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Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

フィリス・レイノルズ・ネイラー

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor

Profile

Gender
Female
Born
1933-01-04 （Anderson, Indiana, USA）
Nationality
American
Languages
English
Residence History
Anderson, Indiana (birthplace) → Joliet, Illinois (education) → Chicago, Illinois (early career) → Maryland, USA (later residence; attended American University)

Career

Occupations
Writer, Children's author, Young adult author
Active Years
1965-
Influenced By
Mark Twain (favorite childhood book: Huckleberry Finn)
Influenced
Sophia Naylor (granddaughter; writer, comedian, playwright)

Education

Joliet Junior College
Period: 1951–1953
Year of Graduation: 1953
Country: United States
American University
Undergraduate
Degree: BA
Period: 1960–1963
Year of Graduation: 1963
Country: United States
Planned to pursue a master's in clinical psychology but chose to become a full-time writer

Awards

Newbery Medal
1992
Work: Shiloh
Organization: American Library Association
Result: 受賞
Edgar Allan Poe Award (Edgar Award)
1985
Work: Night Cry
Organization: Mystery Writers of America
Result: 受賞
Sequoyah Children's Book Award
1994
Work: Shiloh
Organization: Oklahoma library organization
Result: 受賞
Mark Twain Readers Award
1994
Work: Shiloh
Organization: Missouri children's reading organization
Result: 受賞
William Allen White Children's Book Award
1994
Work: Shiloh
Organization: William Allen White Award organization
Result: 受賞
Kerlan Award
Organization: University of Minnesota Kerlan Collection
Result: 受賞
Foremother Award
2014
Organization: National Center for Health Research
Result: 受賞
Child Study Award
Result: 受賞

Awards & Nominations

Works

Major Works

Shiloh

1991 Children's novel / Young adult 160 pages

Set in West Virginia, a coming-of-age story about a boy who finds an abused dog, Shiloh, and faces moral dilemmas and responsibility in protecting it.

Coming of ageMoral dilemmasAnimal welfareFamily
Adaptations
  • [Film] Shiloh / Sandy Tung (1996)

Night Cry

1984 Mystery / Young adult 178 pages

A suspenseful mystery featuring a young protagonist. Winner of the 1985 Edgar Award.

MysteryFear and anxietyYouth psychology

The Agony of Alice

1985 Young adult / Children's literature 160 pages

About a 12-year-old girl, Alice, coping with the loss of her mother and the struggles of adolescence; it launched the long-running Alice series.

AdolescenceFamilySelf-discoveryRealistic portrayal

Bibliography

  • The Galloping Goat and Other Stories (1965)
  • Grasshoppers in the Soup (1965)
  • Shiloh (1991)
  • The Agony of Alice (1985)
  • Night Cry (1984)
  • A Shiloh Christmas (2015)

Adaptations

  • Film 'Shiloh' (dir. Sandy Tung, 1996)

Style & Themes

Literary Style
Realistic, child-centered narrative voiceConcise and accessible prosePortrayals that question morals and ethics
Recurring Motifs
Coming-of-ageFamily and domestic issuesMoral choicesAnimals (notably dogs)

Legacy

Phyllis Reynolds Naylor made significant contributions to children's and young adult literature; her Newbery-winning Shiloh brought national recognition. Her Alice series, by addressing adolescent topics frankly, became frequently challenged and sparked debates about censorship and freedom of expression.

Academic Societies

  • PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship (founder)

Archives

  • de Grummond Children's Literature Collection, University of Southern Mississippi (Phyllis Reynolds Naylor papers)

In Popular Culture

  • The Alice series became a frequent target of library challenges and bans, generating discussion about censorship in school and public libraries.
  • Shiloh was adapted into a film and reached a wider audience.

Quotes

  • I will write as long as I can hold a pencil.
    Source: Interviews / public statements

Trivia

  • Has written over 130 books and roughly 2,000 articles.
  • The Alice series is one of the most frequently challenged book series in recent decades.
  • Co-founder of the PEN/Phyllis Naylor Working Writer Fellowship.