Virginia Lee Burton (1909-1968) is an American author and illustrator of children’s books.
She was born into a family of a dean of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a poetess; Virginia’s love for literature manifested itself in early childhood. When she was 8 years old, her family moved to California; there she began to draw, dance, and participate in theatrical productions. Without finishing college, where she studied fine arts, she was forced to move to Boston to be with her ill father, where she got a job as an artist at the Boston Transcript newspaper.
Virginia was also involved in textile design, creating the textile association Folly Cove Designers.
In 1943, her book The Little House received the highest American award in children’s literature, the Caldecott Medal.
In total, Virginia Burton illustrated 13 children’s books – both her own books and works by other writers.
The Little House is a 1942 children’s picture book written and illustrated by Virginia Lee Burton. Published by Houghton Mifflin, it was the recipient of the Caldecott Medal for illustration in 1943. Author Virginia Lee Burton has stated that “The Little House was based on our own little house which […]
