The Heavenly Tenants facts for kids
The Heavenly Tenants is a fantasy novel written by William Maxwell. It tells a magical story about a family farm in Wisconsin. One day, the living signs of the zodiac visit this farm. At the same time, the constellations that belong to these signs disappear from the night sky.
The book was illustrated by Ilonka Karasz. It was published in 1946 by Harper & Brothers. This special book was also a runner-up for the 1947 Newbery Medal, which is a famous award for children's literature.
Contents
What is The Heavenly Tenants About?
The story takes place on the Marvell family farm. This farm is in the state of Wisconsin. The Marvell family lives a normal farm life. But then, something extraordinary happens. The twelve signs of the zodiac, like Leo the Lion or Gemini the Twins, come alive. They leave their usual places in the sky. Instead, they visit the Marvell family farm.
The Missing Constellations
As the zodiac signs arrive on Earth, their matching constellations vanish. These constellations are groups of stars that form patterns in the sky. For example, when Leo the Lion comes to the farm, the Leo constellation disappears from the night sky. This creates a mystery. The Marvell family must figure out what is happening. They also need to understand why these heavenly visitors have chosen their farm.
Who Wrote and Illustrated the Book?
The Heavenly Tenants was written by William Maxwell. He was an American author. He wrote many books for adults. This book is one of his well-known works for younger readers.
The Illustrator, Ilonka Karasz
The beautiful pictures in the book were created by Ilonka Karasz. She was a Hungarian-American artist and designer. Her illustrations helped bring the magical story to life. They showed the zodiac signs and the farm in a unique way.
Awards and Recognition
The Heavenly Tenants was published in 1946. It quickly gained attention. In 1947, it was recognized as a runner-up for the Newbery Medal. The Newbery Medal is one of the most important awards for children's books in the United States. Being a runner-up means the book was considered one of the best children's books published that year.
See also
- Fantasy literature
- Children's literature
