Sewell, Helen

Helen Sewell wasas born June 27, 1896, in Mare Island, California. She attended the Pratt Institute and studied painting with the artist Archipenko. In 1923 she illustrated her first children's book, The Cruise of the Little Dipper and Other Fairy Tales, by Susanne K. Langer. Throughout her prolific career she illustrated dozens of books, including works by such well-known authors as Elizabeth Coatsworth and Carol Ryrie Brink. Beginning in 1930, she also wrote and illustrated picture books. From the 1940s on she concentrated on illustrating and became one of the most honored in her profession, well known for her adaptable style. She received numerous awards and honors for her work, including a Caldecott Honor citation for The Thanksgiving Story in 1955. She also illustrated books for adults, including several for the Limited Editions Club, including one in 1952 of Emily Dickenson's poems, that was widely praised for her ability to bring out the poems' moods, backdrops, and meaning. Helen Sewell died on February 24, 1957, in New York City.

From the guide to the Helen Sewell Papers, 1923-1963, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections [clrc])