Crescent Dragonwagon facts for kids

Crescent Dragonwagon, whose birth name was Ellen Zolotow, was born on November 25, 1952, in New York City. She is a very creative writer who has written many different types of books. She has published fifty books in total. These include novels, cookbooks, and more than twenty children's books. She has also written a biography and a collection of poems.

Crescent Dragonwagon's parents were also writers. Her mother was Charlotte Zolotow and her father was Maurice Zolotow. Her brother, Steve Zolotow, is a professional poker player. Even though some of her cookbooks include meat recipes, Crescent Dragonwagon has been a vegetarian since she was 22 years old. This means she does not eat meat.

Crescent Dragonwagon and her late husband, Ned Shank, used to own a special place. It was called Dairy Hollow House. This was a country inn and restaurant located in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. After that, Dragonwagon helped start a non-profit organization. It was called the Writers' Colony at Dairy Hollow. She was very involved in the cultural and literary life of Arkansas. She lived there for 31 years.

Awards and Recognitions

Crescent Dragonwagon has received several awards for her writing. Her tenth children's book, Half a Moon and One Whole Star, was published in 1986. It was illustrated by Jerry Pinkney. This book won the Coretta Scott King Award. This award celebrates African American authors and illustrators of children's books. The book was also chosen as a Reading Rainbow Selection. Reading Rainbow was a popular TV show that encouraged children to read.

In 1991, Crescent Dragonwagon won the Porter Prize from Arkansas. This award recognizes outstanding literary achievements.

Book Awards

Crescent Dragonwagon's cookbooks have also won important awards.

Books by Crescent Dragonwagon

Crescent Dragonwagon has written many books for different age groups.

Cookbooks

Cookbooks are books that contain recipes for making food. Crescent Dragonwagon has written several popular ones.

• Putting Up Stuff for the Cold Time: Canning, Preserving & Pickling for Those New to the Art or Not (1973)
• The Dairy Hollow House Cookbook (1986)
• Passionate Vegetarian (2002) - This book won a James Beard Foundation Award in 2003.
• The Cornbread Gospels (2007)
• Bean by Bean: A Cookbook (2011)

Children's Books

Crescent Dragonwagon has written many books especially for young readers.

• Rainy Day Together (Harper & Row, 1971) - This was a picture book illustrated by Lillian Hoban.
• When Light Turns into Night (1975)
• Wind Rose (1976)
• Will It Be Okay? (1977)
• Your Owl Friend (1977) - A picture book illustrated by Ruth Lercher Bornstein.
• If You Call My Name (1981) - A picture book illustrated by David Palladini.
• "Katie in the Morning" (1983) - A picture book illustrated by Betsy A. Day.
• I Hate My Brother Harry (1983)
• Always, Always (1984)
• Coconut (1984) - A picture book illustrated by Nancy Tafuri.
• Alligator Arrived With Apples: A Potluck Alphabet Feast (1985)
• Half a Moon and One Whole Star (1986) - A picture book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
• This Is the Bread I Baked for Ned (1989)
• Home Place (1990) - A picture book illustrated by Jerry Pinkney.
• Winter Holding Spring (1990)
• Alligators and Others All Year Long (1993)
• Annie Flies the Birthday Bike (1993)
• Brass Button (1997)
• Bat in the Dining Room (1997)
• And Then It Rained / And Then the Sun Came Out (2002)
• Sack of Potatoes (2002)
• All the Awake Animals Are Almost Asleep (2012)

Novels

Novels are longer stories that tell a fictional tale.

• The Year It Rained (1985)
• To Take A Dare (1982) - This book was co-written with Paul Zindel.