Jose Aruego was born in Manila, the Philippines, on August 9, 1932. He completed a law degree at the University of the Philippines but chose a career as an illustrator instead. He moved to New York City in the l950's to attend Parsons School of Design. Aruego's first job after art school was pasting feathers on angel wings in an art studio. Before he started illustrating books, Aruego was a cartoonist for two years. His first children's book,The King and His Friends, was published by Scribner in 1969. His book Herman the Helper, was an Honor Book for the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award in 1974. The picture book was written by Robert Kraus and illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. We… Hide, You Seek, and Dance Away, written by George Shannon, were nominated for Nebraska's Golden Sower Award. Three books illustrated by Ariane Dewey and Jose Aruego, are included in Barnes & Noble's Reader's Catalog of the Best 40,000+ Best Books in Print. Aruego's books frequently are included in Best Books Lists, such as 100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know from the New York Public Library. In 1976 Mr. Aruego was honored by the government of the Philippines with the Outstanding Filipino Abroad in the Arts Award.