Marguerite de Angeli facts for kids

Marguerite de Angeli (born March 14, 1889 – died June 16, 1987) was a talented American writer and artist. She created many wonderful books for children. Her most famous book, The Door in the Wall, won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1950. Marguerite wrote and illustrated 28 of her own books. She also drew pictures for more than 36 books and many magazine stories by other authors.

Early Life and Music

Marguerite Lofft was born in Lapeer, Michigan, on March 14, 1889. She was one of six children. Her father, George Shadrach Lofft, was a photographer and artist. Her mother was Ruby Adele Tuttle Lofft.

In 1902, when Marguerite was 13, her family moved to West Philadelphia. This is where she spent her teenage years. She started high school in 1904. However, a year later, at age 15, she began singing professionally. She sang as a contralto in a Presbyterian church choir. She earned $1 a week. Soon, she left high school to focus more on her music training.

Family Life and Art Career

In 1908, Marguerite met John Dailey de Angeli, a violinist known as Dai. They got married in Toronto on April 12, 1910. Their first child, John Shadrach de Angeli, was born a year later. They had six children in total.

After living in different places, they settled in Collingswood, New Jersey. In 1921, Marguerite began studying drawing with her teacher, Maurice Bower. By 1922, she was illustrating for a Sunday School paper. Soon, her drawings appeared in popular magazines like The Country Gentleman and Ladies' Home Journal. She also illustrated books for other writers. Her first book, Ted and Nina Go to the Grocery Store, was published in 1935.

The de Angeli family moved often, living in various towns around Philadelphia. They also had a summer cabin in Toms River, New Jersey. Marguerite's husband, Dai, passed away in 1969.

Later Years and Legacy

In 1971, Marguerite de Angeli published her autobiography, Butter at the Old Price. This book told the story of her own life. Her very last work was a collection of poems called Friendship and Other Poems. It was published in 1981, when she was 92 years old.

Marguerite de Angeli passed away on June 16, 1987, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She was 98 years old. She left behind three of her sons, a daughter, 13 grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren.

Artistic Style and Themes

Marguerite de Angeli used many different art materials for her illustrations. These included charcoal, pen and ink, oils, and watercolors. Many of her books are set in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, or the surrounding areas.

Her stories often focused on the lives of everyday people. She showed the rich cultures and traditions of groups that were sometimes overlooked. For example, she wrote about:

• Families during the Great Depression.
• African American children facing prejudice.
• Polish mine workers hoping for a better life.
• People with physical disabilities.
• Colonial Mennonites and the Amish.
• Nineteenth-century Quakers who helped the underground railroad.
• Immigrants and other traditional groups.

A key message in de Angeli's books is that we are all similar, deep down. She taught that everyone deserves kindness, understanding, and respect.

Awards and Recognition

Marguerite de Angeli received many awards for her books.

• Her 1946 book, Bright April, was special because it was one of the first children's books to talk about racial prejudice.
• She was recognized as a Caldecott Honor Book illustrator twice. The first time was in 1945 for Yonie Wondernose. The second time was in 1955 for Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes.
• In 1950, she won the famous Newbery Medal for The Door in the Wall. This book also won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1961.
• She received a Newbery Honor mention in 1957 for Black Fox of Lorne.
• She also won the Regina Medal in 1968.

Marguerite de Angeli's Books

Nonfiction for Adults

• Libraries and Reading: Their Importance in the Lives of Famous Americans (1964)
• Butter at the Old Price: The Autobiography of Marguerite de Angeli (1971)

