Kati Rekai

Catherine (Kati) Rekai, (October 20, 1921 – February 1, 2010) was a Hungarian-Canadian writer and broadcaster, author of a series of twenty travel books for children, The Adventures of Mickey, Taggy, Puppo, and Cica: How They Discover..., published in English, French, Polish, Romanian, Hungarian, Chinese and Braille.

The Toronto Star has referred to Rekai as "a one-woman band for CanLit" and The Globe and Mail called her "Toronto's first lady of multiculturalism".

Biography She was born on October 20, 1921, in Budapest, Hungary, to Desider and Ilona (Helen) Elek née Hajdu. She married John Rekai, a doctor, at 18 years old; the couple later fled Communist Hungary in 1948 with little money and moved to Paris. In 1950, they moved to Canada with their two children, Judyth and Julie. The family settled in Toronto, starting Central Hospital together with her brother-in-law. The hospital's aim was to serve those of different cultural backgrounds. Rekai was the hospital's public relations officer.

Years later, Julie, while pregnant with the family's first grandson, Christopher, suggested her mother write a children's book; this led Rekai to begin the Adventures of Mickey, Taggy, Puppo, and Cica series.

She died on February 1, 2010, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Toronto The Gardiner Museum of Ceramic Art Ottawa Montreal Kingston Brockville and the Thousand Islands British Columbia Budapest Vienna The Netherlands France Italy Switzerland Greece

In addition, she wrote a book celebrating Toronto's bicentennial, Mickey, Taggy, Puppo and Cica Celebrate Toronto 200. 300,000 copies of her books have been sold.

Organization Organizations with which Rekai was associated were: Canadian Society of Children's Authors, Illustrators and Performers (CANSCAIP) Canada–Hungary Educational Foundation Friends of Toronto Public Libraries

Positions Arts commentator, CHIN Radio Contributor/director, Performing Arts & Entertainment Magazine with the following citation: "Has written travel books for children that introduce and promote Canadian cities and European countries through the eyes of four animals, Mickey, Taggy, Puppo and Cica, each of which represents a part of the Canadian mosaic; the books educate children and adults about music, literature, pioneering and native peoples".

The Rekai Family Parkette in Toronto is named after the Rekai family.