Arnold Stark Lobel was a renowned American author of children's books, born on May 22, 1933, and passed away on December 4, 1987. He is celebrated for his delightful picture books, notably the Frog and Toad series and Mouse Soup. In 1981, he was awarded the prestigious Caldecott Medal for Fables, recognized as the best-illustrated U.S. picture book of the year. Besides writing and illustrating his own books, Lobel also illustrated works by other authors, including Sam the Minuteman by Nathaniel Benchley, published in 1969.