Esther Averill facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Esther Averill
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| Born | Esther Holden Averill July 24, 1902 Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States |
| Died | May 19, 1992 (aged 89) New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupation | Illustrator, Publisher, Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater | Vassar College (1923) |
| Genre | Children's picture books |
| Notable works | The Cat Club series |
| Notable awards | New York Times Best Children's Book of the Year, for "Jenny's Birthday Book" (1954) |
Esther Averill (born July 24, 1902 – died May 19, 1992) was an American writer and illustrator. She is most famous for her "Cat Club" picture books. These are a collection of 13 stories about a small black cat named Jenny Linsky, who always wears a red scarf. Esther Averill was also an editor and a publisher.
Contents
Esther Averill's Amazing Life
Esther Averill was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, on July 24, 1902. Even as a teenager, she showed her creative side by drawing cartoons for a local newspaper!
After finishing college at Vassar College in 1923, she worked for a fashion newspaper called Women's Wear Daily. In 1925, she moved to Paris, France. There, she helped a photojournalist, someone who takes pictures for news stories.
Starting Domino Press
In 1931, Esther started her own publishing company called the Domino Press. This company focused on creating beautiful children's picture books. These books were illustrated by talented young artists. Domino Press used special printing methods to make the colors look great.
The very first book Domino Press published was Daniel Boone. It was illustrated by Feodor Stepanovich Rojankovsky, who later won a big award for picture book illustration in the U.S. Domino Press published several other children's books before it closed in 1938.
The Cat Club Books
Esther Averill came back to the United States in 1941. She continued with Domino Press for a short time. After that, she worked in the children's section at the New York Public Library.
In 1944, she wrote and illustrated The Cat Club. This was the first book in her famous series about Jenny Linsky. Jenny was a cat who lived in New York City with her kind owner, Captain Tinker.
Between 1944 and 1972, Esther Averill wrote and illustrated twelve more stories about Jenny Linsky and her cat friends. All the cats in her books were based on real cats that Esther owned or knew! The Cat Club books became very popular. They were even translated into six different languages. Many of these beloved books have been re-released since 2003, so new readers can enjoy them.
Esther Averill passed away in New York City on May 19, 1992.
The Famous Cat Club Books
Here are all the books in Esther Averill's popular Cat Club series:
- The Cat Club, 1944
- The School for Cats, 1947
- Jenny's First Party, 1948
- Jenny's Moonlight Adventure, 1949
- When Jenny Lost Her Scarf, 1951
- Jenny's Adopted Brothers, 1952
- How the Brothers Joined the Cat Club, 1953
- Jenny's Birthday Book, 1954
- Jenny Goes to Sea, 1957
- Jenny's Bedside Book, 1959
- The Fire Cat, 1960
- The Hotel Cat, 1969
- Captains of the City Streets, 1972
More Books by Esther Averill
Esther Averill also wrote and illustrated other books:
- Daniel Boone, 1931 (with Lila Stanley; illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky)
- Powder: The Story of a Colt, a Duchess, and the Circus, 1933 (with Lila Stanley; illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky)
- Fable of a Proud Poppy, 1934 (as John Domino; illustrated by Emile Lahner)
- Flash: The Story of a Horse, a Coach-Dog, and the Gypsies, 1934 (illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky)
- Political Propaganda in Children's Books of the French Revolution, 1935
- The Voyages of Jacques Cartier, 1937 (illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky)
- The Adventures of Jack Ninepins, 1944
- Daniel Boone, 1945 (a new version of the 1931 book, with the same illustrations)
- King Philip: The Indian Chief, 1950 (illustrated by Vera Belsky)
- Cartier Sails the St. Lawrence, 1956 (a new version of the 1937 book, with the same illustrations)
- Eyes on the World: The Story and Work of Jacques Callot, 1969
