[4] As a child, Ruth had numerous health problems, including the rare autoimmune disorder pemphigus.
Among the work she did find in this period was the first pictorial book jacket for the Modern Library (Alice in Wonderland, 1932).
In the 1930s, Ruth was married to journalist and crime novelist Lionel White; they divorced shortly before World War II.
[6] The peculiar definitional phrasing of Krauss's writing in this book—with sentences like "A party is to make little children happy"—became something of a cultural phenomenon when the book was first published and has helped to maintain its popularity.
[7] In addition to her books for children, Krauss wrote three collections of poetry and plays in verse for adults.
[4] He honored her in the New Yorker cover illustration for Sept. 27, 1993, which shows a homeless boy using Krauss's book A Hole Is to Dig as a pillow and another child holding I Can Fly as they sleep.