Art & Writing; Life Imagined

“I make money using my brains and lose money listening to my heart. But in the long run my books balance pretty well.” – Kate Seredy

Born on Nov. 10, 1896, in Hungary, Seredy was a writer and illustrator of children's books who won the prestigious Newbery Medal for best children’s book, the Newbery Honor (twice), the Caldecott (for children’s book illustration), and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award.  

After growing up in Hungary and spending time in Paris, especially during World War I, Seredy emigrated to the U.S., ran a children’s bookshop, and started her career as a children’s book illustrator.  Encouraged by editor May Massee to write down bits and pieces of her “growing up” years, she wrote the children’s novel The Good Master, published in 1936 and winner of a Newbery Honor (runner-up for best book).

She wrote up until her death in 1975 and dedicated her last book, Lazy Tinka, to Massee.  Seredy’s papers and illustrations are mostly part of the May Massee Collection at Emporia State University where I had the honor of speaking to writing classes and as part of the ESU Writers’ Series a couple of years ago.

Seredy wrote 12 children's books and illustrated dozens more, considering herself an illustrator first. She had a unique style, primarily based on drawing, and said she considered all her books "an excuse for making pictures."      “For yesterday and for all tomorrows,” she said, “we dance the best we know.”

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