Ami Rubinger
Amnon (Ami) Rubinger | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 15, 1953 |
| Died | March 24, 2019 (aged 65) |
| Occupations | children's author, illustrator, and caricaturist |
| Relatives | David Rubinger (father) |
| Writing career | |
| Notable works | Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 (האו עד עשר); Big Cat, Small Cat (חתול גדול חתול קטן); I Dream of an Elephant; Elephants in All the Colors (פילים בכל הצבעים); Who Am I, What Am I (מי אני מה אני); No Such Lions (אין אריות כאלה); The Mouse Who Jumped on Everyone's Head (העכבר שקפץ על הראש של כולם); Oded Works and Works and Works (עודד עובד ועובד ועובד); Adventures of Somebody in the Secret School (עלילות מישהו בבית הספר הסודי). |
Amnon (Ami) Rubinger (Hebrew: אמי רובינגר; July 15, 1953 – March 24, 2019) was an Israeli children's author, illustrator, and caricaturist[1] known for his high-contrast digital art style. He was widely known for his "Toddler Series," which uses rhyming and participatory elements in books meant for young children.[2][3] Rubinger was the son of David Rubinger, a world-renowned photojournalist and Israel Prize laureate[4].[5]
Early life and career
[edit]When Rubinger was 13 year old, a photography he took was published in the Jerusalem Post.[6]
Rubinger served in the Israel Defense Forces as a photographer for the Armored Corps.[7] During the late 1970s and 1980s, he designed several album covers for the Israeli rock movement, most notably for Gan Eden (1979)[8], Gary Eckstein's Gedaliahu and the Miystook (1982), and the influential debut album of the band Mashina (1985)[9][10].
Rubinger began his career as an illustrator for Haaretz then worked as an illustrator and cartoonist for Yedioth Ahronoth for 15 years until 2007, after which he focused on writing and illustrating books. He wrote and illustrated more than 15 books, many of them for children.[11]
Rubinger said in an 2012 interview that he started his books from illustrations, and that he learned how to write books because he wanted to illustrate his own stories and not just other people's.[12]
Children's literature and collaborations
[edit]In 2007, Rubinger transitioned exclusively to children's literature, focusing on the "fill-in-the-blank" rhyming structure. He said in interviews that he intended for his books to function more like "toys"[2] or "sweets"[12] rather than traditional literature, emphasizing active engagement of the children and colorful, humorous illustration of animals.[12]
The first book in Rubinger's toddler series was Big Cat, Small Cat, published in Hebrew in 2004 by Keter Publishing House. The book uses rhyming couplets presenting pairs of opposites, with the final word or phrase missing, so that children can come up with it.[13][14][15] The English edition of the book was published by Abbeville Press in 2009 using computer-generated images in bold colors.[3][16] The participatory format of completing rhymes also appeared in his later books, such as in We're Traveling.[17]
Rubinger was also a frequent collaborator with author Shlomo Abas, illustrating classic collections such as The Elephant Joke Book and The Big Book of Fairy Tales.[7][4]
Awards
[edit]In 1986, Rubinger received a Certificate of Merit (Hebrew: ציון לשבח) from the Israel Museum's Ben-Yitzhak Award for the Illustration of a Children's Book. In 1993, he received a UNESCO Prize in Tokyo.[18]
Legacy
[edit]
Rubinger's books are characterised by flowing rhymes and short plots, alongside vivid, full-page color schemes. They combine accessible language with humor appealing to both children and adults. In most books, Rubinger focuses on a specific vocabulary theme:[12] colors in Elephants in All Colors, counting in Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10, and musical instruments in The Rhythm Monster Orchestra.[19]
Rubinger's books were very popular, and upon his death, he was one of Israel's most successful children's book authors.[2] His works remain a foundational element of early childhood education in Israel,[4] used extensively by educators and speech therapists to foster language development in the pre-literate age group.[2][20]
Personal life
[edit]Rubinger resided in Tel Aviv until his death due to cancer on March 24, 2019.[21][7] He was 65, divorced, and is survived by his two sons.[5][22][4]
Works
[edit]International English Editions
[edit]| Year | Hebrew Title | English Translation |
|---|---|---|
| 1982 | חתול מחפש חבר | A Cat Looks for a Friend |
| 1994 | המפלצת הקופצת | The Jumping Monster |
| 2004 | חתול גדול חתול קטן | Big Cat, Small Cat |
| 2004 | פשפש מתלבש | A Flea Gets Dressed |
