Ellen Raskin


Ellen Raskin was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on March 13, 1928. She was an American children's writer and illustrator. She won the 1979 Newbery Medal for The Westing Game, a mystery novel, and another children's mystery, Figgs & Phantoms, was a Newbery Honor Book in 1975.
In 2012 The Westing Game was ranked number nine among all-time children's novels in a survey published by School Library Journal, a monthly with a primarily-U.S. audience.

Life

Raskin was born in Milwaukee and grew up during the Great Depression. She was educated at the University of Wisconsin–Madison with a major in fine art. She had one daughter in her first marriage, which ended in divorce.
Raskin was an accomplished graphic artist. In New York City she worked as a commercial artist for about 15 years. Among other things she designed more than 1000 dustjackets for books including the first edition of Madeleine L'Engle's A Wrinkle in Time, the 1963 Newbery Medal winner.
In 1960 she married Dennis Flanagan, editor of Scientific American.
Raskin died at the age of 56 on August 8, 1984, in New York City, the result of a connective-tissue disease.

Education

Raskin entered the University of Wisconsin-Madison at age 17 with the intention of majoring in journalism.

Works

Children's picture books

Raskin wrote and illustrated twelve picture books, published by Atheneum Books except as noted.
Raskin wrote four novels, all published by E. P. Dutton.
Raskin also illustrated more than twenty books by other writers.