January 21, 2013
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The death of Patty Cake on Monday, April 1, 2013, saddened me. She was the baby gorilla born in the Central Park Zoo in New York City in 1972 and the star of my first published children's book Gorilla Baby: The Story of Patty Cake (Scholastic Press 1974). The book sold 250,000 copies. Patty Cake was a star indifferent to her fame, but beloved by children all over the world, judging by the fan mail I received. I shall always think of her as one of my children, may she rest in peace.