Scott Corbett facts for kids

W. Scott Corbett (born July 27, 1913 – died March 6, 2006) was an American writer and teacher. He is best known for writing many exciting books for children. He wrote over 30 books specifically for young readers, including his famous novel The Lemonade Trick.

Meet W. Scott Corbett

Scott Corbett started his writing career by creating five novels for adults. Later, he decided to focus on writing books for children. He loved writing so much that he stopped teaching in 1965 to become a full-time author.

One of his adult books, The Reluctant Landlord, was even turned into a movie called Love Nest in 1951. His first book for kids, Susie Sneakers, came out in 1956. He wrote many books, with at least 34 of them made just for children.

From Journalist to Author

Scott Corbett was born in Kansas City, Missouri. He earned a degree in journalism from the University of Missouri in 1934. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. He worked as a reporter for Stars and Stripes, a military newspaper for American soldiers in Europe. He also became the last editor of Yank, the Army Weekly, an Army magazine based in Paris. He was one of the first reporters to enter the Dachau concentration camp in Germany near the end of the war.

Life in Providence and Awards

In 1957, Scott Corbett and his wife moved to Providence, Rhode Island. Besides writing, he also taught at the Moses Brown School. He passed away at his home in Providence when he was 92 years old. He was honored as a member of the Rhode Island Heritage Hall of Fame.

Corbett's book Cutlass Island won the Edgar Allan Poe award in 1962. This award is given by the Mystery Writers of America for the best mystery book written for children. In 1976, his book The Home Run Trick won the Mark Twain Award. This special award is chosen by schoolchildren in Missouri. Many of Corbett's books were written while he was traveling the world. He and his wife often took trips on freighter ships.