Louise Fitzhugh

Louise Fitzhugh (October 5, 1928 - November 19, 1974) was an American author of Young Adult fiction.

Related Topics:
October 5 - 1928 - November 19 - 1974

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Her work includes Harriet the Spy, The Long Secret and Nobody's Family is Going to Change.

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Born in Memphis, Tennessee, on October 5, 1928, she soon experienced her parents' divorce, from which her father, Millsaps Fitzhugh, gained custody, and so she lived with him in the South. She attended Miss Hutchinsons' School and three different universities, without obtaining a degree.

Related Topics:
Memphis, Tennessee - Millsaps Fitzhugh

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Her first book was Suzuki Beane in 1961, which was a children's picture book that was intended as a parody of Eloise. She illustrated it, working closely with author Sandra Scoppettone.

Related Topics:
Suzuki Beane - Sandra Scoppettone

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Her first and most well-known book was Harriet the Spy, which was published in 1964 to a great deal of controversy. This book is about a young woman who wants to be a writer, and she starts by writing in a notebook inflammatory things about her peers, including Beth Ellen and Sport who had their own books in due course: The Long Secret and Sport (see below).

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Fitzhugh illustrated many of her books and had works exhibited in Banfer Gallery, New York, in 1963, among many other galleries.

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Through the course of her writing career she won many awards, three of them posthumous:

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• New York Times Outstanding Books of the Year citation, 1964
• Sequoyah Award, 1967 (Harriet the Spy)
• Children's Book Bulletin, 1976 (Nobody's Family is Going to Change)
• Children's Workshop Other Award, 1976 (Nobody's Family is Going to Change)
• Emmy Award for children's entertainment special (The Tap Dance Kid, based on Nobody's Family is Going to Change).

She died in 1974 of a brain aneurism and had a New York Times obituary about her.

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Louise Fitzhugh: Summary of writings ►