Cynthia Rylant grew up in a broken home and spent most of her childhood living with either her mother or her grandparents. Growing up poor and without public libraries or bookstores, Cynthia never spent much time reading. Later in life, Rylant took on a job at a library and spent time reading the children’s books. She decided that her childhood memories and story would make for interesting and fun reading and she started to write. Cynthia penned the book, When I Was Young in the Mountains, and it went on to win several awards. Since then, Rylant has traveled the country, experienced numerous occupations, and written over 100 books for children.
Every Living Thing
The Old Woman Who Named Things
When I Was Young in the Mountains
Long Night Moon
Henry And Mudge Series
Scarecrow
Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds
An Angel for Solomon Singer
The Stars Will Still Shine
Wedding Flowers
The High-Rise Private Eyes Series
The Storm
Missing May
Summer Party
The Ticky-Tacky Doll
Boris
Birthday Presents
In November
Poppleton Series
The Relatives Came
The Wonderful Happens
Mr. Putter & Tabby Series
The Whales
Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story
v Caldecott Honor Book and American Book Award, When I Was Young in the Mountains
v Caldecott Honor Book and Notable Children’s Social Studies Trade Book, The Relatives Came
v John Newbery Medal and Boston Globe-Horn Book Award,
Missing May
v John Newbery Medal and ALA Best Books for Young Adults, A Fine White Dust
v Junior Literary Guild Selections,
All I See
Henry and Mudge in the Green Time
Night in the Country
v Children’s Choice Books,
Birthday Presents
A Blue-Eyed Daisy
v School Library Journal Best Book of the Year Citation, Children of Christmas
v Ohioana Award, Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds
In her own words…
“They say to be a writer you must first have an unhappy childhood. I don’t know if unhappiness is necessary, but I think maybe some children who have suffered a loss too great for words grow up into writers who are always trying to find those words, trying to find a meaning for the way they have lived.”
“Writing stories has given me power to change things I could not change as a child. I can make boys into doctors. I can make fathers stop drinking. I can make mothers stay.”
“The best writing, to me, is personal, revealing writing. Because we all, I think, long mostly for the same things and are afraid mostly of the same things, and we all want someone to write about all of this so we won’t feel too crazy or alone.”
Cynthia Rylant
Resources and Websites
Cynthia Rylant Biographies:
Best Wishes
But I’ll Be Back Again, An Album
www.people.virginia.edu/%7Elbs5z/tea.html
www.childrensbooks.about.com/
www.eduplace.com/kids/hmr/mtai/rylant.html
www.falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/rylant.htm
www.wvwc.edu/lib/wv_authors/
www.ohioreadingroadtrip.org/rylant/
www.edupaperback.org
www.kidsreads.com/authors/authors.asp
Cynthia Rylant
Tracie Simmons Howard
Advanced Children’s
Literature
RE 5140
Dr. Green