Paterson, Katherine

Variant names
Dates:
Birth 1932-10-31
Americans,
English, Japanese,

Biographical notes:

American author of children's and young adult fiction; Newbery Award winner in 1978 and 1981, Kerlan Award winner, 1983.

From the description of Papers, 1974-1995. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424123

Katherine Paterson was born October 31, 1932 in Qing Jiang, China, and came to the United States in 1940. She attended King College in Bristol, Tennessee, graduating in 1954, and received a M.A. from Presbyterian School of Christian Education in 1957. She did postgraduate study at Kobe School of Japanese Language from 1957 to 1960 and Union Theological Seminary in New York City, M.R.E. in 1962. Katherine Paterson worked as a teacher and missionary prior to writing children's books. She published her first book for children and young adults, The Sign Of the Chrysanthemum, in 1973. Like many of her later works, it is historical fiction set in the Orient and drew on Paterson's knowledge of the civilizations, languages, and history of the area, and her deep appreciation of Asian cultures. In 1977, she published Bridge To Terabithia, the story of two children's close friendship and imaginary world that is shattered when one of them dies unexpectedly and the survivor must cope with his loss and rebuild a new connection to Terabithia. The book won Katherine Paterson the first of her two Newbery Awards. She received the second Newbery Award for Jacob Have I Loved, the story of twins, Louise and Caroline, and the intense sibling rivalry Louise feels towards her twin and how she eventually overcomes the hostility and anger these feelings engender and moves on with her own life and all its possibilities and responsibilities. Many of Katherine Paterson's books deal with the search for identity and finding one's own role in a family. In all her books for children and young adults she draws on the three things she considers have shaped her life and work: her childhood in Asia, living in the American South, and her strong religious beliefs, grounded in her Presbyterian faith and its strong Calvinist foundation. Katherine Paterson won the Kerlan Award in 1983. She has also received many other awards for her writing. Biographical Source: Something About the Author, Vol. 92, p. 175-182

From the guide to the Katherine Paterson Papers, 1974-, (University of Minnesota Libraries Children's Literature Research Collections)

American author of children's and young adult books.

From the description of Come sing, Jimmy Jo : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685592

American author of children's and young adult fiction.

From the description of The spying heart : more thoughts on reading and writing books for children. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424126

From the description of The tale of the mandarin ducks : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62489746

From the description of The master puppeteer : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436932

From the description of Angels & other strangers : family Christmas stories : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436924

From the description of Of nightingales that weep : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424128

From the description of Jacob have I loved : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424125

From the description of Rebels of the heavenly kingdom : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424127

From the description of The great Gilly Hopkins : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62424124

From the description of Gates of excellence : on reading and writing books for children : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62436930

From the description of The tongue-cut sparrow : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685595

From the description of Lyddie : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685594

From the description of Flip-flop girl : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62685593

From the description of The crane wife : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402066

From the description of The smallest cow in the world : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402067

From the description of The king's equal : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402060

From the description of Bridge to Terabithia : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402064

From the description of Park's quest : production material. (University of Minnesota, Minneapolis). WorldCat record id: 62402068

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Subjects:

  • Musicians
  • Authors, American
  • Authors, American
  • Authorship
  • Books and reading
  • Brothers and sisters
  • Brothers and sisters
  • Children
  • Children's literature
  • Children's literature
  • Children's literature, American
  • Children's stories, American
  • Christmas
  • Christmas stories
  • Country music
  • Cows
  • Death
  • Death
  • Ducks
  • Factories
  • Fairy tales
  • Families
  • Family life
  • Farm life
  • Farm life
  • Foster home care
  • Friendship
  • Friendship
  • Grief
  • Imagination
  • Moving, Household
  • Mutism, Elective
  • Puppets
  • Self-reliance
  • Short stories
  • Sisters
  • Sisters
  • Sparrows
  • Tales
  • Twins
  • Twins
  • Vietnamese Americans
  • Vietnamese Americans
  • Work

Occupations:

not available for this record

Places:

  • Chesapeake Bay Region (Md. and Va) (as recorded)
  • New England (as recorded)
  • Japan (as recorded)
  • Japan (as recorded)
  • Japan (as recorded)
  • Japan (as recorded)
  • China (as recorded)
  • Japan (as recorded)