Janosch was born as Horst Eckert on 11 March 1931 in what was then Hindenburg (now Zabrze, Poland) in Upper Silesia to a family of mixed German and Polish origin, though he identifies his nationality as "Silesian".

Amongst his most recognisable characters is the Tigerente that appears in Oh, wie schön ist Panama and the stories around the little tiger and the little bear.

He has also published several books for adults, in which he deals with his childhood experiences of growing up with an abusive father and a God-fearing mother, constantly recurring topics being friendship, family relationships, and the quest for the meaning of life.

It is a little wooden toy duck on wheels, striped black on yellow, that is pulled around on a string by various characters of Janosch's books.

The Tigerente has since appeared on a wide range of products including posters, postcards, high school art projects, buttons, mugs, socks, umbrellas, cutlery, and nearly every item of children's furniture imaginable.