The Cotman Collection | Brooke, Leonard Leslie, 1862-1940

Leonard Leslie Brooke

1862-1940


Leonard Leslie Brooke (1862 – 1940) was a British artist and writer who was born on 24 September 1862, in Birkenhead, England. His skillful and witty illustrations in Andrew Lang's Nursery Rhyme Book (1897) established his reputation as a leading children's book illustrator of pen-and-ink line drawings and watercolors. His acclaimed works include "Johnny Crow's Garden" ,"Ring O' Roses", "The Golden Goose Book", "Johnny Crow's Party", "The Nursery Rhyme Book" , "Oranges and Lemons" published by Frederick Warne & Co.LTD. New York.

Brooke married Sybil Diana Brooke. They had two children, their elder son was killed in World War 1, the younger was Henry Brooke, Baron Brooke of Cumnor, who became British Home Secretary and later a peer.

In Children's Reading, Lewis M. Terman, P.H.D. and Margaret Lima, M. A. recommended some of his picture books (such as "The Golden Goose Book", the two that feature Johnny Crow, and others), commenting that Brooke "catches the spirit of childhood with rare skill".