Janosch

Janosch was born in Zabrze in Poland in 1931. At the age of 13 he began an apprenticeship as a blacksmith and worked in a metalworking shop. In 1946 the family moved to Germany where Janosch started working in a textile factory. He attended a textile college in Krefeld and moved to Munich in 1953 where he spent several semesters studying at the Academy of Fine Arts. He then began working independently as an artist.
His first children's book, "Die Geschichte von Valek dem Pferd", was published in 1960. He became famous with the publication of "Oh wie schön ist Panama" in 1979. Since 1980 Janosch has lived on Teneriffa, where he writes and draws children's books, novels, plays and animated films. According to his own estimates, Janosch has drawn and written approximately 300 children's books that have been translated into about 70 languages.
He has received numerous awards.