A writer and illustrator, he created more than 200 books for young readers, including the ode to individuality “Mr. Pine’s Purple House.'
Mr. Kessler credited his long and prolific career in part to his grandmother, a painter who gifted him a box of crayons when he was 6, declaring that “with these … you can paint your own world.”
Several of his books were ranked by the New York Times among the year’s best releases for young readers. They included “Heavy Is a Hippopotamus” and “Big Red Bus” . He created a franchise of sorts with Mr. Pine, a character who like Mr. Kessler wore glasses, had a dog and a cat and favored hats. In “Mr. Pine’s Purple House,” first published in 1965, the titular character laments the monotony of his neighborhood.
“Certain angels come into our lives at the right moment. She gave me back my life again,” Mr. KesslerWith its reissue in 2000, “Mr. Pine’s Purple House” became the first book published by Morgan’sAmong the original fans of “Mr. Pine’s Purple House” was Jeff Bezos, the future founder of the online retailer Amazon and owner of The Washington Post. According to an
Mr. Kessler served in the Army during World War II and was stationed in Europe, where he served as an infantry scout. Because of his talent for art, he was charged with drawing maps and sketching enemy positions. Years later, he recalled his habit of embellishing his military sketches with drawings of animals and flowers.“Kessler, I just want to know the positions!” he recalled a captain admonishing him. “I don’t need the decoration!”After the war, Mr.
His wife, the former Ethel Gerson, died in 2002 after 56 years of marriage. Besides his son, of Princeton, N.J., survivors include a daughter, Kim Kessler, of Madison, Wis.; a sister; and four grandchildren. More than 50 years after “Here Comes the Strikeout” was first released, a reader, Michael Hammond, contacted Mr. Kessler through Purple House Press.