L. Leslie (Leonard Leslie) Brooke

Leonard Leslie Brooke (1862–1940) was a British artist, writer, and book illustrator born in Birkenhead, England. He studied at Birkenhead School and the Royal Academy Schools, and after a serious illness while travelling in Italy, he became permanently deaf.

Brooke first exhibited as an oil painter, but he became best known for his children’s illustrations. His work on Andrew Lang’s Nursery Rhyme Book helped establish his reputation, and he went on to create enduring favorites including Johnny Crow’s Garden, The Golden Goose Book, Ring O’ Roses, and Oranges and Lemons.

He married Sybil Diana Brooke and had two sons. Brooke died at his home in Hampstead in 1940, leaving behind a warmly humorous body of work that remains closely associated with the golden age of children’s picture books.