Bruna, Dick (Hendrick Magdalenus Bruna), 1927–2017, Dutch children's book author and illustrator, b. Utrecht. The author of more than 120 books, Bruna is best known for his stories about a white rabbit named Nijntje (Miffy in English), who has dots for eyes and a sideways X for a mouth. His distinctive style is influenced by Matisse, Léger, and Picasso and by the Dutch De Stijl movement. Figures are first drawn in naturalistic sketches, then reduced to their bare essentials, featuring primary colors and clear, simple lines. The text consists of short rhyming couplets and the books have a small, square format. His first Miffy book, simply called Nijntje (1955, tr. Miffy, 1964), was followed by many others featuring activities young children enjoy. The Miffy Museum (Dutch Nijntje Museum), Utrecht, features a permanent collection of Bruna's work.
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