Allan W. Eckert facts for kids
Allan Wesley Eckert (born January 30, 1931 – died July 7, 2011) was an American writer who wrote many historical novels for both adults and young people. He was also a naturalist, someone who studies nature. One of his most famous books, Incident at Hawk's Hill (1971), was first for adults but later became a popular children's novel. It was even a runner-up for the famous Newbery Medal and was made into a Disney TV movie called The Boy Who Talked to Badgers in 1975.
Eckert wrote many books about nature. He also wrote over 225 episodes for the TV show Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom, which earned him an Emmy Award. His historical novels were very popular, especially those in his series "The Winning of America." One of his plays, Tecumseh!, has been performed outdoors every summer since 1973 in Ohio, drawing many visitors.
Who Was Allan Eckert?
Allan Eckert was born in Buffalo, New York, in 1931. He grew up near Chicago, Illinois. Later, he lived for a long time in Bellefontaine, Ohio.
When he was young, Eckert traveled across the United States by hitchhiking. He learned a lot about wildlife and how to live off the land. He started writing about nature and American history when he was just thirteen years old! He wrote many books for both kids and adults. His children's novel, Incident at Hawk's Hill, was recognized as a Newbery Medal Honor Book in 1972. He even wrote a book about how the great auk, a large bird, became extinct.
Eckert wrote many historical novels about the Ohio Country frontier. These books were part of his "The Winning of America" series. They told stories about brave frontiersmen and important Native American leaders like Tecumseh. Eckert did a lot of research for his books, making sure the facts were correct. However, he sometimes added made-up conversations to make the historical figures seem more real.
Besides books, Eckert also wrote screenplays for movies that were never made. He was a very busy writer! In 1999, a poll in Ohio named him and Toni Morrison as "Favorite Ohio Writer of All Time." Allan Eckert passed away peacefully in his sleep on July 7, 2011, at the age of 80.
Plays and TV Shows Based on His Work
Allan Eckert wrote an outdoor play called Tecumseh!. This play has been performed every year since 1973 at the Sugarloaf Mountain Amphitheater near Chillicothe, Ohio. It's a huge show that celebrates its 25th year of performances in 1997.
Another one of his children's novels, Blue Jacket (1968), was also turned into an outdoor play. It opened in 1982 near Xenia, Ohio. Even though this play eventually closed due to money problems, it brought a lot of money into the local economy, about nine million dollars each year!
Eckert's book A Time of Terror: The Great Dayton Flood (1965) was so good that he was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize. Years later, in 1996, this book was turned into a stage play called 1913: The Great Dayton Flood. Famous actors like Martin Sheen, Ossie Davis, and Ruby Dee even narrated parts of the play. It won several awards and was performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., and later at the Victoria Theatre in Dayton, Ohio.
