Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 29 (1950) Honor
Catherine Cate Coblentz
キャサリン・ケイト・コブレンツ
Kyasarin Keito Koburentsu
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1897-06-05 （Hardwick, Vermont, United States）
- Died
- 1951-05-30 （Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C., United States） age 53
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Hardwick, Vermont (birthplace) → Washington, D.C. (residence and activity)
Career
- Occupations
- Children's book author, Writer
- Active Years
- 1924-1951
- Affiliations
- Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C. (associated)
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| George Washington University | — | — | B.A. | — | United States |
George Washington University
Degree:
B.A.
Year of Graduation:
1930
Country:
United States
Presented with a Distinguished Alumni Achievement Award by her alma mater in 1945
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1950 | Newbery Honor | The Blue Cat of Castle Town | — | American Library Association (ALSC) | 受賞 (Newbery Honor) |
| 1958 | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award | The Blue Cat of Castle Town | — | Lewis Carroll Shelf Award Committee | 受賞 (posthumous) |
Newbery Honor
1950
Work:
The Blue Cat of Castle Town
Organization:
American Library Association (ALSC)
Result:
受賞 (Newbery Honor)
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
1958
Work:
The Blue Cat of Castle Town
Organization:
Lewis Carroll Shelf Award Committee
Result:
受賞 (posthumous)
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
The Blue Cat of Castle Town
1949 Children's literatureA lyrical children's tale set in a New England town, telling the story of a blue cat and the townspeople around it, exploring community and creativity.
CommunityAnimalsNew England setting
Animal Pioneers
1936 Children's non-fictionA children's book introducing the behaviors and histories of various animals.
AnimalsNature
Sequoya
1946 Biography (for children)A children's biography of Sequoyah, the Cherokee who developed a writing system.
BiographyNative American historyLiteracy
The Bells of Leyden
1944 Children's literatureA children's story containing historical or allegorical elements.
HistoryAdventure
Ah-yo-ka: Daughter of Sequoya
1950 Children's historical fictionA children's historical novel centered on a figure associated with Sequoyah.
HistoryIdentity
Bibliography
- Animal Pioneers
- The Blue and Silver Necklace
- The Pan American Highway
- The Falcon of Eric the Red
- The Bells of Leyden
- The Amazon
- Sequoya
- Scatter, the Chipmunk
- Martin and Abraham Lincoln
- The Blue Cat of Castle Town
- Ah-yo-ka: Daughter of Sequoya
- The Beggars' Penny
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Poetic, lyrical proseEmphasis on New England pastoral imagery
- Recurring Motifs
- Animals (often personified)Community and everyday beautyHistorical figures and folklore
Legacy
Coblentz is known for her children's books of the 1930s–40s; The Blue Cat of Castle Town earned a Newbery Honor and a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. Illustrative windows based on her books remain in the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library in Washington, D.C., and some early copies of her works are sought by collectors.
Academic Societies
- Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C.
Archives
- Library of Congress (catalog records and related holdings)
- George Washington University archives (alumni materials)
In Popular Culture
- Windows in the Cleveland Park Neighborhood Library display illustrations based on her books
- Some early editions are collected by book collectors
Trivia
- Published a poem about Mars in Popular Astronomy in 1924.
- Her husband, William Coblentz, was a pioneer in infrared spectroscopy.
- She had two daughters who both died young.
- Buried in Rock Creek Cemetery in Washington, D.C.