Robert Kraus

Robert Kraus was born on June 21, 1925, and died on August 7, 2001. He built a long, varied career as a cartoonist, children’s author and illustrator, and publisher. Kraus got his start at *The New Yorker*, where over 15 years he contributed hundreds of cartoons and nearly two dozen covers. He later shifted focus to children’s literature, writing and illustrating more than 100 books and founding Windmill Books, which became an imprint of Simon & Schuster. His work often featured animal heroes who persist despite setbacks—a theme rooted in values he held since childhood. In comics, Kraus is credited as an artist, inker, and writer on a dozen issues from 1945 to 1990, with his most frequent credits on *Thunder Mace*, *Stephen Darklord, the Survivor*, *Army & Navy Grins*, and *Thundermace: The Telling of the Legend*. While not as widely known for his comic-book work as for his children’s books, his output across both fields reflects a steady, gentle hand. He received no major awards noted in standard sources, but his legacy endures through the many books he created and published.