Jean deBrunhoff author page

Jean de Brunhoff biography

Jean de Brunhoff was a French writer and illustrator best known for creating the Babar series of children’s books. He was born in Paris and trained as a painter at the Académie de la Grande Chaumière. The idea for Babar originated from a bedtime story told by his wife, Cécile, to their children. Jean de Brunhoff developed this story into a picture book, combining his artistic skills with narrative.

The first book, L’Histoire de Babar, le petit éléphant, was published in 1931 by Editions du Jardin des Modes in France. The story follows a young elephant named Babar who leaves the jungle, visits a city, and returns to bring new ideas to his fellow elephants. The book was later published in English as The Story of Babar.

Jean de Brunhoff wrote and illustrated six more Babar books, each continuing the adventures of Babar and his family. His distinctive illustration style and storytelling have made the series notable in children’s literature. After his death in 1937, his son Laurent de Brunhoff continued the series, creating new stories and illustrations in the same tradition.

Jean de Brunhoff’s final completed book in the series was Babar and Father Christmas, published in 1940.