Meindert De Jong
Meindert De Jong was a Dutch-American author born on March 4, 1906, in Wierum, Friesland, Netherlands. His early life was marked by adversity, as he experienced the flooding of his home village on the day of his birth and later immigrated to the United States at the age of eight. Settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan, De Jong faced challenges adjusting to his new environment but ultimately pursued an education at Calvin College, where he began to hone his writing skills.
De Jong's literary career took off with the publication of his first book, "The Big Goose and the Little White Duck," in 1938. He is celebrated for his children's literature, particularly for his vivid portrayals of children and animals, as well as his reflections on his homeland. His notable works include "The Wheel on the School," which was awarded the Newbery Medal in 1955, and "Journey from Peppermint Street," which received the first National Book Award for children's literature in 1969. Throughout his career, De Jong earned multiple prestigious accolades, including the Hans Christian Andersen Medal and the Regina Medal, recognizing his significant contributions to children's literature. He passed away on July 16, 1991, leaving behind a legacy that continues to resonate with readers and educators.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Meindert De Jong
Writer
- Born: March 4, 1906
- Birthplace: Wierum, Friesland, the Netherlands
- Died: July 16, 1991
- Place of death: Allegan General Hospital, Allegan, Michigan
Biography
Meindert De Jong was born on March 4, 1906, at Wierum in Friesland, the Netherlands, to architect Remmeren (Raymond) R. De Jong and Jantje (Jennie) De Jong. De Jong’s home village flooded the day he was born after the North Sea breached a dike. When he was eight, De Jong immigrated to the United States with his family, settling in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He studied at a Dutch Christian school in his new hometown, enduring ostracism for being a recent immigrant. He graduated from Meintian High School in 1924.
Accepted to the University of Chicago, De Jong enrolled in several courses before returning home to continue his studies at Calvin College in Grand Rapids, completing a bachelor’s of arts degree in 1928. While attending college, De Jong sold stories to The Young Calvinist. Moving to Grundy Center, Iowa, De Jong taught students who often were twice his age at Grundy College. He also edited the campus newspaper.
He left Grundy in 1930 because he received scrip for his salary instead of cash due to the Depression. De Jong moved back to his father’s farm in Michigan, raising poultry and selling eggs around his community. Librarians encouraged De Jong to write a book based on the funny stories he told about his poultry. Harper and Brothers published De Jong’s debut book, The Big Goose and the Little White Duck, dedicated to librarian May G. Quigley, in 1938. He remained with that publisher throughout his career.
During World War II, De Jong, who had become a U.S. citizen, served as the Fourteenth U.S. Air Force’s Chinese-American Composite Wing historian in Peishiyi, China. He wrote The House of Sixty Fathers, inspired by his experiences with a young refugee.
De Jong married three times. On July 6, 1933, De Jong married Hattie Overeinter, whom he later divorced. He married his second wife, Beatrice DeClaire McElwee, in 1962. They resided in Mexico from 1962 to 1967 before living in North Carolina for five years. He moved to Allegan, Michigan, in 1973, not long before Beatrice died in 1978. De Jong married his third wife, Gwendolyn Jonkman Zandstra, in 1989. Weakened by emphysema, De Jong died on July 16, 1991, in the Allegan General Hospital.
Most reviewers praised De Jong’s work, especially his portrayals of children, animals, and his native country. The American Library Association (ALA) presented De Jong’s The Wheel on the School its 1955 Newbery Medal. A translated edition of that novel won the Deutschen Kinderbuchpreis (German children’s book award) two years later. In 1962, De Jong received the Hans Christian Andersen International Children’s Book Medal to honor his overall writing. His Journey from Peppermint Street won the 1969 National Book Award, recognizing outstanding children’s literature, the inaugural winner in that category. The Catholic Library Association presented De Jong its Regina Medal for enhancing children’s literature. Four times the ALA named his works Newbery Honor books: Shadrach in 1954, Hurry Home, Candy also in 1954, The House of Sixty Fathers in 1957, and Along Came a Dog in 1959, which also received the Aurianne Award from the ALA in 1960 for its depiction of kindness to animals. De Jong received the Child Study Association Award for The House of Sixty Fathers in 1956.