Bernard Waber is an American author and illustrator of children's books. He is best known for The House on East 88th Street (1962), the first book in the popular Lyle the Crocodile series. Waber was born in Massachusetts in 1922. He studied at the Boston Museum School of Fine Arts and the Rhode Island School of Design. He served in the United States Army during World War II. After the war, Waber began his career as an illustrator for magazines and advertising. He transitioned to writing and illustrating children's books in the early 1960s. His first book, The House on East 88th Street, was published in 1962. It was followed by six more books in the Lyle the Crocodile series. Waber has also written and illustrated several picture books, including Ira Sleeps Over (1972) and The Journey (1974). In addition to his work as an author and illustrator, Waber has also taught at the Rhode Island School of Design and the Massachusetts College of Art. Waber's books have been praised for their warmth, humor, and sensitivity. His work has been honored with several awards, including the Caldecott Medal (for The House on East 88th Street) and the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award (for Ira Sleeps Over).