Karla Kuskin - Children's Books, Art
Karla Kuskin was the author and illustrator of over fifty children's books. She first achieved popularity with her 1956 book
Roar and More, and went on to write such popular titles as
In the Middle of the Trees, The Philharmonic Gets Dressed, Soap Soup, The Dallas Titans Get Ready for Bed, and
The Sky Is Always in the Sky. Kuskin's work is especially valued for its witty, alliterative poetry. Over the years she won many awards such as the 'National Council of Teachers of English Poetry' prize for her body of work, the
New York Times 'Best Illustrated Book' designation, and several American Library Association awards. She was also chosen to deliver the first ever annual Charlotte Zolotow Lecture in 1998. The
New York Times describes Karla Kuskin as a "veteran at making magic... it's well to remember that there's more to magic than meets the eye. Ear, heart and mind are involved as well. What Karla Kuskin does at her best is to kidnap us completely." Kuskin's two last books, before she passed away in 2009, are
Green as a Bean (2007), written by herself and
Traces (2008), which she illustrated. For a biography of this author, an impressive list of the books she wrote or illustrated or both, and an equally impressive list of awards go to:
http://biography.jrank.org/pages/1872/Kuskin-Karla-1932.html
