Katherine Paterson facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katherine Paterson
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Paterson in 2011
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| Born | Katherine Womeldorf October 31, 1932 Huai'an, Jiangsu, China |
| Occupation | Writer |
| Nationality | American |
| Alma mater |
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| Period | 1973–present |
| Genre | Children's and young-adult novels |
| Notable works |
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| Notable awards |
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| Spouse |
John Barstow Paterson
(m. 1962; died 2013) |
Katherine Paterson (born October 31, 1932) is an American author famous for her books for kids and young adults. Her most well-known novel is Bridge to Terabithia. She has won many important awards for her writing. These include two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards for books published between 1975 and 1980.
Paterson has also received two major international awards for her lasting contributions to children's literature. She won the Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1998 and the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award in 2006. The Astrid Lindgren Award is the largest prize for children's literature in the world. She was also the second US National Ambassador for Young People's Literature from 2010 to 2011.
Contents
Early Life and Moving Around
Katherine Womeldorf was born in Huai'an, Republic of China. Her parents, G. Raymond and Mary Womeldorf, were Presbyterian missionaries. Her father worked as a preacher and led a boys' school. The family lived in a Chinese neighborhood and learned a lot about Chinese culture.
When Katherine was five, her family had to leave China because of the Japanese invasion in 1937. They moved back to the United States when World War II began. During the war, Katherine, her parents, and her four siblings lived in different towns in Virginia and North Carolina. Since they couldn't go back to China, they kept moving. In total, the Womeldorf family moved 15 times in 13 years!
Education and Missionary Work
Katherine's first language was Chinese, so she found it hard to read and write English at first. But she worked hard and got very good at it. In 1954, she graduated with top honors from King College in Bristol, Tennessee, with a degree in English.
After college, she taught at a small elementary school in Virginia for a year. Then, she went to graduate school at the Presbyterian School of Christian Education. There, she studied the Bible and Christian education. Katherine had hoped to become a missionary in China, but the country's borders were closed. A friend encouraged her to go to Japan instead. In Japan, she worked as a missionary and helped with Christian education. Her time in Japan, where she learned about both Japanese and Chinese cultures, greatly influenced her future books.
Becoming a Writer
Katherine Paterson started her writing career in 1964. She wrote educational materials for fifth and sixth graders for the Presbyterian Church. In 1966, she wrote a religious education book called Who Am I?.
Even though she kept writing, she couldn't get any of her novels published for a while. After some encouragement, she took a creative writing class for adults. Soon after, her first novel was published! Her first children's novel, The Sign of the Chrysanthemum, came out in 1973. This book is a historical story set in medieval Japan, inspired by her studies there.
Bridge to Terabithia, her most famous book, was published in 1977. This book became very popular, even though it deals with difficult topics.
Themes in Her Books
Many of Katherine Paterson's books explore tough themes, like losing someone you love. In a speech in 2007, she said she has been a writer for over 40 years. She noted that her books often feature "heroes of the most unlikely sort."
Paterson's young main characters often face big problems. They learn to overcome these challenges through self-sacrifice and courage. Unlike some other authors, Paterson isn't afraid to write about serious topics like death and jealousy. Even though her characters go through hard times, Paterson writes with kindness and understanding. She also adds clever humor to her stories. After facing difficult events, her characters usually succeed and find their way.
Her main characters are often children who are orphans or feel alone, with only a few friends. They usually have to deal with tough situations by themselves. This might reflect Paterson's own childhood, where she sometimes felt lonely.
Recent Life and Work
Katherine Paterson lives in Barre, Vermont. Her husband, John Barstow Paterson, who was a retired pastor, passed away in 2013. She has four children and seven grandchildren.
In 2005, Paterson dedicated a tree at Takoma Park Elementary School. This tree was in memory of Lisa Hill, a childhood friend of her son David. Lisa was the inspiration for Bridge to Terabithia.
In 2006, she released Bread and Roses, Too. She was inspired to write this book after seeing an old photograph. The photo showed 35 children who had come to Barre during the Bread and Roses Strike in Lawrence, Massachusetts.
Paterson also wrote a play based on Beatrix Potter's story, The Tale of Jemima Puddle-Duck. It was performed in California in 2009.
From 2010 to 2011, Katherine Paterson served as the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature for the Library of Congress. This two-year role helps to show how important reading and education are for everyone.
In 2013, she received the Children's Literature Legacy Award from the American Library Association. This award honors authors whose books have made a "substantial and lasting contribution to literature for children." The committee specifically mentioned Bridge to Terabithia. They noted that Paterson's honest but hopeful way of dealing with sadness and loss helped open the door for more realistic stories for young people.
As of 2022, Katherine Paterson is a vice-president of the National Children's Book and Literacy Alliance. This group works to support reading, books, and libraries.
Adaptations of Her Books
Several of Katherine Paterson's books have been made into movies or TV shows:
- Bridge to Terabithia was made into a film twice: a PBS version in 1985 and a Disney/Walden Media version in 2007. Her son, David L. Paterson, was one of the producers and screenwriters for the 2007 film. He is also mentioned in the dedication of the novel.
- Her 1980 novel, Jacob Have I Loved, became a made-for-television film in 1989. It was part of the WonderWorks series on Public Broadcasting Service.
- Her short story "Poor Little Innocent Lamb" was adapted into the 2002 TV movie Miss Lettie and Me.
- Another novel, The Great Gilly Hopkins, was made into a film in 2015. This screenplay was also written by her son, David L. Paterson.
Awards and Honors
Katherine Paterson has received many awards throughout her career. The Hans Christian Andersen and Astrid Lindgren Awards are the two biggest international honors for children's literature. The Laura Ingalls Wilder Award is the highest honor from US librarians for contributions to American children's literature.
She has also won many awards for individual books:
- National Book Award for The Master Puppeteer (1977) and The Great Gilly Hopkins (1979)
- Edgar Allan Poe Special Award for Master Puppeteer (1977)
- Newbery Medal for Bridge to Terabithia (1977) and Jacob Have I Loved (1981)
- Scott O'Dell Award for Historical Fiction for Jip, His Story (1996)
- The 1994 Phoenix Award for Of Nightingales That Weep, twenty years after it was published, as the best children's book that didn't win a major award at the time.
Awards for Her Entire Body of Work
- E. B. White Award from the American Academy of Arts & Letters, 2019
- Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal, 2013
- NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature 2007
- Astrid Lindgren Award for Lifetime Achievement 2006
- Literary Light, Boston Public Library 2000
- Living Legend, Library of Congress 2000
- Hans Christian Andersen Medal for Writing 1998
- Lion of the New York Public Library 1998
- Who's Who in American Women 1995 to present
- King College, Outstanding Alumnus 1993-1994
- Education Press Friend of Education Award 1993
- Anne V. Zarrow Award for Young Readers' Literature, Tulsa Public Library 1993
- New England Book Award 1992
- US Nominee Hans Christian Andersen Award 1989–90
- Regina Medal, Catholic Library Association 1988
- Children's Literature Award, Keene State College 1987
- Kerlan Award, University of Minnesota 1983
- The University of Southern Mississippi Medallion 1983
- Scott O'Dell Award for Children's Literature 1982
- US Nominee Hans Christian Andersen Award 1979–80
- Who's Who in America 1978 to present
- The Union Medal, Union Theological Seminary (New York)
See also
In Spanish: Katherine Paterson para niños
