Eleanor Estes
Eleanor Estes was an influential American author, born on May 9, 1906, in West Haven, Connecticut. Growing up in a family that valued literature, she developed a passion for writing early on, which she would later channel into children's literature. Estes worked as a librarian after completing her education, which included a significant role at the New Haven Free Library and various positions at the New York Public Library. Her literary career began in earnest with the publication of her first book, "The Moffats," illustrated by Louis Slobodkin, marking the start of her journey into children's storytelling.
Throughout her career, Estes wrote several beloved children's novels, earning critical acclaim for her authentic portrayals of childhood and family life. Her works, particularly those featuring the Moffat family, are considered classics in modern children's literature. Estes received numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal for her novel "Ginger Pye" in 1952, along with several Newbery Honor distinctions for other titles. Despite some critiques regarding her plotting, her characters and insights resonated with readers worldwide. Estes's contributions to literature reflect her dedication to capturing the essence of small-town life and the experiences of children. She passed away on July 15, 1988, leaving behind a legacy that continues to inspire young readers.
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Eleanor Estes
Fiction and Children's Literature Writer
- Born: May 9, 1906
- Birthplace: New Haven, Connecticut
- Died: July 15, 1988
- Place of death: Hamden, Connecticut
Biography
Eleanor Ruth Rosenfeld Estes was born on May 9, 1906, at West Haven, Connecticut, to Louis Rosenfeld, a railroad accountant, and Caroline Gewecke Rosenfeld, a dressmaker, who encouraged her to appreciate literature. Estes explored her community, enjoying boating on the river and playing at the seashore. She had a dog named Ginger, the inspiration for a book she later wrote.
Estes studied at the local Union Grammar School prior to attending West Haven High School. Her father died in 1919. After earning her diploma in 1923, Estes enrolled in a half-year program at the New Haven Free Library to prepare for employment in that library’s children’s section. She helped children with reading projects and told stories. By June of 1928, Estes became the children’s department’s acting librarian, being promoted to that section’s librarian in October of 1929.
In 1931, Estes began studying at the Pratt Institute Library School, funded by the Caroline M. Hewins Scholarship, rewarding her contributions to children’s library work. During her year-long studies, she met fellow student Rice Estes. The New York Public Library hired her to work as the children’s librarian at four branches, first at Seward Park, then at Chatham Square, next in West New Brighton, followed by employment at the George Bruce branch.
On December 8, 1932, she married Rice Estes. They lived in Manhattan except for convalescence on Staten Island while she had tuberculosis in the mid-1930’s. They traveled to Rockport, Massachusetts, to visit with sculptor Louis Slobodkin, who encouraged Estes’s writing endeavors and illustrated her first book, The Moffats. After her publisher purchased that manuscript in 1940, Estes resigned her library position to concentrate on writing.
When her husband became the University of Southern California’s assistant librarian in 1948, Estes relocated to Los Angeles, where she gave birth to her daughter and wrote Ginger Pye. By 1952, Estes returned to the East Coast, living in Connecticut, Manhattan, and Washington, D.C., wherever her husband worked. She later moved into Whitney Manor Nursing Home at Hamden, Connecticut, where she suffered a stroke. Estes died on July 15, 1988, in Hamden.
Writing had intrigued Estes since childhood. She appropriated her experiences as a child and librarian, enhancing them with her creativity, for characters, plots, and settings. Estes created illustrations for many of her novels. She also wrote stories published in Cricket. Preferring to write for young readers, Estes published only one novel for adults, The Echoing Green.
Although some reviewers criticized her plotting and weak suspense, most critics praised Estes’s authentic portrayals, characterization, and insights regarding family and childhood in her books, especially those featuring the Moffats, declaring those works classics in modern children’s literature. Readers worldwide considered her stories of small-town life appealing. The American Library Association (ALA) honored Estes’s novel, Ginger Pye, with its Newbery Medal in 1952. Three of her books were Newbery Honor books: The Middle Moffatt in 1943, Rufus M. in 1944, and The Hundred Dresses in 1945. The ALA named Estes a Laura Ingalls Wilder Award nominee in 1970.