Dorothy Pulis Lathrop (born Albany, New York, 1891; died Falls Village, Connecticut, December 30, 1980) wrote and illustrated children’s books. She illustrated Hitty, Her First Hundred Years. That book earned the author, Rachel Fields, the 1930 Newbery Medal. Lathrop wrote and illustrated The Fairy Circus, earning her a 1932 Caldecott Honor Award. She received the very first Caldecott Medal (1938) for her illustrations in Animals of the Bible. Children can view some of the books she illustrated at: Project Gutenberg.
Gertrude Chandler Warner (born Putnam, Connecticut, 1890; died Putnam, Connecticut, August 30, 1979) created the Boxcar Children series. Warner wrote only the first nineteen books of the series. Now someone else writes the books. At last count, 167 Boxcar Children books have been published. Check the cover of a Boxcar book to see if the author is really Warner. Children could propose a plot for a new Boxcar book. Children could also read a biography, Gertrude Chandler Warner and the Boxcar Children, by Mary Ellen Ellsworth. They could read Gertrude Chandler Warner’s first book at: Project Gutenberg.
Garth Williams (born New York, New York, 1912; died Guanajuato, Mexico, May 8, 1996) wrote and illustrated children’s books. He stated he illustrated 97 books, including Stuart Little, Charlotte’s Web and the Little House series. Children can learn more at: Garth Williams.
Wilbur Wright
Wilbur Wright (born Millville, Indiana, 1867; died Dayton, Ohio, May 30, 1912) invented, along with his brother, the first airplane. The two were owners of a bicycle shop when they became interested in aviation. They first experimented with kites and then moved on to gliders. They often experienced failure as they tested idea after idea. On December 17, 1903, Wilbur’s brother, Orville, flew their motorized airplane. Children could visit a website at: Wright Brothers. They could read the Newbery Honor Award book, The Wright Brothers: How They Invented the Airplane, by Russell Freedman. Idea: Consider having a paper airplane contest. Encourage new designs rather than the standard plane. Have a contest for the longest flight, and have another contest for the most acrobatic plane
Samuel Youd (born England, 1922; died England, February 3, 2012) wrote science fiction under several pen names, including John Christopher. His books include The Death of Grass and The Tripods trilogy. Children could learn more at: Samuel Youd.