Russell Freedman facts for kids
Russell A. Freedman (born October 11, 1929 – died March 16, 2018) was a famous American writer. He wrote almost 50 books for young people. He is best known for winning the important Newbery Medal in 1988. He won this award for his book Lincoln: A Photobiography.
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About Russell Freedman
Books were always a big part of Russell Freedman's life. His father worked for a company, and his mother worked in a bookstore. This early connection to books likely helped shape his future career.
He went to college at San Jose State University. Later, he worked as a reporter and editor for the Associated Press in San Francisco. In the mid-1950s, he took a job in advertising in Manhattan.
It was during this time that Russell Freedman wrote his first book. He got the idea after reading about a blind teenage boy. This boy had invented a special Braille typewriter. Freedman's first book, Teenagers Who Made History, came out in 1961. After it was published, he decided to become a full-time writer.
As a writer of nonfiction books for kids, Freedman was known for his amazing research. People often praised how well he put words and pictures together in his books. He lived in New York City.
Russell Freedman's Books
Russell Freedman wrote many books about history and famous people. Here are some of his well-known works:
- Cowboys of the Wild West, 1985
- Lincoln: A Photobiography, 1987
- Indian Chiefs, 1987
- Buffalo Hunt, 1988
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt, 1990
- The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane, 1991
- An Indian Winter, 1992
- Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery, 1993
- Kids at Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor, 1994
- Immigrant Kids, 1995
- The Life and Death of Crazy Horse, 1996
- Out of Darkness: The Story of Louis Braille, 1997
- Martha Graham: A Dancer's Life, 1998
- Babe Didrikson Zaharias: The Making of a Champion, 1999
- Give Me Liberty: The Story of The Declaration of Independence, 2000
- Children of the Wild West, 2000
- Marian Anderson and the Struggle for Equal Rights, 2004
- 100 People Who Changed America, 2004
- Children of the Great Depression, 2005
- The Adventures of Marco Polo, 2006
- Freedom Walkers: The Story of the Montgomery Bus Boycott, 2006
- Who Was First?: Discovering the Americas, 2007
- Washington at Valley Forge, 2008
- The War to End All Wars: World War I, 2010
- Lafayette and the American Revolution, 2010
Awards and Honors
Russell Freedman received many important awards for his writing. These awards show how much his books helped young readers learn.
Major Awards
- In 1998, he received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal. This award is given to an author whose books have made a "lasting contribution" to children's literature in the United States.
- He also received one of the National Humanities Medals in 2007. This medal honors people who have deepened the nation's understanding of the humanities.
- Freedman received the Carter G. Woodson Book Award twice. He won in 2005 for The Voice that Challenged a Nation and in 2007 for Freedom Walkers. This award recognizes books that promote understanding of ethnic diversity.
Awards for Specific Books
Many of Russell Freedman's books won special honors.
- His book Lincoln: A Photobiography won the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1988. It was also named an ALA Notable Book.
- Eleanor Roosevelt: A Life of Discovery was a Newbery Honor Book in 1994. It also won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award.
- The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane was another Newbery Honor Book in 1992. It won the Boston Globe-Horn Book Award too.
- Franklin Delano Roosevelt received the Orbis Pictus Award in 1991. This award celebrates outstanding nonfiction for children.
- Kids At Work: Lewis Hine and the Crusade Against Child Labor won the Jane Addams Children's Book Award in 1995.
