Robbie Branscum
Robbie Branscum | |
|---|---|
| Born | Robbie Nell Tilley June 17, 1934 Big Flat, Arkansas |
| Died | May 24, 1997 (aged 59) San Pablo, California |
| Occupation | author, farmworker |
| Nationality | American |
| Period | 1971-1991 |
| Genre | children's literature young adult fiction |
| Notable awards | Edgar Award, Friends of American Writers Award, PEN Award |
| Spouse | Dwane Branscum (1949; divorced) Leslie Carrico (1974; divorced) |
| Children | Deborah Branscum |
Robbie Nell Tilley Branscum (June 17, 1934 – May 24, 1997) was an American writer of children's books and young adult fiction. Her books were awarded with a Friends of American Writers Award (1977) and an Edgar Award (1983).[1][2]
Robbie was born on a farm near Big Flat, Arkansas. Her father died when she was only four years old and she grew up with her poor grandparents on another farm. Branscum dropped out from school after the seventh-grade. She continued to read books and write poetry and songs[3] and provided for her livelihood through work at dirt farms.[1] At the age of 15 she married Dwane Branscum. She gave birth to a daughter and divorced at the age of 25.[4]
Her life took a major turn after the newsletter of her church, the Southern Baptist, printed an article she had written. Subsequently she decided to become an author. Her first book was Me and Jim Luke (1971). Branscum published 20 books in 20 years time (not one each year). Several of her books were translated into Danish, Italian, Japanese, and Swedish. Branscum worked with literary agent Barthold Fles.[5] She died from a heart attack in 1997 in her home in San Pablo, California.[1]
Honors and awards
- 1977 - Friends of American Writers Award for Toby, Granny and George[6]
- 197? - Best of the Best 1966-1978, School Library Journal, for Johnny May[6]
- 1983 - Edgar Award, Category: Best Juvenile, for The Murder of Hound Dog Bates[6][7]
Books
- 1971 - Me and Jim Luke
- 1975 - Three Wars of Billy Joe Treat
- 1976 - Johnny May
- 1977 - Toby, Granny and George
- 1978 - Three Buckets of Daylight (with Allen Davis)
- 1978 - To the Tune of a Hickory Stick
- 1978 - The Ugliest Boy
- 1979 - For Love of Jody (with Allen Davis)
- 1979 - The Saving of P.S.
- 1979 - Toby Alone
- 1981 - Toby and Johnny Joe
- 1982 - The Murder of Hound Dog Bates[8]
- 1983 - Cheater and Flitter Dick[9]
- 1983 - Spud Tackett
- 1984 - The Adventures of Johnnie May
- 1986 - The Girl[10]
- 1987 - Johnny May Grows Up
- 1989 - Cameo Rose
- 1991 - Old Blue Tiley
- 1991 - Never Pa's Girl
References
- ^ a b c "Obituary - Robbie Branscum", Daily News-Record, Harrisonburg, Virginia, May 31, 1997, p12
- ^ "Robbie Tilley Branscum". Encyclopedia of Arkansas.
- ^ "Something about the author", vol. 72, pp. 19-21.
- ^ Robbie Tilley Branscum in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- ^ Branscum R: "Cheater and Flitter Dick". Viking Press, 1983
- ^ a b c Saxon, Wolfgang (May 30, 1997). "Robbie Tilley Branscum, 62, Children's Author". Retrieved August 1, 2015.
- ^ http://theedgars.com/awards/
- ^ Woods, George A. (November 30, 1982). "Books Of The Times". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ Kuskin, Karla; Reflects, She (October 23, 1983). "Children's Books". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
- ^ http://news.google.com/newspapers?id=X7kLAAAAIBAJ&sjid=5FUDAAAAIBAJ&pg=2756,2799532&dq=robbie-branscum
External links
- Robbie Tilley Branscum in the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
- "Her Books for Children Told of Poor, Rural America" by Wolfgang Saxon - Obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
- Five facts about Robbie Branscum on Branscum.net
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