Hendrik Willem van Loon

Hendrik Willem van Loon (1882-1944) was a Dutch-American historian, journalist, and children's book author best known for The Story of Mankind (1921), which won the first Newbery Medal in 1922. He authored and illustrated numerous popular history books for young readers, including works on Dutch history and world events. He was knighted by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands in 1942.