Marjorie Flack (edit name/settings)

Marjorie Flack, author and illustrator of books for young children, was born in Greenport, Long Island on October 22,1897. She began drawing as a child and pursued her frmal art education at the Art Students League in New York City. While in New York, she met and married the artist Karl Larsson and had a daughter named Hilma. Hilma later married artist and illustrator Jay Hyde Barnum. Karl, Hilma and Jay collaborated with Marjorie on illustrations for some of her books. Later, in 1941 Marjorie married poet William Rose Benet.

Her first book, Taktuk an Arctic Boy, was written with her friend Helen Lomen and published in 1928. In 1930, the first of the well known Angus series was published. Angus was a Scotch Terrier, who involved himself in a number of experiences with people and other animals. Angus Lost, was featured prominently in the 2006 movie "Ask the Dust". The Angus stories are all based on real events and real animals. Ask Mr. Bear is the written version of a story she told her daughter when she was growing up. Wait for William and What to do About Molly are based in Rockport, Massachusetts Marjories summer home and later her permanent residence.

1947 Marjorie received the Caldecott Honor for her book, The Boats on the River, which was illustrated by Jay Hyde Barnum. Her most well known book, The Story About Ping, was popularized on the tv show Captain Kangaroo. Many of her books have now been published in a number of different languages.

Marjorie Flack's grandson, Tim Barnum and his wife Darlene, currently sponser an annual creative writing award at Anne Arundel Community College. The award, called the Marjorie Flack Award for Fiction, is a $250 prize for the best short story or children's storybook written by a current AACC student.