Kirby Lane Larson (born August 17, 1954, in Seattle) is an American writer of children's books including Oppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award-winner The Magic Kerchief, illustrated by Rosanne Litzinger. Her book, Hattie Big Sky, was a finalist for the 2007 Scandiuzzi Book Award of the Washington State Book Awards, and won a 2007 Newbery Honor. Kirby is retired from the faculty at the Whidbey Writers Workshop MFA program. Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival and Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle both have won a Show-Me Award.
Biography Larson was born August 17, 1954, in Seattle to David Neil and Donna Marie Miltenberger.
On September 6, 1975, Larson married Neil Edwin Larson, with whom she has two children, Tyler Kenton and Quinn Lois.
Larson earned a Bachelor of Arts from Western Washington University in 1976 and a Master of Arts from the University of Washington in 1980.
Awards and honors +Awards for Larson's writingYearTitleAwardResultRef.2007Hattie Big SkyALA Best Books for Young AdultsSelection2007Hattie Big SkyNewbery MedalHonor2008Two BobbiesASPCA Henry Bergh Non-Fiction Companion Animal Children's Book Award2009Two BobbiesSouthern Independent Booksellers Alliance Children's Book Award2010NubsChristopher AwardWinner2011Two BobbiesSouth Carolina Association of School Librarians Picture Book AwardWinner2015DashNational Parenting Publications Awards Gold2015DashScott O'Dell Award for Historical FictionWinner2016DukeSouth Carolina Association of School Librarians Children's Book AwardWinner2017Audacity Jones to the RescueWashington State Book Award Books for Middle Grade ReadersFinalistMagic KerchiefOppenheim Toy Portfolio Platinum Award
Bibliography Second-Grade Pig Pals (1994) Cody and Quinn, Sitting in a Tree (1996) The Magic Kerchief (2000) Hattie Big Sky (2006) Two Bobbies: A True Story of Hurricane Katrina, Friendship, and Survival (2008) Nubs: The True Story of a Mutt, a Marine & a Miracle (2009) The Fences Between Us: The Diary of Piper Davis, Seattle Washington, 1941 (2010) The Friendship Doll (2011) Bitty Baby at the Ballet (2013) Bitty Baby and Me (2013) Bitty Baby the Brave (2013) Hattie Ever After (2013) Princess Bitty Baby (2013) Bitty Baby Loves the Snow (2013) Duke (2013) Bitty Baby Has a Tea Party (2014) Bitty Baby Makes a Splash (2014) Dash (2014) Liberty (2016) Audacity Jones to the Rescue (2016) Audacity Jones Steals the Show (2017) Code Word Courage (2018)
References
External links
Kirby's Lane official blog Hattie Big Sky 2008 Audio Interview of Kirby Larson at Childrensbookradio MotherDaughterBookClub.com 2010 interview with Kirby Larson at MotherDaughterBookClub