Margot Benary-Isbert facts for kids
Margot Benary-Isbert (born December 2, 1889 – died May 27, 1979) was a German writer who later became an American citizen. She is well-known for writing children's books. Her stories often showed how people, especially kids, could overcome big challenges to build new lives.
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Early Life in Germany
Margot Isbert was born in Saarbrücken, which was part of Prussia at the time. She grew up in Frankfurt am Main, a city in the German Empire. From a young age, Margot loved telling stories. A teacher encouraged her to write them down as fiction. Her very first story was published when she was 19 years old.
She studied briefly at the College St. Carolus and the University of Frankfurt. From 1910 to 1917, she worked as a secretary at the Museum of Ethnology and Anthropology in Frankfurt. In 1917, she married Wilhelm Benary, who was a psychologist. They moved to a farm house in Erfurt, where Wilhelm managed his family's business. For a while, Margot even raised Great Danes on their farm.
Life During and After World War II
During World War II, Margot helped by raising animals for food. Her hometown, Erfurt, was taken by the U.S. Army in April 1945. However, it soon became part of the Soviet Zone of Occupation. Because of this, the Benary-Isberts moved to an area near Göttingen. This new location was in the British Zone, which later became West Germany.
They had to share an apartment with two other families. It was during this time that Margot wrote her famous book, Die Arche Noah, which means The Ark. Many of her books are set in Germany after the war. A common message in her stories is how people, especially children, can overcome very difficult situations to create new lives for themselves.
In 1952, the Benary-Isberts moved to the United States. They first lived in Chicago and later settled in Santa Barbara, California. Margot became an American citizen in 1957 and continued to write until she passed away in 1979.
Her Writing Style
Most of Margot Benary-Isbert's books were first written and published in German. Many of these were later translated into English, allowing more readers to enjoy them.
She is known for creating "humane, realistic characters" in her stories. A reviewer from the Times Literary Supplement once wrote that her characters felt "solid, real" and that their lives, hopes, and sorrows truly mattered to the reader. Her stories are admired for being full of rich details and for always being of high quality. Many people believe her books were even better than other similar books from that time.
Margot Benary-Isbert died on May 27, 1979, in Santa Barbara. Her cousin, Otto Albrecht Isbert (1901-1986), was also a German author.
Awards and Recognition
Margot Benary-Isbert received several awards for her wonderful books:
- In 1953, she won first prize at the New York Herald Tribune Spring Book Festival for her book The Ark.
- In 1957, she received the Jane Addams Children's Book Award from the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom for her book Annegret und Cara.
List of Books (English Titles)
Here are some of Margot Benary-Isbert's books that were translated into English:
- The Ark (1953)
- Rowan Farm (1954)
- The Shooting Star (1954)
- The Wicked Enchantment (1955)
- Castle on the Border (1956)
- Blue Mystery (1957)
- The Long Way Home (1959)
- Dangerous Spring (1961)
- A Time to Love (1962)
- Under a Changing Moon (1964)
- These Vintage Years (1968)
