Hildegard Woodward facts for kids

Hildegard Woodward (1898–1977) was a talented American artist and writer. She is best known for creating many wonderful children's books. She wrote and illustrated these books herself. Two of her books even received a special award called the Caldecott Honor. Besides children's books, Hildegard also created art for adult stories and humorous works. She was famous for her watercolor paintings, but she also used oil paints. She was a children's portrait artist too.

Early Life and Art Training

Hildegard Woodward was born in Worcester, Massachusetts, on February 10, 1898. Her parents were Rufus and Stella Woodward. She loved art from a young age. She studied at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. She also traveled to Paris, France, to continue her art education.

Award-Winning Books

Hildegard Woodward became famous for her illustrations in children's books. She received a special honor called the Caldecott Medal for her work.

• In 1948, she earned a Caldecott Honor for her pictures in Roger and the Fox. This book was written by Lavinia R. Davis.
• She received another Caldecott Honor in 1950. This time it was for her illustrations in The Wild Birthday Cake.

Later Life and Unique Art

In 1953, Hildegard Woodward painted a large picture, called a mural. It was on the wall of the Center School cafeteria in Brookfield, Connecticut. This town was close to where she lived in Hawleyville.

Later in her life, in the 1960s, Hildegard started to lose her eyesight. But this did not stop her from painting! Even when she became blind, she found a new way to create art. She developed a special method called "painting by touch." This showed her amazing dedication to art.

Hildegard Woodward never married or had children. She passed away in December 1977 in Connecticut.

Her Legacy and Collections

Hildegard Woodward's original papers and artwork are kept in special collections. You can find her papers at the University of Southern Mississippi. Copies of her original artwork are held at the Children's Literature Research Collection. This collection is located at the University of Minnesota.

Selected Books by Hildegard Woodward

Hildegard Woodward wrote and illustrated many books. She also illustrated books written by other authors. Here are some of her notable works:

• Little World-Children (1928) — written by Elizabeth Ellis Scantlebury
• The Blue Teapot: Sandy Cove Stories (1931) — written by Alice Dalgliesh
• P-Penny and His Little Red Cart (1934) — written by Amy Wentworth Stone
• Everyday Children (1935)
• The Chosen Baby (1939) — written by Valentina Pavlovna Wasson
• Jared's Blessing (1942)
• Round Robin (1943) — written by Lavinia R. Davis
• Roger and the Fox (1947) — written by Alice Dalgliesh; received a 1948 Caldecott Honor
• The Wild Birthday Cake (1949) — written by Lavinia R Davis; received a 1950 Caldecott Honor
• Philippe's Hill (1950) — written by Lee Kingman
• The Wonderful Story of How You Were Born (1953) — written by Sidonie Matsne Gruenberg
• The House On Grandfather's Hill (1961)
• Time Was (1962)