Elizabeth George Speare

Elizabeth George was born and grew up outside of Boston, where she enjoyed a happy childhood—she had a large, loving extended family and spent much time exploring both the city and the outlying countryside. Elizabeth first discovered her love of writing stories as a child. After earning a Bachelor’s degree from Smith College and a Master’s in English from Boston University, she taught high school English for a few years. Though she always wanted to attempt writing as a career, marriage and children (she had two, Alden, Jr., and Mary, with her husband Alden Speare) occupied most of her time in the 1940s and early 1950s. After getting articles published in several women’s and parents’ magazines, she published her first book, Calico Captive, in 1957. Her second, The Witch of Blackbird Pond, in 1958, won numerous awards, including the Newbery Medal, an award given by a division of the American Library Association for a “distinguished contribution” to American children’s literature. The Bronze Bow and The Sign of the Beaver also earned Newbery accolades, putting Speare on a short list of multiple Newbery winners. In 1989, she was also awarded the Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal for her achievements in children’s literature.