H. A. Rey

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.