THE HAGUE, Netherlands (AP) — Dick Bruna, the Dutch illustrator and artist who created the bestselling series of children's books starring white rabbit Miffy, has died at age 89.

His Dutch publisher, Mercis, said in a statement Friday that Bruna died peacefully in his sleep Thursday night in the central Dutch city of Utrecht.

The simplicity of Bruna's characters drew adoration not only from children around the world, but also from adult art lovers. Amsterdam's venerable Rijksmuseum put on a show featuring his work in 2015.

He wrote and illustrated a total of 124 books, but Miffy, known in the Netherlands as Nijntje, was far and away the most popular and best known.