Elizabeth Winthrop facts for kids

Elizabeth Winthrop (née Alsop; born September 14, 1948) is an American writer, the author of more than sixty published books, primarily children's fiction.

She is best known for the classic middle-grade novel, The Castle in the Attic and its sequel, The Battle for the Castle, which, together, have been nominated for 23 state book awards and are considered children's classics.

Life

Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop was born in Washington, D.C. She is a daughter of the newspaper columnist and political analyst Stewart Alsop and Patricia Alsop, a retired American Red Cross medical research technologist. One of her siblings is investor and pundit Stewart Alsop II. Her uncle was Joseph Alsop. Her grandfather was Joseph Alsop IV (1876–1953), who married Corinne Douglas Robinson (1886–1971). She is a great grandniece of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and first-cousin twice removed to Eleanor Roosevelt. Her great-grandmother was Corinne Roosevelt Robinson.

Winthrop graduated from Sarah Lawrence College. She married and divorced once before 2005. On March 26 of that year she married Robert Jason Bosseau, director of the drama program at Riverdale Country School in the Bronx, New York.

Writer

Her memoir, Daughter of Spies: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies was published under her maiden name, Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop by Regal House. Her most recent children's book is Maia and the Monster Baby (Holiday House, 2012) illustrated by Amanda Haley. Her most recent historical novel, Counting on Grace was chosen as a Notable Book of the Year by the American Library Association, the National Council of Social Studies, the International Reading Association and the Children's Book Council among others.

Some of her most popular picture books include Dumpy La Rue, Shoes, Dog Show, Squashed in the Middle, The First Christmas Stocking, and The Biggest Parade.

Selected books

• Daughter of Spies: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies (Regal House, 2022)
• Counting on Grace, Jane Adams Peace Prize
• The Biggest Parade Illustrated by Mark Ulriksen (Henry Holt, 2006); ISBN: 9780805076851, ISBN: 0805076859
• Squashed in the Middle Illustrated by Pat Cummings (Henry Holt, 2005) ALA Notable Book
• The Battle for the Castle (Yearling, 1994)
• The Castle in the Attic (Yearling, 1985) Dorothy Canfield Fisher Children's Book Award

