Vera Williams facts for kids

Vera Baker Williams (born January 28, 1927 – died October 16, 2015) was a talented American writer and artist who created many wonderful books for children. Her most famous book, A Chair for My Mother, won several awards and was even shown on the children's TV show Reading Rainbow.

Because of her amazing work as a children's illustrator, she was nominated in 2004 for the international Hans Christian Andersen Award. This is one of the highest honors for people who create children's books. She also received the 2009 NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature.

Vera B. Williams' Life Story

Growing Up and School

Vera Baker was born on January 28, 1927, in Hollywood, California. She had one sister named Naomi. When Vera was a child, her family moved to the Bronx, New York. Her father was often away during her early years.

In New York City, Vera loved to dance, act, and paint at a local community center called the Bronx House. Her book Scooter, published in 1993, is based on her own childhood experiences in the Bronx. Her parents encouraged her and her sister to explore the arts. Vera studied at The High School of Music & Art and later at Black Mountain College in North Carolina. She earned her degree in Graphic Art in 1949.

Family Life

While at Black Mountain College, Vera married a fellow student named Paul Williams. They later divorced in 1970. Together, they had three children:

• Sarah Williams
• Jennifer Williams
• Merce Williams

Vera also had five grandchildren:

• Hudson Williams
• August Williams
• William Babcock
• Rebecca Babcock
• Clare Babcock

Her Career as an Author and Artist

Vera Williams helped start the Gate Hill Cooperative Community. She also worked as a teacher for this community from 1953 to 1970. She taught at special "alternative" schools in New York and Ontario during the 1960s and early 1970s.

After her divorce, she moved to Canada. There, she decided to focus on becoming a children's author and illustrator. In 1975, she was asked by Remy Charlip to illustrate a book called Hooray For Me. She did this while living on a houseboat in Vancouver, British Columbia. She started working with a publisher called Greenwillow Books, and they continued to publish her books for many years.

Later in her life, Ms. Williams lived in New York City. She was involved in local projects, like helping older artists. She also took part in the 2007 PEN World Voices literary festival. Vera B. Williams passed away on October 16, 2015.

On May 4, 2019, a special garden called Vera's Story Garden was named in her honor. It's located at the Ethelbert B. Crawford Library in Monticello, New York. This garden was recognized as a "Literary Landmark" because of her important work.

United for Libraries Literary Landmark dedicated by the Empire State Center for the Book

Vera B. Williams' Beliefs

Vera Williams strongly believed in peace and worked to stop violence and nuclear weapons. She created artwork for the covers of Liberation magazine, which focused on peace. She was even arrested once for peacefully protesting for peace. She also served on the leadership team of the War Resisters League, a group that works for peace.

Books by Vera B. Williams

Books She Wrote

• It's a Gingerbread House (1978)
• The Great Watermelon Birthday (1980)
• Three Days on a River in a Red Canoe (1981)
• A Chair for My Mother (1982)
• Something Special for Me (1983)
• Music, Music for Everyone (1984)
• My Mother, Leah and George Sand (1986)
• Cherries and Cherry Pits (1986)
• Stringbean's Trip to the Shining Sea with Jennifer Williams (1988)
• "More More More" Said the Baby (1990)
• Scooter (1993)
• Lucky Song (1997)
• Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart (2001)
• A Chair for Always (2009)
• Home at Last with Chris Raschka (2016)

Books She Illustrated

• Hooray For Me!, by Remy Charlip (1975)
• Long Walks and Intimate Talks, by Grace Paley (1991)
• Home: A Collaboration of Thirty Authors & Illustrators (1996)

Awards and Honors

Vera B. Williams received many awards for her books:

• 1983: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Picture Book category, for A Chair for My Mother
• 1983: Caldecott Medal Honor Book, for A Chair for My Mother
• 1985: Jane Addams Children's Book Award Honor Book, for Music, Music for Everyone
• 1991: Caldecott Honor, for "More More More" Said the Baby
• 1994: Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Fiction category, for Scooter
• 1995: Her art was featured in a Library of Congress exhibition called "Family, Friends, and Community: The Art of Vera B. Williams"
• 1998: Charlotte Zolotow Award, for Lucky Song
• 2002: Jane Addams Honor, for Amber Was Brave, Essie Was Smart
• 2008: Regina Medal of the Catholic Library Association, for all her work
• 2009: NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature