Eleanor Coerr facts for kids

Eleanor Coerr (born Eleanor Page) was a writer from Canada who became an American citizen. She wrote many books for children, including Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. This famous book is a historical story, and she also wrote many picture books. She lived from May 29, 1922, to November 22, 2010.

About Eleanor Coerr

Eleanor Coerr was born in Kamsack, Saskatchewan, Canada. She grew up in Saskatoon. As a child, she loved to imagine and read new stories. In high school, her best friend was from a Japanese family. Through this friendship, Eleanor became interested in calligraphy (beautiful writing), Japanese food, and origami (paper folding). She learned about Japanese culture and hoped to visit Japan someday. She later did visit Japan while writing her book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes.

Her Education and Work

Eleanor Coerr went to the University of Saskatchewan. She later studied at the Kadel Airbrush School. She earned a bachelor's degree in English from American University. Then, she got a master's degree in library science from the University of Maryland.

After finishing her studies, Eleanor worked as a newspaper reporter. She also edited a special section for children in newspapers. Later, she taught children's literature at Monterey Peninsula College. She also taught creative writing at Chapman College in California.

Her Travels and Books

In 1965, Eleanor married Wymberley DeRenne Coerr. He was a diplomat, which means he worked for the U.S. government in other countries. He had been the U.S. Ambassador to Uruguay. Eleanor traveled with him to many places around the world. These countries included Japan, Taiwan, Thailand, Philippines, and Brazil.

Eleanor wrote and illustrated her first book in 1945. However, she did not start publishing her books until the 1970s. She wrote many children's books. She also gave lectures at universities in America and other countries. Her husband passed away in 1996. After that, Eleanor lived a more private life in Pebble Beach, California, and Henderson, Nevada.

Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes

Eleanor Coerr is most famous for her book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes, which came out in 1977. This book tells the true story of Sadako Sasaki. Sadako was a young girl who became sick with leukemia when she was two years old. This illness was caused by the atomic bomb dropped on Hiroshima.

Sadako heard a Japanese legend that said if you fold a thousand paper cranes, you would get your wish. She started folding paper cranes, hoping to get well. But she only folded 664 cranes before she passed away at the age of twelve. Eleanor Coerr's book helped share Sadako's story with many people around the world.

Eleanor Coerr died on November 22, 2010, when she was 88 years old.

Books by Eleanor Coerr

• Twenty-five dragons (1971)
• Biography of a Giant Panda (1974)
• Biography of a Kangaroo (1976)
• Jane Goodall (1976)
• Waza Wins at Windy Gulch (1977)
• Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes (1977)
• The mixed-up mystery smell (1980)
• The Bell Ringer and the Pirates (1983)
• The Big Balloon Race (1984)
• Lady with a Torch: How the Statue of Liberty Was Born (1986)
• Chang's Paper Pony (1993)
• Sam the Minuteman (1995)
• Buffalo Bill and the Pony Express (1996)
• Sadako (1997)
• Prairie School (2003)
• Mieko and the Fifth Treasure (2003)
• Josefina Story Quilt (Spanish: Josefina y la colcha de retazos) (2006)

See also

In Spanish: Eleanor Coerr para niños