Katherine Milhous facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katherine Milhous
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| Born | November 27, 1894 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA |
| Died | December 5, 1977 (aged 83) Philadelphia |
| Occupation | Graphic artist, illustrator, writer |
| Period | 1938–1964 (books) |
| Genre | Children's picture books; posters |
| Subject | Pennsylvania (posters) |
| Notable works | The Egg Tree |
| Notable awards | Caldecott Medal 1951 |
Katherine Milhous (1894–1977) was a talented American artist, illustrator, and writer. She is most famous for her children's book, The Egg Tree. This book won the prestigious Caldecott Medal in 1951 for its amazing illustrations.
Katherine came from a Quaker family in Philadelphia who worked in printing. She also created cool graphic designs for the Works Progress Administration (WPA). Her art was even shown at big events like the 1939 New York World's Fair.
Contents
About Katherine Milhous
Katherine Milhous was born on November 27, 1894. Her parents, Osborn and Katherine Daly Milhous, were Quakers and printers in Philadelphia. When she was young, her family moved to Pitman, New Jersey. This was a small town known for its camp meetings.
Katherine later returned to Philadelphia for her art studies. She attended the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. She also studied at the Pennsylvania Museum School of Industrial Art. To help pay for her schooling, Katherine illustrated magazines.
In 1934, she won a special award called the Cresson Traveling Fellowship. This award allowed her to study art overseas. After her travels, she came back to Philadelphia. For 40 years, she shared an art studio with her friend and fellow artist, Frances Lichten.
Art and Books
From 1935 to 1940, Katherine Milhous worked as a supervisor for the Philadelphia Federal Art Project (FAP). This was a part of the Works Progress Administration. One of her main jobs was to create posters that promoted the state of Pennsylvania. She often used traditional Pennsylvania Dutch designs in her posters.
Alice Dalgliesh, who led the Children's Book division at Charles Scribner's Sons, saw Katherine's posters. She was very impressed and hired Katherine as a staff designer. Katherine worked with Alice Dalgliesh on several books. She co-wrote and illustrated them. Alice Dalgliesh was also a famous children's writer.
Katherine Milhous also illustrated books for other authors. And, of course, she wrote and illustrated her own popular books. She was a member of the American Institute of Graphic Arts. Katherine Milhous passed away in Philadelphia on December 5, 1977. Her original papers and artworks are kept in special collections. You can find them at the Free Library of Philadelphia and the University of Minnesota.
Books Written and Illustrated by Katherine Milhous
- Once on a Time (Charles Scribner's Sons, 1938) – edited with Alice Dalgliesh
- Lovina: A Story of the Pennsylvania Country (Scribner, 1940)
- Herodia, the Lovely Puppet (Scribner, 1942)
- Corporal Keeperupper (Scribner, 1943)
- The First Christmas Crib (Scribner, 1944)
- Snow over Bethlehem (Scribner, 1945)
- The Egg Tree (Scribner, 1950)
- Patrick and the Golden Slippers (Scribner, 1951)
- Appolonia’s Valentine (Scribner, 1954)
- With Bells On: A Christmas Story (Scribner, 1955)
- Through These Arches: The Story of Independence Hall (J. B. Lippincott & Co., 1964)
Books Illustrated by Katherine Milhous
- Happily Ever After: Fairy Tales (Scribner, 1939), edited by Alice Dalgliesh
- A Book for Jennifer, A Story of London Children in the Eighteenth Century and of Mr. Newbery's Juvenile Library (Scribner, 1940), by Dalgliesh
- Billy Button's Buttered Biscuit (Frederick A. Stokes, 1941), by Mabel Leigh Hunt
- Wings around South America(Scribner, 1941), by Dalgliesh
- They Live in South America (Scribner, 1942), by Dalgliesh, illustrated by Milhous and Frances Lichten
- The Little Angel: A Story of Old Rio (Scribner, 1943), by Dalgliesh
- The Silver Pencil (Scribner, 1944), by Dalgliesh
- The Brownies (Scribner, 1946), by Juliana Horatia Ewing (1865)
- Old Abe: American Eagle (Scribner, 1946), by Lorraine Sherwood
- Along Janet's Road (Scribner, 1946), by Dalgliesh
See also
- Fraktur (Pennsylvania German folk art)
