Virginia Lee Burton, also known by her married name, Virginia Demetrios, was an American illustrator and children's book author. She wrote and illustrated seven children's books, including The Little House (1943), which won the Caldecott Medal. She also illustrated six books by other authors. Burton also founded the textile collective, Folly Cove Designers, in Cape Ann, Massachusetts, which had numerous museum exhibitions.
She was known for designing the whole work: design, illustration, typeface, and space. She said first she made her drawings or preliminary sketches, then she wrote the story, as it came first to her in images. Her books were known for their themes of "importance of teamwork, environmental awareness, perseverance, and adapting to change while still recognizing the importance of the past."
(source: wikipedia)