Ami Rubinger

Amnon (Ami) Rubinger
Born	(1953-07-15)July 15, 1953
Died	March 24, 2019(2019-03-24) (aged 65)
Occupation	children's author, illustrator, and caricaturist
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).
Relatives	David Rubinger (father)

Amnon (Ami) Rubinger (Hebrew: אמי רובינגר; July 15, 1953 – March 24, 2019), was a prominent Israeli children's author, illustrator, and caricaturist^[1] known for his distinct, high-contrast digital art style. He is widely recognized^[2] for his "Toddler Series," which introduced a participatory, rhyme-completion format to early childhood education. Rubinger was the son of David Rubinger, a world-renowned photojournalist and Israel Prize laureate.^[3]

Following his military service as a photographer for the Armored Corps, Rubinger became a foundational figure in the Israeli visual arts scene. During the late 1970s and 1980s, he designed several defining album covers for the Israeli rock movement, most notably the self-titled debut of Gan Eden (1979), Gary Eckstein's Gedaliahu and the Miystook (1982), and the influential debut album of Mashina (1985). Rubinger's career in journalism spanned 15 years as a staff illustrator and caricaturist for the daily newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, where he developed a distinct, humorous visual language characterized by bold colors and expressive characters.^[4][5]

The first book Rubinger wrote in his toddler series was Big Cat, Small Cat, published in 2004, markeing the opening salvo for the books that followed, all of which were published by Keter.^[6]

In 2007, Rubinger transitioned exclusively to children's literature, where he pioneered a participatory reading model for toddlers. His works typically feature a "fill-in-the-blank" rhyming structure, designed to encourage children to act as partners in the storytelling process. He famously characterized his creative philosophy by stating that he intended for his books to function more like "toys" than traditional literature, emphasizing active engagement over passive listening.^[2]

In addition to his solo bibliography, Rubinger was a frequent collaborator with author Shlomo Abas, illustrating classic collections such as The Elephant Joke Book and The Big Book of Fairy Tales. His international reach was solidified through the English-language publication of several titles by Abbeville Press, which adapted his rhythmic Hebrew verse into English while maintaining his signature computer-generated aesthetic.^[7]

Rubinger received a Certificate of Merit (ציון לשבח) from the Israel Museum's Ben-Yitzhak Award for the Illustration of a Children's Book in 1986, recognizing his excellence in children's book illustration at a national cultural institution. He also won the UNESCO Prize in Tokyo in 1993 for children's book illustrations, an international recognition presented by UNESCO that honors outstanding achievement in illustration.^[8]

Rubinger resided in Tel Aviv until his death from cancer on March 24, 2019.^[9] He is survived by his two sons.^[3] His works remain a foundational element of early childhood education in Israel,^[5] used extensively by educators and speech therapists to foster language development in the pre-literate age group.^[2][10]

• Big Cat, Small Cat (2009) — ISBN 978-0789210333^[11]
• I Dream of an Elephant (2010) — ISBN 978-0789210753
• Dog Number 1, Dog Number 10 (2011) — ISBN 978-0789211026^[12]
• Boaz in the Tub (2012) — ISBN 978-0789211316

• David Rubinger