Did you know three famous children’s writers were born in April?

 

 

Anne McCaffrey

 

 

Anne McCaffrey, an American-born Irish writer, is best known for the Dragonriders of Pern fantasy series. Early in her career she was the first woman to win a Hugo Award for fiction and the Nebula Award. Her 1978 novel The White Dragon became one of the first science-fiction books to appear on the New Times Best Seller list.

McCaffrey’s son Todd wrote a compelling biography of his mother entitled Dragon Holder. Todd often collaborator with his mother and was her most devoted fan

 

 

 

Gertrude Chandler Warner

 

Gertrude Chandler Warner was born in Putnam, Connecticut. As a little girl she dreamed of becoming an author. Her first attempts at writing were for her Grandfather.  Every Christmas she gave him one of her stories as a gift.  When she grew up, she wrote The Boxcar Children Mysteries.

Warner’s life is chronicled by Mary Ellen Ellsworth’s book Gertrude Chandler Warner and The Boxcar Children

 

 

 

Beverly Cleary

Beverly Cleary was born in McMinnville, Oregon. When she was old enough to go to school her family moved to a farm in Yamhill. The town was so small it didn’t have a library. Her mother arranged to have books sent to Yamhill from the State Library System and set up a makeshift library in a room above the town bank. That is when Cleary learned to love books.

Cleary will be 100 years old on the 12th of this month and she has sold 91 million books worldwide.  Her books have won many awards. Dear Mr. Henshaw won the John Newbery Medal in 1984 and her books Ramona and Her Father and Ramona Quimby, Age 8 (my daughter’s favorite books when she was eight years old) were both Newbery Honor Books. Cleary has written two memoirs about her life entitled A Girl from Yamhill followed by My Own Two Feet.