Catherine Besterman

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Catherine Besterman
BornKatarzyna Lejtin
8 August 1904
Warsaw, Poland
DiedFebruary 1985 (aged 80)[2]
OccupationAuthor
GenreChildren's literature

Catherine Besterman (née Katarzyna Lejtin; 8 August 1904 – February 1985) was a Polish-American children's author. Her book

Newbery Honor recipient in 1948.[3]

Biography

Besterman was born in Warsaw, Poland,

to the United States through Lisbon and Rio de Janeiro,[5] with her husband and their 4-year-old son, Karol.[1] They resided in Washington, D.C. where her husband worked as a press attaché for the Polish Embassy during the war.[6]

Before her departure from Poland, Besterman had considered adapting a Polish folktale for young readers. After arriving in the US, Besterman elected to do so; her first book, The Quaint and Curious Quest of Johnny Longfoot, was published in 1947. It was named to the Best Books of 1947 list by The Horn Book Magazine,[7] and then was selected as a Newbery Honor title in 1948.[3]

Besterman published one further novel, a sequel titled The Extraordinary Education of Johnny Longfoot in His Search for the Magic Hat (1949).[8] Both books were illustrated by Warren Chappell.[8][5]

Her husband was a foreign correspondent for the

Intergovernmental Committee for European Migration and was a senior vice president with the Tolstoy Foundation. He died in Geneva in 1974.[9]

She died in Europe in February 1985.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b New York, U.S., State and Federal Naturalization Records, 1794–1943
  2. ^ a b U.S. Social Security Death Index, 1935–2014
  3. ^ a b "Newbery Medal and Honor Books, 1922–Present". American Library Association. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  4. ^ Edith Copeland (May 16, 1948). "Junior Tales for Summer". The Daily Oklahoman. Oklahoma City. p. D8.
  5. ^ a b Phyllis A. Whitney (January 25, 1948). "For Young Readers". The Philadelphia Inquirer Book Review. p. 5.
  6. ISBN 978-83-88033-25-4
    . Retrieved 23 November 2023.
  7. ^ "Horn Book Fanfare 1947". The Horn Book Magazine. December 5, 1947. Retrieved February 25, 2021.
  8. ^ a b Herbert Kenney, Jr. (October 29, 1949). "'Johnny Longfoot' Startling as Ever". The Indianapolis News. p. 2.
  9. ^ "Walter Besterman, Immigration Aide". The New York Times. 31 August 1974. p. 22. Retrieved 23 November 2023.
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