Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 27 (1948) Honor
Catherine Besterman (née Katarzyna Lejtin)
キャサリン・ベステルマン（カタルジナ・レイティン）
Catherine Besterman (née Katarzyna Lejtin)
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1904-08-08 （Warsaw, Poland）
- Died
- 1985-02 （Europe (exact place unknown)） age 80
- Nationality
- Poland, United States
- Languages
- Polish, English
- Residence History
- Warsaw, Poland → Washington, D.C., United States → Europe (postwar period)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's author, Journalist
- Active Years
- 1925-1949
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1948 | Newbery Honor | The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot | — | American Library Association | 受賞 |
| 1947 | Horn Book Magazine Best Books | The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot | — | The Horn Book Magazine | 選出 |
Newbery Honor
1948
Work:
The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot
Organization:
American Library Association
Result:
受賞
Horn Book Magazine Best Books
1947
Work:
The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot
Organization:
The Horn Book Magazine
Result:
選出
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot
1947 Children's literature (folktale adaptation)A children's adventure adapted from Polish folktale material. It follows Johnny Longfoot as he encounters strange events and grows through his journey. Noted for its conversational tone and folktale motifs.
folktalecoming of ageadventureidentity
The Extraordinary Education of Johnny Longfoot in His Search for the Magic Hat
1949 Children's literature (sequel)A sequel to Johnny Longfoot. Johnny embarks on a quest for a magic hat, facing new trials and learning life lessons. Like the first book, it features wry narration and illustrative work.
adventureeducationmagical elements
Bibliography
- The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot (1947)
- The Extraordinary Education of Johnny Longfoot in His Search for the Magic Hat (1949)
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Folktale-like narrationConversational, accessible proseUse of humor and wit
- Recurring Motifs
- journeycoming-of-agemagical objects (e.g., hats)folkloric characters and trials
Legacy
Recognized for adapting Polish folktale material into English-language children's literature; widely known after receiving a Newbery Honor in 1948. Though her published output was small, she left works that appeal to children's imaginations.
Trivia
- Born Katarzyna Lejtin.
- Fled Poland in 1941 via Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro to the United States.
- The 1947 book was selected as a Horn Book Magazine Best Book of 1947 and received a Newbery Honor in 1948.
- Her husband Władysław Besterman (anglicized Walter Maurice) was a journalist and later a diplomat; he died in Geneva in 1974.
- She died in Europe in February 1985; exact place not clearly documented.