Kathleen Karr facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Kathleen Karr
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| Born | Kathleen Csere April 21, 1946 Allentown, Pennsylvania |
| Died | December 6, 2017 (aged 71) |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | historical novels |
| Notable awards | Agatha Award |
Kathleen Karr (born Kathleen Csere; April 21, 1946 – December 6, 2017) was an American author. She wrote many historical novels for children and young adults. She won the Golden Kite Award for her book The Boxer.
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About Kathleen Karr's Life
Kathleen Karr was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania. She grew up in a small community called Dorothy in New Jersey. Her family owned a chicken farm there.
She studied English literature in college. She earned her first degree from Catholic University in 1968. Later, she received a master's degree from Providence College in 1971.
Kathleen Karr was married to Lawrence F. Karr from 1968 until he passed away in 2007. They had two children, Suzanne and Daniel.
Kathleen Karr's Writing Career
Kathleen Karr lived in Washington, D.C. for a time. She worked at the American Film Institute starting in 1971. After a year, she worked for a movie theater company.
She wrote her first novel, Light of My Heart, in 1984. Her children later asked her to write a story for them. This led her to publish her first children's book, It Ain't Always Easy, in 1990. After this, she became a full-time writer for kids and young adults.
One of her famous books is The Great Turkey Walk. This story shows how turkeys were moved long distances. People would walk poultry from one county to another, just like it was done for hundreds of years.
Another interesting book is Gilbert and Sullivan Set Me Free. This novel is about women in a prison in Massachusetts in 1914. They put on a play called The Pirates of Penzance. The prison's chaplain used music and theater to help the inmates. It brought them together as a community.
Awards and Recognition
Kathleen Karr received several awards for her books. In 2003, she won the Agatha Award. This was for the best Children's/YA Mystery of the Year for her book The Seventh Knot.
She also won the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI) 2000 Golden Kite Award. This award was for Best Fiction for her novel The Boxer. Many of her other books were recognized by the American Library Association (ALA). They were chosen as "Notable" and "Best Books for Young Adults."
Her book The Great Turkey Walk was named "Best Book of the Year." This recognition came from both Publishers Weekly and School Library Journal.
Kathleen Karr was also a member of the Children's Book Guild of Washington, D.C. She even served as its president. She was also a member of the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators.
Kathleen Karr's Books
- Fortune's Fool (2008)
- Born for Adventure (2007)
- Worlds Apart (2005)
- Mama Went to Jail for the Vote (2005)
- Exiled: Memoirs of a Camel (2004)
- Gilbert & Sullivan Set Me Free (2003)
- The 7th Knot (2003)
- Bone Dry (2002)
- Playing With Fire (2001)
- The Boxer (2000)
- It Happened In the White House (2000)
- Skullduggery (2000)
- Man of the Family (1999)
- The Great Turkey Walk (1998)
- Oregon, Sweet Oregon (1998)
- Lighthouse Mermaid (1998)
- Gold Rush Phoebe (1998)
- Phoebe's Folly (1997)
- Spy in the Sky (1997)
- Go West, Young Women (1997)
- In The Kaiser's Clutch (1995)
- Oh, Those Harper Girls (1995)
- The Cave (1994)
- The Promised Land (1993)
- Gideon and the Mummy Professor (1993)
- It Ain't Always Easy (1990)
