Dorothy P. Lathrop facts for kids

Frontispiece to Walter de la Mare's Book of Fairies

Dorothy Pulis Lathrop (born April 16, 1891 – died December 30, 1980) was a talented American writer and illustrator. She was best known for creating beautiful pictures for children's books. She also wrote some of her own stories.

About Dorothy Lathrop

Dorothy Pulis Lathrop was born in Albany, New York. Her birthday was April 16, 1891. Her parents were Ida Pulis Lathrop, a painter, and Cyrus Clark Lathrop, a businessman. Dorothy also had a sister, Gertrude K. Lathrop, who was an artist too.

Dorothy Lathrop had a very long and busy career. She worked from 1919 all the way to 1967. During this time, she used her amazing art skills to illustrate many children's books. She drew pictures for more than 38 books written by other authors. Dorothy also wrote and illustrated nine of her own children's books. She even created several non-fiction books about different topics.

Dorothy was also a skilled printmaker. Much of her artwork showed the beauty of animals. She often highlighted how important animals are in our world.

Her First Books and Friendships

Dorothy Lathrop's career began around 1919. Her first published illustrations appeared in a children's book called The Three Mulla-Mulgars. This book was written by Walter de la Mare. Dorothy became good friends with de la Mare. She went on to illustrate five more of his books for children. These included Down-Adown-Derry (1922) and Mr. Bumps and His Monkey (1942).

Award-Winning Work

In 1929, Dorothy Lathrop illustrated a very popular children's novel. It was called Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field. This story was about a doll's adventures. The book won the Newbery Medal. This award is given by the American Library Association for the best children's novel of the year.

Dorothy also wrote her own books. In 1931, she wrote The Fairy Circus. This book was a runner-up for the Newbery Medal. This means it was one of the top books that year.

In 1938, Dorothy Lathrop won a very special award. Her illustrations for Animals of the Bible earned her the first-ever Caldecott Medal. This medal is given for the "most distinguished American picture book for children" each year.

Other Famous Illustrations

Dorothy Lathrop illustrated many other books. She especially loved drawing for fantasy stories and fairy tales. Some of these included Little Boy Lost by William Henry Hudson. She also illustrated Hans Christian Andersen's The Little Mermaid. Other books were Silverhorn by Hilda Conkling and The Princess and Curdie by George MacDonald.

She also drew pictures for collections of children's poems. These included poems by Walter de la Mare and Sara Teasdale's Stars To-night.

In 1949, Dorothy Lathrop was recognized for her artistic talent. She was elected into the National Academy of Design. This is a big honor for artists.

Her Legacy

Dorothy Lathrop's artwork continues to be admired. Her illustrations for Stars To-Night were even featured on the cover of an album. It was the Animal Collective album called Spirit They're Gone, Spirit They've Vanished.

You can find Dorothy Lathrop's work in many important art museums. These include the Metropolitan Museum of Art and the Williams College Museum of Art.

Some of Dorothy Lathrop's Books

Dorothy Lathrop either wrote or illustrated these books:

• An Angel in the Woods. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Animals of the Bible. (Illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop) - Won the 1938 Caldecott Medal
• Bouncing Betsy. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Follow the Brook. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Hide and Go Seek. (Written by Dorothy Lathrop)
• Hitty: Her First Hundred Years. (Illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop)
• Let Them Live. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Presents for Lupe. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Puffy and the Seven Leaf Clover. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Puppies for Keeps. (Written by Dorothy Lathrop)
• Stars To-Night: Verses New and Old for Boys and Girls. (Illustrated by Dorothy Lathrop)
• The Colt from Moon Mountain. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Dog in the Tapestry Garden. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Fairy Circus. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Little White Goat. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Littlest Mouse. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Lost Merry-Go-Round. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Skittle Skattle Monkey. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• The Snail Who Ran. (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)
• Who Goes There? (Written by Dorothy P. Lathrop)