Katharine Holabird facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katharine Holabird
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| Born | January 23, 1948 Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States |
| Education | Francis W. Parker School |
| Alma mater | Bennington College |
| Notable works | Angelina Ballerina |
| Spouse |
Michael Haggiag
(m. 1974) |
| Children | 2 |
Katharine Holabird (born January 23, 1948) is an American writer. She is most famous for creating the Angelina Ballerina book series. These popular books feature a dancing mouse and are illustrated by Helen Craig. Katharine Holabird also wrote the Twinkle series, which Sarah Warburton illustrated.
Contents
Growing Up and Learning
Katharine Holabird was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She was the second of four daughters. Her family lived in Chicago and loved art. They often spent summers in Michigan.
In 1969, she earned a degree in literature from Bennington College in Vermont. After graduating, she worked at the college for a year. She helped edit literary works.
Starting Her Writing Journey
Katharine then moved to Italy. There, she worked as a journalist, writing for different publications. She met her husband, Michael Haggiag, in Italy. They got married in 1974 and moved to London.
In London, Katharine kept writing. She also worked at a nursery school. She has two daughters, Tara and Alexandra. Later, she met Helen Craig, an artist and photographer. Helen's drawings were inspired by her own childhood in rural England.
Katharine and Helen started working together. Helen illustrated small books about mice. Katharine wrote some of the stories. In 1983, Katharine's son, Adam, was born.
The Magic of Angelina Ballerina
In 1983, Katharine Holabird's first children's book came out. It was called Angelina Ballerina. Her son Adam inspired the character Henry. Angelina's love for dressing up and dancing came from Katharine's daughters.
Katharine wrote the first draft of Angelina Ballerina at her kitchen table. Her daughters were dancing around her! The books were first about a girl. But then Helen Craig drew a mouse, and Katharine loved it.
Katharine said that Angelina the mouse "came alive." She seemed to "pirouette off the page" with lots of energy. Angelina is a very emotional character. She is sensitive and sometimes cries before saying sorry. She always tries to do the right thing. This is something many young children can relate to.
The Angelina books explore common childhood feelings. These include friendship, jealousy, loyalty, and dedication. As a child, Katharine loved reading fairy tales. She also enjoyed stories about brave animals. She often watched ballets like Cinderella and Swan Lake with her grandmother.
Young Katharine loved animals and playing in her tree house. She also danced with her sisters. She remembers a time before TV was everywhere. She said they "created our own imaginative world." She wanted the Angelina books to show the real challenges of growing up. She calls it a ballet book for "all the passionate little dancers and performers in the world."
Angelina's Growing Popularity
The first American version of Angelina Ballerina was published in 1984. A year later, Katharine won the Kentucky Bluegrass Award for the book. She also received ALA Notable Book Awards in 1986 and 1987.
Angelina's Christmas was named Children's Book of the Year in 1987. In 1988, Katharine and Helen published Alexander and the Dragon. This book helped preschool children feel better about bedtime monsters. In 1990, Katharine wrote a sequel, Alexander and the Magic Boat. It shows a strong mother-son bond as they explore imaginary worlds. Katharine also won the British Book Design and Production award in 1990.
In 1999, HIT Entertainment in London bought the rights for Angelina Ballerina. This company is known for Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder. They made an animated TV show pilot. HIT also created many Angelina toys and products.
Angelina's TV show first aired in the United Kingdom in 2001. Actress Finty Williams was the voice of Angelina. Her mother, Judi Dench, voiced Miss Lilly. In 2002, the Angelina series started on PBS Kids TV in the United States.
Angelina Ballerina's Invitation to the Ballet won a special award in the U.S. in 2004. That same year, Angelina became the official spokesperson for National Dance Week in the United States. In 2005, Angelina also appeared on PBS Kids Sprout, a TV channel for young children.
Later Achievements
In 2006, Katharine Holabird was invited to Queen Elizabeth's 80th birthday party. This special event took place at Buckingham Palace. That same year, all the Angelina books were reissued in the United States.
Also in 2006, the Angelina Ballerina Dance Academy began. It offered special ballet classes across England. In 2007, a new ballet called Angelina's Star Performance debuted in London. It was based on the book Angelina at the Palace. The English National Ballet performed it.
Katharine and Helen have published ten Angelina books and two Alexander books. The Angelina books have been translated into more than 20 languages.
Katharine speaks English, French, Italian, and some Spanish. Her favorite books include Charlotte's Web, Black Beauty, and the Harry Potter series. She writes in a blue room in her London home. It usually takes her six to eight weeks to write an Angelina book. After that, Helen Craig illustrates it for at least three months. Then, the book goes to the publisher and is usually released nine months later.
Her most recent work is the Twinkle series. These books are about a child fairy who attends the Fairy School for Music and Magic. Welsh artist Sarah Warburton illustrates the Twinkle series.
