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Simms Taback

1932 – 2011

American illustrator

Illustrator Writer Picture book writer
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About Simms Taback

Lived 1932 – 2011 (aged 79). Simms Taback was an American illustrator, writer, picture book writer and artist.

Simms Taback (February 13, 1932 – December 25, 2011) was an American writer, graphic artist, and illustrator of more than 35 books. He won the 2000 Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration, recognizing Joseph Had a Little Overcoat, and was a runner-up in 1998 for There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.

Biography He was born to a working family of a housepainter and a seamstress, socialists and labor organizers. His first name is after Harry Simms, Jewish labor leader.

Taback graduated from the Cooper Union for the Advancement of Art and served in the United States Army during the Korean War. He was a designer for CBS Records and The New York Times. He was the founder and president of the Illustrators Guild (later the New York Graphic Artists Guild) and taught art at the School of Visual Arts and Syracuse University.

Taback designed the first McDonald's Happy Meal box in 1977. He died in 2011 of pancreatic cancer.

Selected works

Jabberwocky and Other Nonsense (Harlin Quist, 1964), three poems by Lewis Carroll, 1871 to 1889 2000: Caldecott Medal for U.S. picture book illustration for Joseph Had a Little Overcoat

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Important facts

People in Simms Taback's life

Named in this biography and alive at the same time

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Simms Taback's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Simms Taback?

American illustrator (1932-2011)

When was Simms Taback born?

Simms Taback was born on 13 February 1932 in The Bronx.

When did Simms Taback die?

Simms Taback died on 25 December 2011 in Ventura.

What was Simms Taback's occupation?

Simms Taback was an illustrator, writer, picture book writer and artist.

What nationality was Simms Taback?

Simms Taback was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Simms Taback

· Wikidata: Q1305162

· DBpedia: Simms Taback

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Simms Taback. https://biography.guide/simms-taback/

MLA: "Simms Taback." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/simms-taback/.

Chicago: "Simms Taback." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/simms-taback/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-20 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

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