The artist's full name is Hendrik Magdelanus Bruna. He was born in Utrecht on 23 August 1927 and has always lived and worked in the city. He started to draw in 1940 and among the books he illustrated was the series entitled Zwarte Beertjes (Little Black Bears). Bruna is the spiritual father of characters like eegje egel, lotje, gobe, the dog snuffie, the pig betje big, the little bears boris and barbara and of course miffy (nijntje). Dick Bruna has won a great number of awards, including prizes for his picture books: the Zilveren Griffel (annual children's book award) for lieve oma pluis (dear grandma fluff) in 1997; the Zilveren Penseel (annual