Virginia Hamilton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Virginia Hamilton
Born	Virginia Esther Hamilton (1936-03-12)March 12, 1936 Yellow Springs, Ohio, U.S.
Died	February 19, 2002(2002-02-19) (aged 65) Dayton, Ohio, U.S.
Occupation	Author
Genre	Children's books
Notable works	M. C. Higgins, the Great

Virginia Esther Hamilton (born March 12, 1936 – died February 19, 2002) was an American author. She wrote many books for children. She created 41 books during her life.

One of her most famous books is M. C. Higgins, the Great (1974). For this book, she won two big awards in 1975: the U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature and the Newbery Medal.

Virginia Hamilton also received international honors. In 1992, she won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for her writing. This award is a top honor for children's authors. In 1995, she received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. This award recognized her important contributions to American children's literature.

About Virginia Hamilton's Life

Virginia Hamilton's family always encouraged her to read and write. She earned a full scholarship to Antioch College. Later, she moved to Ohio State University.

While living in New York City, she met a poet named Arnold Adoff. They got married in 1960. Later, they moved back to the farm where Virginia grew up. Arnold worked as a teacher to support their family. This allowed Virginia to spend her time writing books. They had two children together.

Her First Books and Awards

In 1967, Virginia Hamilton published her first book, Zeely. This was the start of her writing career, which included over 40 books. Zeely was recognized as an American Library Association Notable Book. It also won the Nancy Bloch Award.

She continued to write popular books. In 1971, she published The Planet of Junior Brown. This book was named a Newbery Honor Book. It also won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award.

Her book M. C. Higgins, the Great (1974) was a huge success. It won the prestigious Newbery Medal. This made Virginia Hamilton the first Black author to receive this award. The book also won the National Book Award and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award. Other honors included the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award and The New York Times Outstanding Children's Book of the Year.

Later Life and Passing

Virginia Hamilton passed away on February 19, 2002. She was 65 years old and died from breast cancer in Dayton, Ohio.

Even after her death, some of her books were published. These include Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl (2003) and Wee Winnie Witch's Skinny (2004). A collection of her speeches and essays was also published in 2010.

Virginia Hamilton's Impact

Virginia Hamilton left a lasting impact on children's literature.

In 1979, her name and picture were featured on a Supersisters trading card. This set celebrated important women.

Since 1984, Kent State University has hosted the Virginia Hamilton Conference. This yearly event focuses on multicultural literature for young people.

Her novel The Planet of Junior Brown was made into a film in 1997. The movie was directed by Clement Virgo.

In 2021, the Library of America published a special collection. It included five of her novels.

Recognitions and Honors

Virginia Hamilton received many important awards for her work.

She won the Hans Christian Andersen Award for Writing. This is the highest international award for children's authors. She also received the Laura Ingalls Wilder Award. This award is now known as the Children's Literature Legacy Award. The University of Southern Mississippi also honored her with the de Grummond Medal.

In 1990, she received the Catholic Library Association's Regina Medal. This award is given each year for a great contribution to children's literature. In 1995, Virginia Hamilton was the first children's writer to receive a MacArthur Fellowship. This is a very special award given to talented individuals.

Besides the 1975 National Book Award and Newbery Medal for M. C. Higgins, the Great, she won other awards for specific books. These include the Edgar Allan Poe Award, the Coretta Scott King Award, and the Boston Globe–Horn Book Award.

Selected Books by Virginia Hamilton

• Zeely (1967)
• The House of Dies Drear (1968) — This is the first part of the Dies Drear series.
• The Time-Ago Tales of Jadhu (1969)
• The Planet of Junior Brown (1971)
• W. E. B. Du Bois: A Biography (1972)
• Time-Ago Lost: More Tales of Jahdu (1973)
• M.C. Higgins, the Great (1974)
• Paul Robeson: The Life and Times of a Free Black Man. (1974)
• The Writings of W .E. B. Du Bois (1975)
• Arilla Sun Down (1976)
• Justice And Her Brothers (1978) - Book 1 of the Justice Trilogy.
• Dustland (1980) - Book 2 of the Justice Trilogy.
• Jahdu (1980)
• The Gathering (1981) - Book 3 of the Justice Trilogy.
• Sweet Whispers, Brother Rush (1982)
• Willie Bea and the Time the Martians Landed (1983)
• The Magical Adventures of Pretty Pearl (1983)
• A Little Love. (1984)
• Junius over far (1985)
• The People Could Fly: American Black Folktales (Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon) (1985)
• A White Romance (1987)
• The Mystery of Drear House (1987) — This is the second part of the Dies Drear series.
• In the Beginning: Creation Stories from Around the World (Illustrated by Barry Moser) (1988)
• Anthony Burns: The Defeat and Triumph of a Fugitive Slave (1988)
• The Bells of Christmas (1989)
• Cousins (1990)
• The Dark Way: Stories from the Spirit World (1990)
• The all Jahdu storybook (1991)
• Drylongso (Illustrated by Jerry Pinkney) (1992)
• Plain City (1993)
• Many Thousand Gone (1993)
• Her Stories: African American Folktales, Fairy Tales, and True Tales (Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon) (1995)
• Jaguarundi (1995)
• When Birds Could Talk & Bats Could Sing: The Adventures of Bruh Sparrow, Sis Wren, and Their Friends (1996)
• A Ring of Tricksters: Animal Tales from America, the West Indies, and Africa (Illustrated by Barry Moser) (1997)
• Second Cousins (1998)
• Bluish (1999)
• The Girl Who Spun Gold (2000)
• Time Pieces: The Book of Times (2001)
• Bruh Rabbit and the Tar Baby Girl (Illustrated by James Ransome) (2003)
• Wee Winnie Witch's Skinny: An Original African American Scare Tale (Illustrated by Barry Moser) (2004)
• The People Could Fly: The Picture Book (Illustrated by Leo and Diane Dillon) (2005)
• Virginia Hamilton: Speeches, Essays, and Conversations. Edited by Arnold Adoff and Kacy Cook (New York: Blue Sky Press/Scholastic Inc., 2010).

See also

In Spanish: Virginia Hamilton para niños