Fun Facts Friday: Elizabeth Coatsworth

Elizabeth Coatsworth (31 May, 1893 – 31 August, 1986) was an American author known for her children’s stories and poetry for both kids and adults.

1. Born in Buffalo, New York, Elizabeth was the daughter of a prosperous grain merchant.
2. As a young girl, Coatsworth went to a private girls’ school.
3. Her parents took her traveling with them, my age 5 she already visited the Alps and Egypt.
4. Coatsworth as a Master of Arts from Columbia University.
5. The author’s first published works appeared in poetry magazines and her first book, Fox Footprints, was published in 1923 and was a collection of poetry for adults.
6. Coatsworth friend, Louise Seaman, founded the first children’s book publishing dept. at Macmillan. Louise is the one that convinced Elizabeth to write her first children’s book.
7. The Cat Who Went to Heaven was published in 1930. The book tells the story of an artist who is painting a picture of Buddha for a group of monks.
8. The Cat Who Went to Heaven earned Coatsworth a Newberry Medal for “the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children”. Coatsworth won praises for her adult fiction as well, especially The Incredible Tales.
9. Over the span of an incredible career, Coatsworth published over 90 book from 1927 to 1976.
10. Coatsworth papers are at the Kerlan Collection at the University of Minnesota and Bowsoin Colleger, Brunswick, Maine

Zohar – Man of la Book