Tasha Tudor 1915 - 2008

I was very sad to read in the New York Times this morning that child's book illustrator and author, Tasha Tudor died, at age 92, died at her home in Marlboro, Vermont.


Her first book, Pumpkin Moonshine was published in 1938. Her last book, Corgiville Christmas, which was published in 2002, brought the number of books written and/or illustrated by Tasha to nearly 100. A short biography of this very unique and fascinating woman can be read here.
A Memorial web site was set up by her family, many of whom are talented artisans themselves. There are plans to open a Tasha Tudor Museum to preserve and promote her works for future generations of children.
Tasha Tudor was one of my favorite children's illustrators. Her soft watercolors and delicate drawings were full of detail and childhood innocence. Some examples of her illustrations can be seen below:




She has received many awards and honors, including Caldecott Honors for Mother Goose in 1945 and 1 is One in 1957. She received the Regina Medal in 1971 for her contributions to children's literature.

This quote is from her website:

“Einstein said that time is like a river, it flows in bends. If we could only step back around the turns, we could travel in either direction. I’m sure it’s possible. When I die, I’m going right back to the 1830s. I’m not even afraid of dying. I think it must be quite exciting.” ~Tasha Tudor

I hope you are there, Tasha!