How did Ezra start to illustrate and write childrens books?
Before entering the Army during World War II, Ezra had worked at Marvel Comic Books as one of the staff artists. After the war he got work illustrating for various magazines. From this work he was recommended for some jobs involving illustrating book covers for grown-up novels. One of these books was on display in a bookstore on 5th Avenue in New York City where it was spotted by Elizabeth Riley, an editorial director from Crowell publishers. Ms. Riley asked Ezra to illustrate childrens books for her company, one of which was named Jubilant for Sure by Elizabeth Hubbard Lansing. This is how Ezra began to illustrate books for children. It was only after many years of illustrating for other people that Ezra attempted to write and illustrate a book on his own. This book, The Snowy Day, Ezra brought to Annis Duff, senior editor at Viking Junior Books. The Snowy Day was published in 1962.
