Waber's family moved several times during his childhood, and he found comfort in his new home by reading library books. Raised during the Depression, Waber didn't seriously consider being an artist though he enjoyed drawing from photographs of movie stars and celebrities. After high school he attended the University of Pennsylvania and majored in finance. World War II opened his eyes to the happenings around the world, and he took more interest in art. Instead of graduating with a degree in finance, he enrolled at the Philadelphia College of Art to paint and draw.
Art suited Waber well. He graduated, married, and moved to New York City where he worked for Conde Nast Publications. His magazine employment continued over time, but since 1961 he has also written and illustrated children's books, his first book being The House on East 88th Street about Lyle the crocodile.
Waber passed away at the age of 91 in his home in Baldwin, NY, on May 16, 2013, from kidney failure.
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