Louise Rankin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Louise Rankin
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| Born | July 2, 1897 Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
| Died | November 21, 1951 Washington, D.C., USA |
| Occupation | Author, editor, politician |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | Children's literature |
Louise Spieker Rankin (born July 2, 1897 – died November 21, 1951) was an American writer, editor, and politician. She is best known for her children's books. Her first children's novel, Daughter of the Mountains, received a special award called the Newbery Honor in 1949. This award recognizes excellent books for children.
About Louise Rankin
Early Life and Travels
Louise Spieker was born in Baltimore, Maryland, in 1897. Her father, Edward Spieker, was a professor at Johns Hopkins University. Louise went to Goucher College and also studied at Johns Hopkins University.
She married Everett H. Rankin. He worked as an executive for a big oil company called Socony-Vacuum Oil Company. From 1933 to 1942, Louise and Everett lived in different countries. They lived in India, Tibet, and Sri Lanka.
Writing Career
Louise Rankin's book, Daughter of the Mountains, was published in 1948. She got the idea for this story from someone she met in the Himalayas mountains. The book received many good reviews.
It won an award for books for children aged 8–12. This award came from the Children's Book Festival, which was sponsored by the New York Herald Tribune. In 1949, Daughter of the Mountains was also named a Newbery Honor book.
Rankin wrote another book for children called The Gentling of Jonathan (1950). This book was not as popular as her first one. She also wrote a cookbook titled An American Cook Book for India.
Besides writing, Louise Rankin worked for Reader's Digest magazine. She also served as a politician. She was the state committeewoman for Tompkins County on the New York State Republican Committee. This meant she helped represent her area in the Republican political party.
Later Life
Louise Rankin passed away in Washington, D.C., on November 21, 1951. She had been ill for some time. Her writings and other important papers are kept at the Cornell University library.
