Karen Cushman Explained

Karen Cushman
Birth Date:	4 October 1941
Birth Place:	Chicago, Illinois, US
Occupation:	Writer
Alma Mater:	Stanford University
Genre:	Young adult historical novels
Notableworks:	Catherine, Called Birdy The Midwife's Apprentice

Karen Cushman (born October 4, 1941)^[1] is an American writer of historical fiction.

Career

Cushman's 1995 novel The Midwife's Apprentice won the Newbery Medal for children's literature, and her 1994 novel Catherine, Called Birdy won a Newbery Honor.^[2] She has a bachelor of arts degree in Greek and English from Stanford University and master's degrees in human behavior and museum studies. ^[3] For eleven years, she was adjunct professor in the Museum Studies Department at John F. Kennedy University before resigning in 1996 to write full-time.^[4] She lives and writes on Vashon Island, Washington.^[5]

Books

• Catherine, Called Birdy (1994)
• The Midwife's Apprentice (1995)
• The Ballad of Lucy Whipple (1998)
• Matilda Bone (2000)
• Rodzina (2004)
• The Loud Silence of Francine Green (2006)
• Alchemy and Meggy Swann (2010)
• Will Sparrow's Road (2012)
• Grayling's Song (2016)
• War and Millie McGonigle (2021)

Other media

The Ballad of Lucy Whipple was made into a TV film, broadcast in 2001.^[6] Catherine Called Birdy was made into a film in 2022, see Catherine Called Birdy (film).

Awards

• 1995 Newbery Honor for Catherine, Called Birdy^[7]
• 1995 Golden Kite Award for Catherine, Called Birdy^[8]
• 1996 Newbery Medal for The Midwife's Apprentice^[7]
• 1997 John and Patricia Beatty Award for The Ballad of Lucy Whipple, given by the California Library Association.^[9]
• 2004 Washington State Book Award for Rodzina
• 2007 Kerlan Award at the University of Minnesota's Children's Literature Research Collection for her contributions to the Kerlan Collection.^[10]

Notes and References

1. Web site: Karen Cushman Papers. Arne Nixon Center . 2008-12-13.
2. Web site: Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922-Present. American Library Association. 2008-12-13.
3. Web site: Karen Cushman. Bowlan. Cheryl. ACHUKA. 2008-12-13.
4. Web site: Karen Cushman. Reimer. Julie. Children's Literature Network. 2012-05-29. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20130715062614/http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_c/cushman.php. 2013-07-15.
5. Author's biography, inside rear cover, "The Midwife's Apprentice" 2nd edition,
6. Oxman . Steven . 15 February 2001 . The Ballad of Lucy Whipple . Variety . Variety Media . 15 April 2020.
7. ALA. Newbery Medal & Honor Books, 1922-Present. Retrieved 2008-12-19.
8. SCBWI. Past Golden Kite Recipients. Retrieved 2015-06-16.
9. The California Library Association. http://www.cla-net.org/displaycommon.cfm?an=1&subarticlenbr=408. Retrieved 12-05-29.
10. CLN. Web site: Karen Cushman . 2012-05-29 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130715062614/http://www.childrensliteraturenetwork.org/aifolder/aipages/ai_c/cushman.php . 2013-07-15 . . Retrieved 12-04-04.