Jean de Brunhoff was a French writer and illustrator known for creating the beloved children's book series "Babar the Elephant." Born on December 9, 1899, in Paris, France, de Brunhoff started the series in the early 1930s, with the first book, "Histoire de Babar," published in 1931. The stories, originally told by his wife, Cécile, to their children, were then illustrated and expanded by Jean. They chronicle the adventures of Babar, a young elephant who leaves the jungle, learns about human civilization, and then returns to bring the benefits of his knowledge to the elephant society. Jean de Brunhoff's Babar series quickly became a timeless classic, enchanting generations of children around the world. De Brunhoff died at a young age of 37 on October 16, 1937, after producing a total of seven Babar books. The series was continued by his son, Laurent de Brunhoff, who kept the legacy of Babar alive for future readers.