Philip Dey Eastman (November 25, 1909January 7, 1986) was an American screenwriter, children's author, and illustrator. Early life Eastman was born in Amherst, Massachusetts, to Clarence Willis and Ann Hull (Dey) Eastman. After studying at Phillips Academy Andover and Williston Academy, he graduated from Amherst College in 1933 and later from the National Academy of Design in New York City. Career Film and animation From 1936 to 1941, Eastman worked at Walt Disney Productions in assistant animation, story-sketch, and production design. From 1941 to 1942, he worked in the story department of Leon Schlesinger Productions, Warner Bros.'s cartoon unit, and was a member of Local Number Eight Hundred And Thirty-Nine of Motion Picture Screen Cartoonists, the trade union representing cartoonists in the United States. In 1942, Eastman was drafted by the Army and assigned to the Signal Corps film unit, which was headed by Theodor Geisel, who later became known as Dr. Seuss. Here, Eastman conducted picture planning for animated sequences in orientation and training films, and he also wrote scripts and drew storyboards for the Private Snafu series for Army-Navy Screen Magazine. From 1945 to 1952, Eastman worked at United Productions of America (UPA). He was a writer and storyboard artist for the Mr. Magoo series. Eastman and Bill Scott co-wrote the screenplay for the animated comedy Gerald McBoing-Boing, which won an Academy Award for Short Subject, Cartoons, in 1950. Eastman also directed educational films and worked on the Flight Safety series for the United States Navy's Bureau of Aeronautics while at UPA. Author and illustrator Eastman, a protégé and colleague of Theodor Geisel (pen name Dr. Seuss), wrote many books for children in his own distinct style. He worked with the Dr. Seuss brand of Random House, many of which were in the Beginner Books series. His titles include: Are You My Mother? () (Beginner Book #18) (written and illustrated by) Go, Dog. Go! () (Beginner Book #20) The Best Nest () (Beginner Book #51) (written and illustrated by) Flap Your Wings () (Early Bird Book, later reissued as Random House Pictureback Book formerly and Beginner Book #88 currently) The Cat in the Hat Beginner Book Dictionary () (Beginner Book special) What Time Is It? () (Bright and Early Board Books) - currently only available as an ebook Sam and the Firefly () (Beginner Book #6) (written and illustrated by) Big Dog...Little Dog (), 30th anniversary edition with