1970 — Feodor Rojankovsky (1891–1970) dies
Fyodor Rodhankovsky, the Russian-American illustrator who was one of the most influential artists in the American picture book industry during the mid-20th century, has died in Bronxville, New York.
🎨 Natural colors full of vitality
Rodjankovsky is known for his vibrantly colored, fluid illustrations, particularly depicting animals and natural scenes. His career spanned Europe and the United States, from the French Père Castor series to Random House picture books, laying the foundation for the visual style of postwar American children’s literature.
📘 Representative Works and Honors
His illustrated retold version of the ballad The Frogs’ Wedding for John LangstaffFrog Went A‑Courtin’, 1955) drew illustrations for the book and won the Caldecott Medal in 1956 for its humorous and dramatic animal figures.
This work transforms a four-hundred-year-old folk song into a vivid visual narrative, becoming a classic in the history of American picture books.
👉 Feodor Rojankovsky — Wikipedia
2017 — Joan W. Blos (1928–2017) died
American author and educator, who died in Ann Arbor, Michigan. Her historical novels hold a unique place in the history of children’s literature for their literary and educational value.
📖 “The Diary That Never Grows Old” and Women’s Writing
Her masterpiece “The Diary That Never Grows Old“A Gathering of Days: A New England Girl’s Journal, 1830–32, 1979) describes the growth of 13-year-old girl Katherine Hall in diary form, delicately recreating life in 19th-century New England.
The book won the 1980 Newbery Medal and the National Book Award for its formal innovation and historical authenticity, and is hailed as “a literary bridge for young readers to understand American history and moral choices.”
1908 — Ann Petry (1908–1997)
African American author, born in Connecticut, was one of the first black female writers to achieve commercial success in the mainstream literary world.
✊🏽 The bridge between civil rights and children’s education
Although the adult novel StreetThe Street, 1946), Petry also wrote young adult novels and biographies, such as Harriet Tubman: Freedom’s Engine (Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad, 1955), offering young readers a window into African American history and the civil rights movement.
She depicts the tenacity and dignity of black women with concise and sincere strokes, which has had a profound impact on the multicultural writing of American children’s literature.
1916 – Alice Childress (1916–1994)
American playwright, novelist, and actor, born in Charleston, South Carolina.
🎭 From stage to young adult novel
Childress was the first black female playwright to win the National Drama Critics Circle Award on the American stage. Her representative work is “Like Family“Like One of the Family, 1956) uses dialogue to depict the everyday wisdom and humor of black female workers.
The 1973 teen novel A Hero is But a SandwichA Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich) directly confronts drugs, prejudice, and family difficulties, and is hailed as a pioneering work of black youth literature.
👉 Alice Childress — Wikipedia
📚 Further reading
- Frog Went A‑Courtin’ — John Langstaff & Feodor Rojankovsky (1955)
- A Gathering of Days — Joan W. Blos (1979)
- Harriet Tubman: Conductor on the Underground Railroad — Ann Petry (1955)
- A Hero Ain’t Nothin’ but a Sandwich — Alice Childress (1973)