Hans Augusto Rey was born in Hamburg, Germany in 1898. As a child, he spent much of his free time in that city's famous Hagenbeck Zoo drawing animals. After serving in the army during World War I, he studied philology and natural science at the University of Hamburg. He then married Margret Rey and they moved to Montmartre for four years. The manuscript for the first Curious George books was one of the few items the Reys carried with them on their bicycles when they escaped from Paris in 1940. Eventually, they made their way to the United States, and Curious George was published in 1941. Curious George has been published in many languages, including French, German, Japanese, Afrikaans, and Norwegian. Additional Curious George books followed, as well as such other favorites as CECILY G. AND THE NINE MONKEYS and FIND THE CONSTELLATIONS.
H. A. Rey (1898–1977) was born in Hamburg, Germany, near the world-famous Hagenbeck Zoo, and developed a lifelong love for animals and drawing. He and his wife, Margret (1906–1996), who studied art at the acclaimed Bauhaus school, had many pets—including two marmoset monkeys that joined them on one of their steamship journeys across the Atlantic. Hans and Margret’s world-famous curious monkey first appeared in a manuscript strapped to their bicycles as they fled wartime Paris for the safety of the United States. Committed philanthropists in their own lives, a portion of proceeds from each Curious George book sold flows to the Curious George Foundation, which funds programs for children that encourage inquisitiveness in learning and exploring. Curious George has been successfully adapted into a major motion picture and an Emmy-winning television show on PBS.www.curiousgeorge.com.
