Acclaimed children’s book author Tomie dePaola—who wrote the beloved Strega Nona picture book series—died Monday at the age of 85. DePaola suffered complications after undergoing surgery following a fall last week and died at the Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center in Lebanon, New Hampshire, his literary agent, Doug Whiteman, told the AP. The prolific author wrote or illustrated more than 270 books, ultimately selling nearly 25 million copies. “He was a creator of beauty and a beloved friend,” fellow children’s book author Lin Oliver tweeted. New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu said dePaola was “a man who brought a smile to thousands of Granite State children who read his books, cherishing them for their brilliant illustrations.”

DePaola became best known for the character of Strega Nona, the “grandma witch” with a magic pot that makes pasta. “I think it’s because she’s like everybody’s grandmother. She’s cute, she’s not pretty, she’s kind of funny-looking, but she’s sweet, she’s understanding,” the author once said of his character. “And she’s a little saucy, she gets a little irritated every once in a while.”