Richard Scarry
Recognized in the Creative Minds Montessori 2026 Teacher’s Choice list.
Richard Scarry is one of roughly one hundred authors whose work was selected by the Montessori-certified teachers at Creative Minds Montessori for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list — 120 books chosen across four reading stages, from first lap-reads to first chapter books. Their 2 selected books were chosen for how precisely they meet children at a real developmental moment. This recognition cannot be bought: no author or publisher paid to appear on our lists, and we take no commission on any book sale.
About Richard Scarry
Richard Scarry (1919–1994) published over 300 books with total sales of over 100 million worldwide, most of them set in Busytown, a place of anthropomorphic animals including Huckle Cat, Mr. Frumble and Lowly Worm.
He studied at art schools in Boston, Woodstock and Maine, was drafted into the U.S. Army in 1942 and worked there as an art director and editor until his discharge in 1946; his career breakthrough came with Little Golden Books in 1949. He moved to Lausanne, Switzerland in 1972 and bought a chalet in Gstaad in 1974.
Also by this author: Cars and Trucks and Things That Go · Busy, Busy Town · What Do People Do All Day?
Official legacy site: www.richardscarry.com
Selected for the 2026 Teacher’s Choice list
Richard Scarry's Best Word Book Ever
Page Grabbers · Point and Name
What Do People Do All Day?
The Why-Askers · How the World Works
Part of The Best Children’s Books by Age, chosen by the teachers at Creative Minds Montessori in Frisco, TX.