Ellen Raskin
Ellen Raskin (1928-1984) was an influential American author and illustrator, known for her engaging children's and young adult literature that often challenged the conventions of the genre. Born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, she studied art at the University of Wisconsin, Madison, and later embarked on a successful career as a commercial illustrator before transitioning into writing. Raskin's narratives frequently centered around eccentric characters who navigated societal stereotypes and personal challenges, encouraging readers to appreciate individual uniqueness. Her notable works include "The Westing Game," which explores themes of identity through a mystery involving multiple characters, and "The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues," where the protagonist learns to see beyond surface appearances. Raskin received significant recognition for her contributions to literature, winning prestigious awards such as the Newbery Medal and the Boston Globe-Horn Book honor. Her storytelling is characterized by clever wordplay, humor, and intricate puzzles, inviting readers to engage deeply with the text. Raskin's legacy continues to resonate, as her books promote empathy and understanding by inviting readers to explore the complexities of identity and perception.
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Ellen Raskin
- Born: March 13, 1928
- Birthplace: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
- Died: August 8, 1984
- Place of death: New York, New York
Biography
Ellen Raskin was born on March 12, 1928, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She attended the University of Wisconsin, Madison, from 1945 to 1949, where she studied art. Beginning in 1954, she worked as a commercial illustrator and designer. Her work was included in several shows of note in the United States and the former Czechoslovakia and won numerous awards.
In 1968, she began writing books for children and young adults; her books for the younger children also featured her illustrations. Raskin’s novels were fun to read and tended to break the rules of children’s literature. They focused on eccentric outsiders who learned to value their own unique qualities and move beyond the stereotypes society imposes. During the course of the story, characters must solve either a puzzle or a series of mysteries and in so doing learn to see themselves and the world in new ways.
This ability to break stereotypes and delve beneath the surface is an important theme in The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel). Rather than a child character, the protagonist is a woman, Mrs. Carillon, a soup heiress, who lives her life in preparation for the reappearance of her missing husband. In an effort to escape his marriage, her husband has in fact changed his name—twice.
Word play, humorous names, and puzzles dominate Raskin’s novels. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues features Dickory Dock, who works with her employer, an artist named Garson, to solve a series of mysteries. Dock learns to observe carefully to see the real people hidden behind outward appearances. Art and literary references add depth for readers savvy enough to notice. Problems with perception is a theme in Raskin’s most well-known novel, The Westing Game. Many characters, each with multiple identities, must discover the true identity of the others while investigating the death of paper magnate, SamWesting.
Raskin’s illustrated books won numerous awards, most notably The Boston Globe-Horn Book honor for Who, Said Sue, Said Whoo? in 1973 and for The Westing Game in 1978. The Westing Game also won the Newbery Medal in 1979, while Figgs and Phantoms won the Newbery honor in 1975. The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues was awarded an Edgar Allan Poe special award from the Mystery Writers of America in 1975.
Raskin died on August 8, 1984. Her books contain characters who not only change and grow but who invite the reader inside their worlds, asking the reader to leave behind prejudices and assumptions and learn to look beneath the surface to experience the characters’ lives.