| 2006 | בובי בוא בובי לך | Bobby Come, Bobby Go |
| 2006 | ספר הקרחת | The Baldness Book |
| 2007 | אין אריות כאלה | No Such Lions |
| 2008 | פילים בכל הצבעים | Elephants in All Colors |
| 2009 | האו עד עשר | Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 |
| 2010 | תזמורת מפלצות הקצב | The Rhythm Monster Orchestra |
| 2010 | פוצקי (עם נועה גייר) | Putzki (with Noa Geyer) |
| 2011 | חיות מבולבלות | Confused Animals |
| 2011 | אנחנו מטיילים | We're Traveling[17] |
| 2012 | כובע מקסים כובע עם פסים | A Hat So Nice a Hat with Stripes[28] |
| 2012 | גע-גע-גע ספר משוגע | Ga-ga-ga, a Crazy Book |
| 2013 | אנחנו מטיילים | We're Traveling |
| 2014 | העכבר שקפץ על הראש של כולם | The Mouse Who Jumped on Everyone's Head |
| 2015 | גע-גע-גע ספר משוגע | Ga-ga-ga, a Crazy Book |
| 2018 | חגיגה באמבטיה | Bathtub Celebration |
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ↑ Rubinger, A. (2009). Big cat, small cat. Abbeville Kids. https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/big-cat-small-cat-ami-rubinger/1102505204?ean=9780789210296
- 1 2 3 4 נאנוס, ציון (2014-10-16). "מתלמיד כושל – לסופר מצליח". N12 (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- 1 2 "BIG CAT, SMALL CAT". Kirkus Reviews. 19 May 2010. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "המאייר ומחבר ספרי הילדים אמי רובינגר הלך לעולמו". ynet (in Hebrew). 2019-03-24. Archived from the original on 2025-04-17. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- 1 2 Lori, A. (2012, April 11). David and Ami (Amnon) Rubinger [Profile]. Haaretz. https://www.haaretz.co.il/magazine/apple/2012-04-11/ty-article/0000017f-e852-df2c-a1ff-fe53d3230000
- ↑ "דוד ואמי (אמנון) רובינגר". Haaretz הארץ (in Hebrew). Archived from the original on 2025-04-17. Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- 1 2 3 4 Galron-Goldschläger, Joseph. "אמי רובינגר" [Ami Rubinger]. Lexicon of Modern Hebrew Literature (in Hebrew). Ohio State University. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ ומונו, סטריאו. "גן עדן- להקת גן עדן (1979)". סטריאו ומונו, אתר הדיסקוגרפיה של המוסיקה הישראלית. Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- ↑ "משינה Archives". mashina.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- ↑ "משינה". National Library of Israel. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ami Rubinger". Penguin Random House. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- 1 2 3 4 "אמי רובינגר: "בספרי ילדים מותר הכל"". ynet (in Hebrew). 2012-12-13. Archived from the original on 2025-07-15. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ↑ ספיר ויץ, כרמית (2011-10-25). "סוד ההצלחה - כישלון: ראיון עם אמי רובינגר". makor rishon.
- ↑ ""Big Cat, Small Cat" von Ami Rubinger". hugendubel (in German). Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- ↑ "אמי רובינגר". Keter Books. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ "Ami Rubinger". Abbeville. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- 1 2 "אנחנו מטילים / אמי רובינגר". National Library of Israel. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ Israel Museum Jerusalem. (n.d.). Ami Rubinger. The Israel Museum. Retrieved August 20, 2026.
- 1 2 "אמי רובינגר". www.booknet.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- ↑ Lee, V. (2009, November 24). Khamesh sheʼelot le-Ami Rubinger [Five questions to Ami Rubinger]. Haaretz.
- ↑ "המאייר וסופר ספרי הילדים אמי רובינגר הלך לעולמו - וואלה תרבות". וואלה (in Hebrew). 2019-03-24. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ↑ פלוטקין, יובל (2019-03-22). "הסופר והמאייר עמי רובינגר הלך לעולמו" (in Hebrew). Ynet.
- ↑ "Amazon.com: Big Cat, Small Cat: 9780789210296: Rubinger, Ami". www.amazon.com. Archived from the original on 2024-12-23. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
- ↑ Rubinger, Ami (2009-08-25). Big Cat, Small Cat. National Geographic Books. ISBN 978-0-7892-1029-6.
- ↑ Rubinger, Ami (2011). Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10. Abbeville Kids. ISBN 978-0-7892-1066-1.
- ↑ Rubinger, Ami. "Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10" [English version of "Hao Ad Eser"] (in Hebrew). HaMigdalor Books. Retrieved 20 August 2026.
- ↑ "ספרים מאת אמי רובינגר - כתר ספרים". www.keter-books.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2026-08-20.
- ↑ "כובע מקסים כובע עם פסים - קרטון | כל ספרי ילדים ונוער | כתר - חנות ספרים אונליין". www.keter-books.co.il (in Hebrew). Retrieved 2026-08-20.
Further reading
[edit]- נורית שילה־כהן, (עורכת), ספר המאיירים הגדול, זוכי פרס מוזיאון ישראל לאיור ספר ילדים על-שם בן-יצחק בשנים 1978–2004, מוזיאון ישראל ועם עובד, 2005, עמ' 302–309.