Carol Ryrie Brink
Carol Ryrie Brink was an American author born on December 28, 1895, in Moscow, Idaho. She was the daughter of the town's first mayor and faced early adversity with the loss of both parents before the age of eight. Raised by her grandmother, Caddie Woodhouse, and her aunt, Brink was inspired by their storytelling, which influenced her writing career. She began writing as a child to cope with loneliness and continued through her education at the University of Idaho and later at the University of California, Berkeley, where she earned her degree and married Raymond Brink.
Brink's writing journey led to her debut novel, "Anything Can Happen on the River," published in 1934. However, it was her second novel, "Caddie Woodlawn," that gained significant acclaim, earning her the prestigious John Newbery Medal in 1936. This beloved children's book drew on her grandmother’s experiences on the Wisconsin frontier, reflecting Brink’s deep connection to her family's history. Over her lifetime, she was a prolific writer, producing novels, plays, poetry, and short stories for both children and adults. Carol Ryrie Brink passed away on August 15, 1981, in La Jolla, California, leaving behind a legacy of impactful literature.
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Subject Terms
Carol Ryrie Brink
Writer
- Born: December 28, 1895
- Birthplace: Moscow, Idaho
- Died: August 15, 1981
- Place of death: La Jolla, California
Biography
Carol Ryrie Brink was born in Moscow, Idaho, on December 28, 1895. She was the daughter of Alexander Ryrie, who was the first mayor of Moscow, and his wife Henrietta. Both of her parents died before she was eight years old, and she was raised by her maternal grandmother, Caddie Woodhouse, and an aunt. Brink would later base the character of Caddie Woodlawn in her award winning book Caddie Woodlawn on her grandmother, Caddie. In More Books by More People she explains that “My grandmother and aunt were both great storytellers, and I lived vicariously the exciting childhood that my grandmother had lived on the Wisconsin frontier. Her stories were one of the delights of my earlier years.”
Because of poor health, Brink spent many winters in California, and also lived with an uncle in Spokane, Washington, for several years. She started writing as a child as a way to cope with her loneliness and continued writing into adolescence. She began contributing stories to her high school’s monthly magazine and continued to contribute to newspapers and magazines as a student at the University of Idaho at Moscow. She finished her degree at the University of California at Berkeley, where she met and married Raymond Brink. They moved to St. Paul, Minnesota, where they raised their two children.
Brink began to write stories for Sunday school papers; eventually her work appeared in national magazines. Her first novel, Anything Can Happen on the River was published in 1934, but it was her second novel, Caddie Woodlawn, based on the experiences of her grandmother, that became her most popular and successful novel. In 1936, she was awarded the John Newbery Medal for Caddie Woodlawn. Brink was a prolific writer who continued to publish novels, plays, poetry, and short stories for children and adults. She died August 15, 1981, in La Jolla California.