Anne Parrish facts for kids

Anne Parrish was an American writer who lived from 1888 to 1957. She wrote many books, including popular novels for adults and wonderful stories for children. She was even nominated three times for the Newbery Medal, a special award for the best children's books!

Early Life and Family

Anne Parrish was born on November 12, 1888, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Her family was very artistic! Her father, Thomas Clarkson Parrish, was an etcher (someone who makes art by engraving designs). Her mother, Anne Lodge, was a portrait painter who even studied art in Paris.

Anne had a brother named Dillwyn Parrish who was also a writer and illustrator. She was also a cousin of the famous painter Maxfield Parrish. Anne herself studied painting in Philadelphia, following in her parents' footsteps. In 1915, she married Charles Albert Corliss.

Writing Career

Anne Parrish first trained at the Philadelphia School of Design for Women. She also studied with a famous artist named Thomas Eakins. But instead of becoming a painter, she chose to become a writer!

Her first novel for adults, Pocketful of Poses, came out in 1923. In the same year, she published her first children's book, Knee-High to a Grasshopper. Her brother Dillwyn helped by drawing the pictures for this book. They worked together again on another children's book called Lustres in 1924.

In 1925, Anne Parrish was a runner-up for the important Newbery Medal for her book The Dream Coach. This was her third book with illustrations by her brother. That same year, her novel The Perennial Bachelor was one of the best-selling books in the United States. It even won the Harper Prize from her publisher!

Anne Parrish often wrote stories about strong female characters. Her novels continued to be very popular. In 1928, her book All Kneeling was made into a movie called Born to Be Bad.

Monet painting in his garden in Argenteuil, by Pierre-Auguste Renoir

Anne Parrish also loved art and collected many beautiful paintings. She owned a famous Impressionist painting by Pierre-Auguste Renoir called Monet Painting in His Garden at Argenteuil. She also had a painting by Vincent van Gogh called Vase with Red Poppies. She later gave these amazing artworks to the Wadsworth Atheneum art museum in Connecticut.

Later Life

Anne's first husband, Charles, passed away in 1936. Two years later, she married another writer, Josiah Titzell. They lived together in Redding, Connecticut. After Josiah died in 1943, Anne continued to live there for the rest of her life.

Anne Parrish passed away in 1957. She left money to Cornell University to create a special program for studying and treating brain and emotional disorders. This program is now called the "Anne Parrish Titzell Professor of Neurology" chair.

Books by Anne Parrish

• Pocketful of Poses (1923)
• Knee-High to a Grasshopper (1923), illustrated by Dillwyn Parrish
• Lustres (1924), illustrated by Dillwyn Parrish
• The Dream Coach (1924), illustrated by Dillwyn Parrish – Newbery runner-up
• Semi-Attached (1924)
• The Perennial Bachelor (1925)
• Tomorrow Morning (1927)
• All Kneeling (1928)
• The Methodist Faun (1929)
• Floating Island (novel) (1930) – Newbery runner-up
• Loads of Love (1932)
• Sea Level (1934)
• Golden Wedding (1936)
• Mr. Despondency's Daughter (1938)
• Pray for a Tomorrow (1941)
• Poor Child (1945)
• A Clouded Star (1948)
• The Story of Appleby Capple (1950) – Newbery runner-up
• And Have Not Love (1954)
• The Lucky One (1958)

See Also

Images for kids

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  Cover of The Dream Coach