Polly Horvath (born January 30, 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan)[1] is an American-Canadian author of novels for children and young adults. She won the 2003 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature for The Canning Season, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux.[2] In 2010, Horvath received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.[3]

Polly Horvath
Born (1957-01-30) January 30, 1957 (age 67)
Kalamazoo, Michigan, U.S.
OccupationAuthor
NationalityAmerican-Canadian
Notable works
Notable awards
SpouseArnold Keller
Children2

Biography edit

Horvath was born 30 January 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan[4] to John Anthony and Betty Ann Horvath.[1] Horvath began writing at the age of eight.[1]

She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City.[4] She lived in New York City and Montreal before settling on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia.[5]

Horvath once declared, "I don't have that much fun writing them. I have the most fun when I'm on the last page."

She is married to Arnold Keller, a professor, with whom she has two daughters: Emily Willa and Rebecca Avery Keller.[1]

Awards and honors edit

In 2010, Horvath received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People,[3] which is considered a top honour for Canadian children's book writers and illustrators.

Six of Horvath's books are Junior Library Guild selections: My One Hundred Adventures (2009),[6] Northward to the Moon (2010),[7] One Year in Coal Harbor (2013),[8] The Night Garden (2017),[9] Very Rich (2018),[10] and Pine Island Home (2020).[11]

Her books have also landed on many lists of the best books of the year:

  • In 1999, The Horn Book Magazine named The Trolls one of the best children's fiction books of the year.[12]
  • In 2003, Horn Book Magazine named The Canning Season one of the best children's fiction books of the year.[12]
  • In 2004, Horn Book Magazine named The Pepins and Their Problems one of the best children's fiction books of the year.[12]
  • In 2008, Booklist and School Library Journal named My One Hundred Adventures one of the best children's books of the year.[6]
  • In 2013, School Library Journal named One Year in Coal Harbor one of the best children's books of the year.[8]
Awards for Horvath's writing
Year Title Award Result Ref.
1999 The Trolls ALSC Notable Children's Book Selection [13]
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Fiction Honor [14]
National Book Award for Young People's Literature Finalist [15][4]
2001 Everything on a Waffle Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for Fiction and Poetry Honor [14]
Mr. Christie's Book Award: English, Ages 8 to 11 Winner [16]
2002 ALSC Notable Children's Book Selection [17]
Newbery Medal Honor [18][13]
Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Winner [19]
2003 The Canning Season National Book Award for Young People's Literature Winner [4][20]
2004 ALA Best Fiction for Young Adults Selection [21]
Amazing Audiobooks for Young Adults Selection [22]
Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book Award Winner [23]
Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Finalist
2006 The Vacation Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Finalist
2007 Chocolate Lily Young Readers’ Choice Award Winner [24]
2008 The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Winner [25]
2009 My One Hundred Adventures Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Winner [26]
2011 Northward to the Moon Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Finalist
2013 One Year in Coal Harbor Bolen Books Children’s Book Prize Winner [27]
TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Winner [28]
2019 Very Rich Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Finalist

Publications edit

  • An Occasional Cow (1989)
  • No More Cornflakes (1990)
  • The Happy Yellow Car (1994)
  • When the Circus Came to Town (1996)
  • The Trolls (1999)
  • Everything on a Waffle (2001)
  • The Canning Season (2003)
  • The Pepins and their Problems (2004)
  • The Vacation (2005)
  • The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane (2007)
  • My One Hundred Adventures (2008)
  • Northward to the Moon (2010)
  • Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire! (2012)
  • One Year in Coal Harbor (2012)
  • Lord and Lady Bunny—Almost Royalty! (2014)

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ a b c d "Horvath, Polly 1957–". Encyclopedia.com. Archived from the original on 2022-01-13. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  2. ^ "National Book Awards – 2003" Archived 2019-04-22 at the Wayback Machine. National Book Foundation (NBF). Retrieved 2012-01-26.
    (With acceptance speech by Horvath an introduction by jury chair Susan Campbell Bartoletti: this year's entries "reveal that there are few or no subject boundaries left between books for young people and books for adults.")
  3. ^ a b "2010 Vicky Metcalf Award for Children's Literature Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-12-03. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  4. ^ a b c d "Polly Horvath". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  5. ^ "About Polly Horvath" Archived 2009-05-28 at the Wayback Machine. Polly Horvath. Retrieved 2012-03-26.
  6. ^ a b "My One Hundred Adventures by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  7. ^ "Northward to the Moon by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  8. ^ a b "One Year in Coal Harbor by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  9. ^ "The Night Garden by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  10. ^ "Very Rich by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  11. ^ "Pine Island Home by Polly Horvath". Junior Library Guild. Archived from the original on 2021-09-20. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  12. ^ a b c "Horn Book Fanfare 1938 to present". The Horn Book. 2012-12-05. Archived from the original on 2023-03-20. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  13. ^ a b Wasson, Paige (2007-02-26). "Park, Wiesner win Newbery, Caldecott Medals". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2015-12-17. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  14. ^ a b "Past Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Winners". The Horn Book. 2022-01-10. Archived from the original on 2023-01-14. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  15. ^ "National Book Awards 1999". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on 2018-11-24. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  16. ^ "2001 Mr. Christie's Book Award Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  17. ^ Schulte-Cooper, Laura (2007-02-26). "2002 Notable Children's Books announced". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2016-03-17. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  18. ^ "Everything on a Waffle | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. Archived from the original on 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  19. ^ "2002 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-09-30. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  20. ^ "National Book Awards 2003". National Book Foundation. Archived from the original on 2019-04-22. Retrieved 2022-01-24.
  21. ^ "The Canning Season | Awards & Grants". American Library Association. 2010-04-04. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  22. ^ "2004 Selected Audiobooks for Young Adults". Young Adult Library Services Association (YALSA). 2007-03-15. Archived from the original on 2023-02-02. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  23. ^ "2004 Canadian Library Association Young Adult Canadian Book Award Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-09-29. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  24. ^ "2007 Chocolate Lily Young Readers' Choice Award Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-10-03. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  25. ^ "2008 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2023-02-08. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  26. ^ "2009 Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature Prize Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-12-09. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  27. ^ "2013 Bolen Books Children's Book Prize Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2023-02-01. Retrieved 2023-05-03.
  28. ^ "2013 TD Canadian Children's Literature Award Recipient: Polly Horvath". Canadian Children's Book Centre. Archived from the original on 2022-09-25. Retrieved 2023-05-03.

External links edit