Rebecca Caudill facts for kids

Rebecca Caudill Ayars (born February 2, 1899 – died October 2, 1985) was an American author who wrote over twenty books, mostly for children. She is famous for her stories that often take place in the Appalachian Mountains. Two of her books, Tree of Freedom and A Pocketful of Cricket, won special awards. Tree of Freedom was a Newbery Honor Book in 1950, and A Pocketful of Cricket was a Caldecott Honor Book.

A Writer's Journey

Rebecca Caudill was one of eleven children! She grew up in Harlan County, Kentucky, in a place called Poor Fork, which is now Cumberland, Kentucky.

She went to Wesleyan College in Macon, Georgia. After college, she taught English and history for a year in Portland, Tennessee. In 1922, she earned a master's degree in International Relations from Vanderbilt University. This degree helped her understand how different countries work together.

Rebecca then taught English as a second language (ESL) in Brazil for two years. When she came back to Tennessee, she worked as an editor for a short time. Later, she moved to Chicago for another job in publishing. In 1931, she married James Sterling Ayars. They moved to Urbana, Illinois in 1937 with their two children.

Stories from Appalachia

Rebecca Caudill's first book, Barrie and Daughter (published in 1943), was inspired by her own childhood memories. She grew up in the hills of Kentucky and Tennessee. Many of her books for children brought to life the pioneer era of the 1700s and 1800s. She loved the culture of the Appalachia region.

She once wrote about her home: "Doors in the houses of my Appalachia were never locked against friend or stranger. The people found their pleasures in the simple things of life. They possessed a kind of profound wisdom, characteristic of those who live close to Nature, who walk in step with Nature's rhythm, and depend on Nature for life itself."

Making a Difference

Rebecca Caudill was also very active in her community. She helped start the Champaign-Urbana Peace Council. This group worked to promote peace. She also created a special program at Wesleyan College to welcome international students. She served on the boards for the Pine Mountain Settlement School and the Urbana Free Library. She also taught many workshops to help other people learn how to write.

Many of Rebecca Caudill's books have been translated into at least five other languages.

List of Books

• Barrie and Daughter (1943)
• Happy Little Family (1947)
• Schoolhouse in the Woods (1949)
• Tree Of Freedom (1949)
• Up and Down the River (1951)
• Florence Nightingale (1953)
• Saturday Cousins (1953)
• The House of the Fifers (1954)
• Susan Cornish (1955)
• Schoolroom in the Parlor (1959)
• Time for Lissa (1959)
• Higgins and the Great Big Scare (1960)
• The Best-loved Doll (1962)
• A Pocketful of Cricket (1964)
• The Far-off Land (1964)
• A Certain Small Shepherd (1965)
• The High Cost of Writing (1965)
• Did You Carry the Flag Today, Charley? (1966)
• My Appalachia: a reminiscence (1966)
• Come Along (1969)
• Contrary Jenkins (1969)
• Rebecca Caudill (1969)
• The World of Rebecca Caudill (1970)
• Somebody Go and Bang a Drum (1974)
• Wind, Sand and Sky (1976)
• From Hardshell Baptist to Quaker (1979)
• The Joyous Land: a play for childhood and youth week (n.d.)

Awards and Honors

Rebecca Caudill received many honors for her writing and her work. In 1963, the University of Kentucky, Southeast Center, held a special "Rebecca Caudill Day" to celebrate her. In 1965, the first community library in Cumberland, Kentucky, was named the Rebecca Caudill Public Library in her honor.

Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame

On January 23, 2014, Rebecca Caudill was added to The Kentucky Writers Hall of Fame. This is a very special honor for writers from Kentucky. She was the first children's author to be included in the Hall of Fame.

Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award

There is even an award named after her! The Rebecca Caudill Young Reader's Book Award (RCYRBA) celebrates her important contributions to children's literature. Each year, schoolchildren in Illinois from Grade 4 to Grade 8 vote for their favorite book from a list of twenty nominees.