Randolph Caldecott Medal
2 appearances
-
Edition 22 (1959) Winner
-
Edition 43 (1980) Winner
Barbara Cooney
バーバラ・クーニー
Bābara Kūnī
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1917-08-06 （Brooklyn, New York, Hotel Bossert）
- Died
- 2000-03-10 （Portland, Maine） age 82
- Nationality
- American
- Languages
- English
- Religion
- Unknown
- Residence History
- Brooklyn, New York → Long Island → Damariscotta, Maine
Career
- Occupations
- Children's book writer, Children's book illustrator
- Active Years
- 1940-1999
- Influenced By
- Hokusai, Aubrey Beardsley
- Nominations
- Hans Christian Andersen Award U.S. nominee (1994)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smith College | — | History | Bachelor of Arts | — | United States |
| Art Students League of New York | — | Black and white drawing, etching, lithography | — | 1940 | United States |
Smith College
History
Degree:
Bachelor of Arts
Year of Graduation:
1938
Country:
United States
Art Students League of New York
Black and white drawing, etching, lithography
Period:
1940
Country:
United States
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | Caldecott Medal | Chanticleer and the Fox | — | Association for Library Service to Children | Winner |
| 1980 | Caldecott Medal | Ox-Cart Man | — | Association for Library Service to Children | Winner |
| 1983 | National Book Award | Miss Rumphius | Picture Books | National Book Foundation | Winner |
| 1989 | Lupine Award | Children's books | — | Maine Library Association | Winner |
Caldecott Medal
1959
Work:
Chanticleer and the Fox
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children
Result:
Winner
Caldecott Medal
1980
Work:
Ox-Cart Man
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children
Result:
Winner
National Book Award
1983
Work:
Miss Rumphius
Category:
Picture Books
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
Winner
Lupine Award
1989
Work:
Children's books
Organization:
Maine Library Association
Result:
Winner
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Chanticleer and the Fox
1958 Children's picture bookAn adaptation of Chaucer's 'The Nun's Priest's Tale' fable about Chanticleer the rooster and the fox.
good and evillove and hatelife and death
Ox-Cart Man
1979 Children's picture bookDepicts the yearly cycle of a New England farmer family based on Donald Hall's poem.
familynaturelabor
Miss Rumphius
1982 Children's picture bookThe story of a woman who dreams of making the world more beautiful.
beautylegacyadventure
Bibliography
- Chanticleer and the Fox
- Ox-Cart Man
- Miss Rumphius
- Island Boy
- Hattie and the Wild Waves
Translations of Works
- Her books have been translated into ten languages
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- folk art illustrationspen and inkacrylic paintspastels
- Recurring Motifs
- folk storiesspirit of placequality of light
Legacy
American writer and illustrator of over 110 children's books published over sixty years. Two-time Caldecott Medal winner and U.S. nominee for the Hans Christian Andersen Award.
Museums
- Bowdoin College Maine
Archives
- University of Connecticut Archives & Special Collections
Quotes
-
She gave me all the materials I could wish for and then left me alone, didn’t smother me with instruction.
Source: Autobiographical quote -
I have felt way behind technically; and what I’ve learned I have had to teach myself. To this day, I don’t consider myself a very skillful artist.
Source: On Smith College and her art -
It was not until I was in my forties... that the sense of place... became of paramount importance to me.
Source: On her travels and learning the spirit of place -
I believe that children... need a more robust literary diet... a man’s reach should exceed his grasp. So should a child’s.
Source: On receiving the Caldecott Medal in 1959 (1959) -
Of all the books I have done, 'Miss Rumphius,' 'Island Boy,' and 'Hattie and the Wild Waves,' are the closest to my heart.
Source: On her favorite works
Trivia
- She had a twin brother.
- Served in the Women’s Army Corps during World War II.
- Maine Governor proclaimed 'Barbara Cooney Day' in her honor.