Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
2 appearances
-
Edition 7 (1928) Nominee
-
Edition 9 (1930) Nominee
Ella Young
エラ・ヤング
Ella Young
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1867-12-26 （Fenagh (Cullybackey), County Antrim, Ireland）
- Died
- 1956-07-23 （Oceano, California, U.S.） age 88
- Nationality
- Irish, Irish American
- Languages
- English, Irish (learned)
- Religion
- Protestant
- Residence History
- Dublin (grew up) → Sausalito, California → Halcyon, California (Theosophical colony) → Berkeley, California (University affiliation) → Oceano, California (later life)
Career
- Occupations
- poet, folklorist, teacher, mythologist, writer, lecturer
- Active Years
- 1906-1956
- Affiliations
- Inghinidhe na hÉireann (later merged into Cumann na mBan), Theosophical Society (Dublin branch), Hermetic Society (Dublin), University of California, Berkeley (Chair/Lecturer in Irish Myth and Lore)
- Memberships
- Cumann na mBan (Irish women's nationalist organization), Theosophical Society
- Influenced By
- George William Russell (Æ), Maud Gonne, Patrick Pearse, Kenneth Morris, Theosophy / mystical thought
- Influenced
- Robinson Jeffers, Elsa Gidlow, Alan Watts, Ansel Adams, Harry Partch (composer; set several poems to music), The Dunites — artist group in San Luis Obispo County
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Royal University of Ireland | — | — | — | — | Ireland |
| Trinity College, Dublin | — | — | Master's | — | Ireland |
Royal University of Ireland
Country:
Ireland
Sources differ; some state she later received a master's degree at Trinity College, Dublin.
Trinity College, Dublin
Degree:
Master's
Country:
Ireland
Some sources report she obtained a master's degree here.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1928 | Newbery Honor (The Wonder-Smith and His Son) | The Wonder-Smith and His Son | 児童文学 | Association for Library Service to Children (ALA) | ニューべリー・オナー（ランナーアップ） |
| 1930 | Newbery Honor (The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales) | The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales | 児童文学 | Association for Library Service to Children (ALA) | ニューべリー・オナー（ランナーアップ） |
Newbery Honor (The Wonder-Smith and His Son)
1928
Work:
The Wonder-Smith and His Son
Category:
児童文学
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children (ALA)
Result:
ニューべリー・オナー（ランナーアップ）
Newbery Honor (The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales)
1930
Work:
The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales
Category:
児童文学
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children (ALA)
Result:
ニューべリー・オナー（ランナーアップ）
Awards & Nominations
Works
Major Works
Poems
1906 PoetryEarly collection of poems comprising short lyrics and early poetic work.
naturemythspirituality
The Coming of Lugh: A Celtic Wonder-Tale
1909 Folklore / retellingA retelling of Celtic material concerning the coming of the hero Lugh.
Celtic mythologyheroic legend
Celtic Wonder-Tales
1910 Children's literature / retellingsCollection of traditional Irish tales adapted for children; illustrated by Maud Gonne.
fairiesfolkloreCeltic tales
The Wonder-Smith and His Son
1927 Children's literature / fantasyA children's fantasy drawing on mythic themes; illustrated by Boris Artzybasheff.
mythfather-son relationshipadventure
Adaptations
- [music (settings of poems)] Poems set to music (Harry Partch)
The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales
1929 Children's literature / retellingsCollection of episodes from the Fionn saga and other tales; illustrated by Vera Bock.
Fionn sagaheroic talesfolklore
The Unicorn with Silver Shoes
1932 Children's literature / original fantasyAn original fantasy tale by Young; illustrated by Robert Lawson.
fantasyafterlife motifs
Flowering Dusk: Things Remembered Accurately and Inaccurately
1945 Autobiography / memoirAutobiographical memoir recounting memories and experiences from Ireland to her life in America.
memorycultural exchangespirituality
Bibliography
- Poems (1906)
- The Coming of Lugh (1909)
- Celtic Wonder-Tales (1910)
- The Wonder-Smith and His Son (1927)
- The Tangle-Coated Horse and Other Tales (1929)
- The Unicorn with Silver Shoes (1932)
- Flowering Dusk (1945)
Adaptations
- Settings of several poems by composer Harry Partch
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- mythic retellingsfolkloric narrative voicelyrical and symbolic expression
- Recurring Motifs
- fairies and elvesconversation with trees / natureCeltic hero cycles
Health
-
cancer1950年代（晩年）She battled cancer late in life and died in 1956; her ashes were scattered in a redwood grove.
Legacy
A poet and mythologist who retold Irish folklore in English and helped popularize Celtic mythology in the United States. She influenced writers and artists in California, held a lecturing position at Berkeley, received Newbery Honors for children's books, and left archival material preserved in university collections.
Academic Societies
- Theosophical Society
- Hermetic Society
Archives
- Charles E. Young Research Library, Department of Special Collections (UCLA)
In Popular Culture
- Served as a 'godmother' and inspiration for the Dunites artist community in San Luis Obispo County
Quotes
-
Wherever she went, she was received enthusiastically, especially by the young people of America. They loved this white-haired lady with the eyes of a seer that appeared to be lighted from within. She spoke with a melodious voice; when she spoke everyone listened.
Source: Norm Hammond (quoted; see Hammond, The Dunites) (1992)
Trivia
- She was briefly detained at Ellis Island on immigration grounds because authorities learned she believed in fairies and similar beings.
- The Wonder-Smith and His Son (1927) and The Tangle-Coated Horse (1930) were selected as Newbery Honor books.
- She left the bulk of her estate to the Save the Redwoods League.
- Her ashes were scattered in a redwood grove; a grave marker is located in the Santa Maria Cemetery District.