Books Written and Illustrated for Children

• Ted and Nina Go to the Grocery Store (1935)
• Ted and Nina Have a Happy Rainy Day (1936)
• Henner's Lydia (1936) – A story about a young Amish girl in Pennsylvania.
• Petite Suzanne (1937) – About a French-Canadian girl's daily life.
• Copper-Toed Boots (1938) – Shows rural life in the 1800s in Lapeer, Michigan.
• Skippack School (1939) – About a schoolmaster in a Mennonite school in the 1700s.
• A Summer Day with Ted and Nina (1940)
• Thee, Hannah! (1940) – A young Quaker girl meets an escaped slave before the Civil War.
• Elin's Amerika (1941) – About early Swedish settlers in Pennsylvania.
• Up the Hill (1942) – A story about a young Polish mine worker who dreams of becoming an artist.
• Yonie Wondernose (1944) – A curious Amish boy.
• Turkey for Christmas (1944) – A story based on her own family's first Christmas in Philadelphia.
• Bright April (1946) – Deals with racial prejudice in Germantown, Philadelphia.
• Jared's Island (1947) – A Scottish boy shipwrecked in New Jersey.
• The Door in the Wall (1950) – A boy's courage during a plague in Medieval England.
• Just Like David (1951) – A boy wants to be like his older brother.
• Book of Nursery and Mother Goose Rhymes (1954)
• Black Fox of Lorne (1956) – Viking twins in 10th-century Scotland.
• A Pocket Full of Posies: A Merry Mother Goose (1961)
• The Goose Girl (1964) – An illustrated version of the Grimm story.
• Turkey for Christmas (1965) – Christmas stories.
• The Empty Barn (1966, co-written with Arthur C. de Angeli) – About farm life.
• Fiddlestrings (1974) – Based on her husband's childhood in the 1890s.
• The Lion in the Box (1975) – A Christmas story about poverty and an unexpected gift.
• Whistle for the Crossing (1977) – About the first train from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh.
• Friendship and Other Poems (1981) – A collection of her poetry.

Books Illustrated by Marguerite de Angeli

• The New Moon: The Story of Dick Martin's Courage, His Silver Sixpence and His Friends in the New World by Cornelia Meigs (1924)
• The Prince and the Page: a Story of the Last Crusade by Charlotte M. Yonge (1925)
• The Dove in the Eagle's Nest by Charlotte M. Yonge (1926)
• The Little Duke: Richard the Fearless by Charlotte M. Yonge (1927)
• Milady At Arms: A Story of the Revolutionary Days by Edith Bishop Sherman (1927)
• Mario's Castle by Helen Forbes (1928)
• "The Mystery of the Brass Key" by Harriette R. Campbell (1928)
• The Pirate's Ward by Emile Benson and Alden Arthur (1929)
• The Lances of Lynwood by Charlotte M. Yonge (1929)
• Meggy MacIntosh: A Highland Girl in the Carolina County by Elizabeth Janet Gray (1930)
• Red Coats and Blue by Harriette R Campbell (1930)
• A Candle in the Mist by Florence Crannell Means (1931)
• The Christmas Nightingale by Eric Kelly (1932)
• It's More Fun When You Know the Rules: Etiquette Problems for Girls by Beatrice Pierce (1935)
• "Bobby Ravenel's Vocation" by Elsie Singmaster (1935)
• Challenge : Stories of Courage and Love for Girls by Helen Ferris (ed) (1936)
• Courage Stories Every Child Should Know by Helen Ferris (1936)
• The Child Life Mystery-Adventure Book by Marjorie Barrows & Frances Cavanah (1936)
• The Covered Bridge by Cornelia Meigs (1936)
• Joan Wanted a Kitty by Jane Brown Gemmill (1937)
• Alice-All-by-Herself by Elizabeth Coatsworth (1937)
• The Cousin from Clare by Rose Sackett (1937)
• Red Sky over Rome by Anne D. Kyle (1938)
• The Princess and the Gypsy by Jean Rosmer (1938)
• Josie and Joe by Ruth Gipson Plowhead (1938)
• Strong Hearts and Bold by Gertrude Crownfield (1938)
• Cristina Of Old New York by Gertrude Crownfield (1939)
• Heidi's Children by Johanna Spyri's translator Charles Tritten (1939)
• Hymns for Junior Worship musical editor Lawrence Curry (1940)
• Prayers and Graces for Little Children edited by Quail Hawkins (1941)
• They Loved to Laugh by Kathryn Worth (1942)
• In and Out: Verses by Tom Robinson (1943)
• Side Saddle for Dandy by Nancy Faulkner (1954)
• The Old Testament (1960 Doubleday ed)
• Tiny Tots Picture Book by Marguerite de Angeli & others (1962)
• Marguerite de Angeli's Book of Favorite Hymns (1963)
• The Empty Barn by Arthur C. de Angeli (1966)
• The Door in the Wall: A Play, by Arthur C. de Angeli (1968)