature.New York Times obituary

Mordicai Gerstein
at publisher Scholastic
Mordicai Gerstein
at publisher Holiday House * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Gerstein, Mordicai American children's writers Caldecott Medal winners American children's book illustrators Jewish American writers Jewish American artists People from Westhampton, Massachusetts 1935 births 2019 deaths Artists from Los Angeles Writers from Los Angeles 21st-century American Jews