Esther Averill
Esther Averill was a notable American author and illustrator born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1902. After graduating from Vassar College in 1923, she ventured to New York City and later Paris, where she founded her own publishing company, The Domino Press, which produced numerous award-winning children's books. With the onset of World War II, Averill returned to the U.S. and took a position at the New York Public Library while continuing her work in children's literature. She is best known for her beloved character, Jenny Linsky, a timid cat inspired by her own pet, featured in over a dozen books within the series. The settings of Averill's stories, such as Greenwich Village and the Cat Club, add to their charm. Her work has been recognized internationally, with the Jenny Linsky books being republished in notable literary magazines and translated into six languages. In addition to her fiction, Averill contributed to children's biographies, with "The Voyages of Jacques Cartier" being one of her significant nonfiction accomplishments.
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Esther Averill
Writer
- Born: July 24, 1902
- Birthplace: Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Died: May 12, 1992
Biography
Esther Averill was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut, in 1902, the daughter of Charles Ketcham, a civil engineer, and Helen Holden Averill. Averill began drawing cartoons at an early age. After she graduated from Vassar College in 1923, she moved to New York City and then to Paris, where she established her own publishing company, The Domino Press. The company published many award-winning children’s books.
When World War II began, Averill returned to the United States to work at the New York Public Library. She continued to publish and write children’s books. In the 1940s, she introduced her most famous character, Jenny Linsky, an endearing, timid cat based on her own pet. Averill wrote and illustrated more than a dozen books in her Jenny Linsky series.
Part of the fun of Averill’s children’s books is their evocative settings, including a sea cruise, Greenwich Village, and the Cat Club. Granta magazine and The New York Review of Books have republished the Jenny Linsky books, and the books have been translated into six languages. Averill also wrote biographies for children and young adults. Her most accomplished nonfiction work is The Voyages of Jacques Cartier (1937), illustrated by Feodor Rojankovsky. Averill later revised the book as Cartier Sails the St. Lawrence (1956).