Peggy Rathmann facts for kids
Peggy Rathmann (born March 4, 1953) is a famous American writer and illustrator. She is best known for creating popular picture books for children. Her stories often feature funny characters and clever plots.
Peggy Rathmann was born in St. Paul, Minnesota. She later studied at the University of Minnesota. She also learned about commercial art, fine art, and how to create children's books. She studied in cities like Chicago, Minneapolis, and Los Angeles.
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Her First Books and Early Success
Peggy Rathmann's first book was Ruby the Copycat. It was published in 1991. This book helped her win an award for "Most Promising New Author." After that, she illustrated a book called Bootsie Barker Bites. This book was written by Barbara Bottner.
She then wrote and illustrated her own book, Good Night, Gorilla. This book became very popular with young readers. It is known for its simple text and charming illustrations.
Award-Winning Stories
In 1995, Peggy Rathmann's book Officer Buckle and Gloria won a major award. It received the Caldecott Medal. This medal is given each year for the best illustrations in a U.S. picture book. The story is about a safety-conscious police officer and his clever dog.
After this big win, she wrote more books. These include 10 Minutes till Bedtime and The Day the Babies Crawled Away. The Day the Babies Crawled Away was named one of the best books of 2003.
Special Recognition for Good Night, Gorilla
In 2014, Good Night, Gorilla received another honor. It was a runner-up for the Phoenix Picture Book Award. This award celebrates great picture books that didn't win a major prize 20 years earlier. Books are judged on both their pictures and how well the words and illustrations work together.
Beyond Writing: Helping the Earth
Peggy Rathmann and her husband, John Wick, also work on something important. They have a ranch in California. There, they use special farming methods called regenerative agriculture. This helps make the soil healthier and is good for the environment.
Peggy Rathmann's Books
Peggy Rathmann has illustrated at least seven picture books. She wrote six of these books herself. Here are some of her most well-known titles:
- Ruby the Copycat (Scholastic, 1991), ISBN: 9780590437479
- Bootsie Barker Bites, written by Barbara Bottner (G. P. Putnam's Sons, 1992), ISBN: 9780698114272
- Good Night, Gorilla (Putnam, 1994), ISBN: 9780399224454
- Officer Buckle and Gloria (Putnam, 1995), ISBN: 9780399226168
- 10 Minutes till Bedtime (Putnam, 1998), ISBN: 9780142400241
- The Day the Babies Crawled Away (Putnam, 2003), ISBN: 9780399231964
- How Many Lambies on Grammy's Jammies? (Putnam, 2006), ISBN: 9780399231971
Many of her books have been translated into other languages. For example, Gute Nacht, Gorilla (the German version of Good Night, Gorilla) was named "Book of the Month" in Germany in 2006.
