Newbery Medal (John Newbery Medal)
1 appearances
-
Edition 53 (1974) Winner
Paula Fox
ポーラ・フォックス
Pōra Fokkusu
Profile
- Gender
- Female
- Born
- 1923-04-22 （New York City, U.S.）
- Died
- 2017-03-01 （Brooklyn, New York City, U.S.） age 93
- Nationality
- United States
- Languages
- English
- Residence History
- Balmville, New York → New York City (birthplace and primary residence) → Jerusalem (temporary stay; mugging in 1996) → Brooklyn (place of death)
Career
- Occupations
- Writer, Author (children's and adult fiction), Novelist, Memoirist
- Active Years
- 1966-2011
Education
| Institution | Faculty | Department | Degree | Period | Country |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Columbia University School of General Studies | School of General Studies | — | — | 1955–1958 | United States |
Columbia University School of General Studies
School of General Studies
Period:
1955–1958
Country:
United States
Attended from 1955 to 1958. Graduation status unclear.
Awards
| Year | Award | Work | Category | Organization | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Newbery Medal | The Slave Dancer | — | Association for Library Service to Children (American Library Association) | Winner |
| 1978 | Hans Christian Andersen Award | — | — | International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY) | Winner |
| 1983 | National Book Award (Children's Fiction — paperback) | A Place Apart | Children's Fiction (paperback) | National Book Foundation | Winner |
| 2008 | Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis | A Portrait of Ivan (German edition: Ein Bild von Ivan) | — | Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur | Winner (overall children's book prize for German edition) |
| 1985 | Newbery Honor | One-Eyed Cat | — | Association for Library Service to Children (American Library Association) | Honor |
| 2011 | New York State Writers Hall of Fame | — | — | New York State Writers Hall of Fame | Inducted |
Newbery Medal
1974
Work:
The Slave Dancer
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children (American Library Association)
Result:
Winner
Hans Christian Andersen Award
1978
Organization:
International Board on Books for Young People (IBBY)
Result:
Winner
National Book Award (Children's Fiction — paperback)
1983
Work:
A Place Apart
Category:
Children's Fiction (paperback)
Organization:
National Book Foundation
Result:
Winner
Deutscher Jugendliteraturpreis
2008
Work:
A Portrait of Ivan (German edition: Ein Bild von Ivan)
Organization:
Arbeitskreis für Jugendliteratur
Result:
Winner (overall children's book prize for German edition)
Newbery Honor
1985
Work:
One-Eyed Cat
Organization:
Association for Library Service to Children (American Library Association)
Result:
Honor
New York State Writers Hall of Fame
2011
Organization:
New York State Writers Hall of Fame
Result:
Inducted
Awards & Nominations
Hans Christian Andersen Award
1 appearances
-
Edition 12 (1978) Winner
-
Edition 53 (2008) Winner
Works
Major Works
Desperate Characters
1970 Adult novelA novel depicting the breakdown of human relationships and isolation through the story of a suburban couple and their encounter with neighbors.
AlienationCollapse of the ordinaryInterpersonal relationships
Adaptations
- [Film] Desperate Characters (film adaptation, 1971) (1971)
The Slave Dancer
1973 Children's literature (novel)A historical children's novel about a boy caught up in the slave trade, exploring history, ethics, and coming of age.
SlaveryComing of ageMoral conflict
A Place Apart
1980 Children's literatureA children's book dealing with family and belonging; winner of the 1983 National Book Award (Children's Fiction — paperback).
FamilyBelongingAlienation
Borrowed Finery
2001 MemoirA memoir recounting her turbulent early life, family relationships, and years of wandering.
AutobiographyFamily conflictIdentity
Bibliography
- Maurice's Room (1966)
- Poor George (1967)
- Desperate Characters (1970)
- A Portrait of Ivan (1969)
- The Slave Dancer (1973)
- A Place Apart (1980)
- Borrowed Finery (2001)
Adaptations
- Portuguese film 'Coitado do Jorge' (1993), based on Poor George
- Film adaptation of Desperate Characters (1971), reportedly starring Shirley MacLaine
Style & Themes
- Literary Style
- Concise, restrained proseRealistic narration with strong psychological descriptionIn children's literature, interweaves historical and ethical themes
- Recurring Motifs
- AlienationFamily discordMovement and displacement
Health
-
Head injury1996–不明Suffered a head injury in a 1996 mugging in Jerusalem which affected her ability to write.
Legacy
Renowned for both children's and adult fiction; winner of major awards including the 1974 Newbery Medal and 1978 Hans Christian Andersen Award. Her work was rediscovered in the 1990s by a new generation of writers, and she was inducted into the New York State Writers Hall of Fame in 2011.
Academic Societies
- New York State Writers Hall of Fame
Archives
- Library of Congress holdings / related resources
In Popular Culture
- Has connections to popular culture through family: granddaughter is musician Courtney Love.
Quotes
-
If my mother could have hidden the act she would have killed me.
Source: Memoir 'Borrowed Finery' (2001)
Trivia
- Abandoned at birth and raised by a succession of relatives and caregivers.
- Known for both adult and children's books published from the mid-1960s onward.
- Experienced a revival in the 1990s thanks to champions like Jonathan Franzen.
- Grandmother of musician Courtney Love.