Complete list of books

• Daughter of Spies: Wartime Secrets, Family Lies , Elizabeth Winthrop Alsop, 9781646032747
• Maia and the Monster Baby (Holiday House, 2012) Illustrated by Amanda Haley; ISBN: 0823425185, ISBN: 9780823425181
• Island Justice (new eBook format, 2012); ASIN B007VSRBVU
• The Biggest Parade (Henry Holt, 2006) Illustrated by Mark Ulriksen; ISBN: 0-8050-7685-9, ISBN: 9780805076851
• Counting on Grace (Wendy Lamb Books/Random House, 2006); ISBN: 0-385-74644-X, ISBN: 978-0-55348783-1
• The First Christmas Stocking (Delacorte Books, 2006) Illustrated by Bagram Ibatoulline; ISBN: 0385-32804-4, ISBN: 9780385328043
• Squashed in the Middle (Henry Holt, 2005) Illustrated by Pat Cummings; ISBN: 0805064974, ISBN: 9780805064971
• Dog Show (Henry Holt, 2004) Illustrated by Mark Ulriksen; ISBN: 0-8050-7111-3, ISBN: 9780805071115
• Dancing Granny (Marshall Cavendish, 2003) Illustrated by Salvatore Murdocca; ISBN: 0761451412, ISBN: 9780761451419
• The Red Hot Rattoons (Henry Holt, 2003) Illustrated by Betsy Lewin; ISBN: 0805072292, ISBN: 0-8050-7986-6, ISBN: 9780805079869 (Audio version)
• Halloween Hats (Henry Holt, 2002) Illustrated by Sue Truesdell; ISBN: 0805063862, ISBN: 9780805063868
• Dear Mr. President: Franklin Delano Roosevelt: Letters from a Mill Town Girl (Winslow Press, 2001); ISBN: 1-890817-61-9, ISBN: 9781890817619 (Audio version)
• Dumpy La Rue (Henry Holt, 2001) Illustrated by Betsy Lewin; ISBN: 0-8050-6385-4, ISBN: 0-8050-7535-6
• Promises (Clarion, 2000) Illustrated by Betsy Lewin; ISBN: 0395822726, ISBN: 9780395822722
• As the Crow Flies (Clarion, 1998) Illustrated by Joan Sandin; ISBN: 0395776120, ISBN: 9780395776124
• In My Mother's House (Doubleday, 1998); ISBN: 0385171218, ISBN: 9780385171212
• Island Justice (William Morrow, 1998);ISBN: 0688169686, ISBN: 9780688169688 EBook, ISBN: 978-1-61909-009-5
• The Little Humpbacked Horse: A Russian Tale (Clarion, 1997) Illustrated by Alexander Koshkin; ISBN: 0395653614, ISBN: 9780395653616
• Bear and Roly-Poly (Holiday House, 1996) Illustrated by Patience Brewster; ISBN: 0823411974, ISBN: 9780823411979
• I'm the Boss (Holiday House, 1994) Illustrated by Mary Morgan; ISBN: 0823411133, ISBN: 9780823411139
• Asleep in a Heap (Holiday House, 1993) Illustrated by Mary Morgan; ISBN: 0823409929, ISBN: 9780823409921
• The Battle for the Castle (Holiday House, 1993); ISBN: 0823410102, ISBN: 9780823410101, ISBN: 044040942X Audio, ISBN: 0807281891, ISBN: 9780807281895 (Audio version)
• A Very Noisy Girl (Holiday House, 1991); Illustrated by Ellen Weiss; ISBN: 0823408582, ISBN: 9780823408580
• Bear's Christmas Surprise (Holiday House, 1991); Illustrated by Patience Brewster; ISBN: 0823408884, ISBN: 9780823408887, ISBN: 044041492X, ISBN: 9780440414926, ISBN: 0750011971, ISBN: 9780750011976
• Vasilissa the Beautiful (HarperCollins, 1991); Illustrated by Alexander Koshkin ISBN: 006021662X, ISBN: 9780060216627, ISBN: 0064433455, ISBN: 9780064433457
• Luke's Bully (Viking/Penguin, 1990); Illustrated by Pat Grant Porter; ISBN: 0670831034, ISBN: 9780670831036, ISBN: 0140343296, ISBN: 9780140343298
• The Best Friends Club: A Lizzie and Harold Story (Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1989) Illustrated by Martha Weston; ISBN: 0688075835, ISBN: 9780688075835, ISBN: 0153036362, ISBN: 9780153036361
• Sledding (Harper and Row, 1989) Illustrated by Sarah Wilson; ISBN: 0060265280, ISBN: 9780060265281, ISBN: 0590480812, ISBN: 9780590480819
• Bear and Mrs. Duck (Holiday House, 1988) Illustrated by Patience Brewster; ISBN: 0823406873, ISBN: 9780823406876, ISBN: 0823408434, ISBN: 9780823408436
• Maggie and the Monster (Holiday Housem 1987) Illustrated by Tomie DePaola; ISBN: 0399247114, ISBN: 978-0-399-24711-8, ISBN: 0823406393, ISBN: 9780823406395
• Lizzie and Harold (Lothrop, Lee and Shepard, 1986) Illustrated by Martha Weston; ISBN: 0688027113, ISBN: 9780688027117
• Shoes (Harper and Row, 1986) Illustrated by William Joyce; ISBN: 0060265922, ISBN: 9780060265922, ISBN: 0064431711, ISBN: 9780064431712, ISBN: 0694008443, ISBN: 9780694008445
• The Story of the Nativity (Simon & Schuster, 1986) Illustrated by Ruth Sanderson; ISBN: 0671630199, ISBN: 9780671630195
• The Castle in the Attic (Holiday House, 1985); ISBN: 0823405796, ISBN: 9780823405794, ISBN: 0440409411, ISBN: 9780440409410, ISBN: 0862783070, ISBN: 9780862783075, ISBN: 0807277878 (Audio), ISBN: 9780807277874 (Audio)
• Happy Easter, Mother Duck (First Little Golden Books, 1985) Illustrated by Diane Dawson Hearn; ISBN: 0307681572, ISBN: 978-0307681577
• He Is Risen: The Easter Story (Holiday House, 1985) Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak; ISBN: 0823405478, ISBN: 9780823405473
• My First Book of the Planets (Western Pub. Co., 1985), Illustrated by John Nez; ISBN: 0307020053, ISBN: 9780307020055
• Tough Eddie (Puffin, 1985) Illustrated by Lillian Hoban; ISBN: 0525444963, ISBN: 9780525444961, ISBN: 0140331298, ISBN: 9780140331295
• Being Brave Is Best (Tale from the Care Bears) (Parker Brothers, 1984); ISBN: 0910313199, ISBN: 9780910313193
• Belinda's Hurricane (Dutton, 1984) Illustrated by Wendy Watson; ISBN: 0525441069, ISBN: 9780525441069
• The Christmas Pageant (Goldencraft, 1984), Illustrated by Kathy Wilburn; ISBN: 0307681505, ISBN: 9780307681508
• Grover Sleeps Over (Sesame Street, A Growing Up Book) (Western Pub. Co., 1984) Illustrated by Maggie Swanson; ISBN: 0307120104, ISBN: 9780307120106
• The Shoelace Box (Golden Press, 1984), Illustrated by Kathy Wilburn; ISBN: 978-0-307-02054-3
• A Child Is Born: The Christmas Story (Holiday House, 1983), Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak; ISBN: 0823404722, ISBN: 9780823404728
• Katharine's Doll (Dutton, 1983) Illustrated by Marilyn Hafner; ISBN: 0525440615, ISBN: 9780525440611, ISBN: 0525447385, ISBN: 9780525447382
• I Think He Likes Me (Harper and Row, 1980), Illustrated by Denise Saldutti; ISBN: 0060265515, ISBN: 9780060265519
• Miranda in the Middle (Holiday House, 1980); ISBN: 0553151584
• Sloppy Kisses (Macmillan, 1980), Illustrated by Anne Burgess; ISBN: 0-02-793210-9, ISBN: 0140504338
• Are You Sad, Mama? (Harper and Row, 1979), Illustrated Donna Diamond; ISBN: 0-06-026539-6
• Journey to the Bright Kingdom (Holiday House, 1979), Illustrated by Charles Mikolaycak; ISBN: 0823403572
• Marathon Miranda (Holiday House, 1979); ISBN: 0553150731
• Knock, Knock, Who's There (Holiday House, 1978); ISBN: 0823403378, ISBN: 0440947588
• Potbellied Possums (Holiday House, 1977), Illustrated by Barbara McClintock; ISBN: 0823402894, ISBN: 978-0823402892
• That's Mine (Holiday House, 1977), Illustrated by Emily McCully; ISBN: 0823403084, ISBN: 9780823403080
• A Little Demonstration of Affection (Harper and Row, 1975); ISBN: 0440948754, ISBN: 9780440948759
• Walking Away (Harper and Row, 1973), Illustrated by Noelle Massena; ISBN: 0060265337, ISBN: 9780060265335
• Bunk Beds (Harper and Row, 1972), Illustrated by Ronald Himler; ISBN: 0060265310, ISBN: 9780060265311