Nonny Hogrogian facts for kids

Nonny Hogrogian (born May 7, 1932, died May 9, 2024) was an American writer and artist. She was famous for creating children's picture books. She won the important Caldecott Medal twice for her amazing illustrations in children's books. Even as a child, she loved folk tales, fairy tales, poems, and fantasy stories.

Biography

Early Life and Education

Nonny Hogrogian was born in New York City on May 7, 1932. Her parents were from Armenia. They enjoyed painting as a hobby. Her sister grew up to be an interior designer.

Nonny studied Fine Arts at Hunter College, earning her degree in 1953. After college, she worked as a book designer at a company called Thomas Y. Crowell Co.. She also studied art with famous artists like Antonio Frasconi and Hodaka Yoshida.

Career and Marriage

In 1960, Thomas Y. Crowell Co. published her first illustrations. These were for a book called King of the Kerry Fair by Nicolete Meredith. Nonny used woodcuts to create the pictures for this book.

Later, she worked as a designer at other publishing companies, Holt and Scribner's. She also became a freelance illustrator, meaning she worked for herself.

In 1971, Nonny Hogrogian married David Kherdian. He was a writer and editor. For two years, they lived in Lyme Center, New Hampshire. David was the state's "poet-in-the-schools" there. Their works are kept together in the state university library. Nonny also illustrated some of David's poetry books and other writings.

Nonny Hogrogian passed away on May 9, 2024. This was just two days after her 92nd birthday.

Awards

Nonny Hogrogian won the prestigious Caldecott Medal for her illustrations two times. She received it in 1966 and again in 1972. The American Library Association award gives this medal each year. It honors the "most distinguished American picture book for children" from the previous year.

In 1966, she won for Always Room for One More. This book was written by Sorche Nic Leodhas. It was published by Holt, Rinehart and Winston in 1965.

In 1972, she won for One Fine Day. This was an old Armenian tale that Nonny herself retold and illustrated. Macmillan US published it in 1971.

Nonny Hogrogian also received a Caldecott Honor in 1977. This was for her book The Contest. She also retold and illustrated this story.

Works

Books

• Right Now
• The Cat Who Loved To Sing
• The Animal (illustrator)
• The First Christmas
• By Myself
• Juna's Journey
• The Great Fishing Contest
• The Song of the Stork
• Always Room for One More
• Cool Cat
• The Contest
• One Fine Day
• Ghosts Go Haunting (Illustrator)