“A story is open-ended. A story invites you
into it to make your own meaning.” – Katherine Paterson
Born on this date in 1932, Paterson is best
known for her children's novels, winning
two Newbery Medals and two National Book Awards for her work. Bridge to Terabithia,
her most widely read, was both a Newbery winner and highly
controversial when published (1977) because her youthful
protagonists take on themes considered adult in nature. But, they also
learn about triumphing through self-sacrifice and how to deal with death
and jealousy.
Although her characters often face dire situations,
Paterson writes with compassion and empathy, interlacing her writing with wry
wit and understated humor.
“The problem with people who are afraid
of imagination,
of fantasy,” she said of her detractors, “is that their world becomes so narrow that I don't see how they can imagine beyond what their senses can verify. We know from science that there are entire worlds that our senses can't verify.”
of fantasy,” she said of her detractors, “is that their world becomes so narrow that I don't see how they can imagine beyond what their senses can verify. We know from science that there are entire worlds that our senses can't verify.”
Among Paterson's other major prizes are the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award from the Swedish Arts Council -- the
biggest monetary prize in children's literature; the
NSK Neustadt Prize for Children's Literature; and the Laura
Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association.
“Reading asks that you bring your
whole life experience and your ability to decode the written word and your
creative imagination to the page and be a co-author with the writer,” Paterson
said. “Because the story is just
squiggles on the page unless you have a reader.”
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