Kate Seredy facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kate Seredy
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| Born | November 10, 1899 Budapest, Hungary |
| Died | March 7, 1975 (aged 75) Middletown, New York |
| Occupation | Writer, illustrator |
| Language | English |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards | Newbery Medal 1938 |
Kate Seredy (born November 10, 1899 – died March 7, 1975) was a talented writer and artist from Hungary. She created many wonderful books for children. Kate Seredy won the famous Newbery Medal for her book The White Stag. She also received other important awards, like the Newbery Honor and the Caldecott Honor. It's interesting that she wrote most of her books in English, even though Hungarian was her first language! Many of her stories, like The Good Master, are about her home country, Hungary.
Contents
Kate Seredy's Early Life
Kate Seredy was born on November 10, 1899, in Budapest, Hungary. She was the only child of Louis Peter Seredy, a schoolteacher, and Anna Ireny. From a young age, Kate loved art. She studied at the Academy of Arts in Budapest. She earned a special diploma to teach art.
During World War I, Kate Seredy went to Paris. There, she worked as a nurse helping soldiers. After the war ended, she returned to Hungary. She started her career by drawing pictures for several books.
Moving to America and Becoming an Author
In 1922, Kate Seredy moved from Budapest to the United States. She worked hard to learn English. To support herself, she worked as an artist and illustrator. Her goal was to illustrate books for children.
From 1933 to 1934, Kate Seredy owned a children's bookstore. The store did not become a big success. However, she later said it helped her a lot. She learned what children liked to read. This helped her understand what makes a good children's book.
In 1935, Kate Seredy met May Massee. May Massee was an editor for children's books at Viking Press. Massee did not have any illustration jobs for Kate. But she encouraged Kate to write a book about her childhood in Hungary. She even promised to publish it for Christmas!
After several months, Kate Seredy finished her first book. It was called The Good Master. She also drew all the pictures for it. The story was not exactly her own life. But Kate did spend her summers on the plains of Hungary as a child. She used many of her memories in the book. It tells the story of a young girl named Kate. She moves from the city to live with her uncle's family in the countryside.
The Good Master was a big success. It was named a Newbery Honor book in 1935. That same year, Kate also illustrated Caddie Woodlawn. This book won the Newbery Medal. She also designed the cover for Young Walter Scott. This book was another Newbery Honor book.
Famous Books and Awards
In 1936, Kate Seredy wrote and illustrated a book called Listening. This story was set in rural New Jersey. That same year, she bought a large farm in New York. She called it "Listening Hill."
It was at "Listening Hill" that she wrote The White Stag. This book retells old legends about the Huns settling in Hungary. Kate learned these stories from her father when she was a child. She also illustrated this book. The White Stag won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1938. In 1959, it also received the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award.
The Singing Tree was published in 1939. It was a sequel, or follow-up, to The Good Master. This book shows how World War I affected Kate and her family. It highlights the sad effects of war on everyday people. Especially those who had to leave their homes to fight. The Singing Tree was also named a Newbery Honor book.
Kate Seredy continued to write and illustrate her own books. She also drew pictures for books by other writers. In 1945, she illustrated The Christmas Anna Angel by Ruth Sawyer. In 1971, she was given the Caldecott Honor for these illustrations.
Kate Seredy's Legacy
Kate Seredy had twelve children's books published. But she always thought of herself as an illustrator first. She had a special drawing style. She often said her books were "an excuse for making pictures." Her last book, Lazy Tinka, was dedicated to her editor, May Massee.
Kate Seredy passed away on March 7, 1975, in Middletown, New York. She was 75 years old. Her original papers and illustrations are kept in special collections. You can find them at Emporia State University in Kansas and the University of Oregon Library.
Works
Books Written and Illustrated by Kate Seredy
- The Good Master, Viking Press, 1935
- Listening, Viking, 1936
- The White Stag, Viking, 1937
- The Singing Tree, Viking, 1939
- A Tree for Peter, Viking, 1941
- The Open Gate, Viking, 1943
- The Chestry Oak, Viking, 1948
- Gypsy, Viking, 1951
- Philomena, Viking, 1955
- The Tenement Tree, Viking, 1959
- A Brand New Uncle, Viking, 1961
- Lazy Tinka, Viking, 1962
Selected Books Illustrated by Kate Seredy
- Friendly Stories by Arthur I. Gates and Miriam Blanton Huber, Macmillan, 1930
- The Pathfinder : Readings from Modern Literature by Lawton B. Evans, Macmillan, 1930
- God our Father by Virgil George Michel and Basil Augustine Stegmann, Macmillan, 1934
- The Prince Commands by Andre Norton, D. Appleton–Century Company, 1934
- Caddie Woodlawn by Carol Ryrie Brink, Macmillan, 1935
- Common Sense for Mothers on Bringing up Your Children from Babyhood to Adolescence by Estelle Mulqueen Reilly, Funk & Wagnalls, 1935
- Young Walter Scott by Elizabeth Janet Gray, Viking, 1935
- The Selfish Giant and Other Stories compiled by Wilhelmina Harper, David McKay, 1935
- Winterbound by Margery Bianco, Viking, 1936
- Smiling Hill Farm by Miriam Evangeline Mason, Junior Literary Guild and Ginn and Co., 1937
- An Ear for Uncle Emil by E.R. Gaggin, Junior Literary Guild and Viking, 1939
- The Christmas Anna Angel by Ruth Sawyer, Viking, 1943
- The Wonderful Year by Nancy Barnes, Junior Literary Guild and J. Messner, 1946
- Little Vic by Doris Gates, Viking, 1951
- A Dog Named Penny by Clyde Robert Bulla, Ginn, 1955
