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West Virginia Women Writers: Cynthia Rylant

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Cynthia Rylant (1954 - ) Cool Ridge, Raleigh County

Cynthia Rylant was born in Hopewell, Va., in June 1954. Her parents' unhappy marriage ended when she was four, and Rylant went to live with her grandparents in Cool Ridge, WV, while her mother attended nursing school. The young Rylant lived with her grandparents for the next four years; it is this time and place that she remembers in her first book When I Was Young In the Mountains, a picture book describing the joys of her Appalachian childhood, which earned Rylant the American Book Award in 1982, and illustrator Diane Goode a Caldecott Honor Award. Later she and her mother moved to Beaver, a small town in southern West Virginia. Young Cynthia had little contact with her father after her parents' divorce, though he wrote occasionally for a while after they moved to West Virginia. When he contacted her after years of silence, Rylant hoped for a reunion, but her father succumbed to the combined effects of alcoholism and hepatitis before such a reunion could occur. She was only thirteen when he died. It is this loss that she describes in But I'll Be Back Again as propelling her to a writing career.

After high school and with no real career plans, Rylant attended Morris Harvey College (now the University of Charleston), graduating in 1975. She followed that degree with a Master of Arts in English from Marshall University and a Master of Library Science from Kent State. It was while working in the children's section of the Akron (OH) Public Library that Rylant was first truly exposed to children's literature; there had been no libraries or bookstores in the mostly poor, rural areas of her childhood.

When I Was Young In the Mountains, her first book, was published in 1982. The autobiographical tale caught the attention of critics and parents, becoming an ALA notable book and a Reading Rainbow selection. She followed with six more picture books before publishing the first volume in her popular Henry and Mudge series, Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures, in 1987. She has continued writing prolifically, publishing more picture books, 34 Henry and Mudge volumes, as well as books for older readers including young adult novels and story collections, and collections of poetry.

In 1993, Cynthia Rylant donated her manuscripts to the Kent State University library.

Works

When I Was Young in the Mountains

Miss Maggie

This Year's Garden

The Relatives Came

Night in the Country

Birthday Presents

All I See

Mr. Griggs' Work

An Angel for Solomon Singer

Annie and Snowball

  • 2007 Book 1: Annie and Snowball and the Dress-up Birthday
  • 2007 Book 2: Annie and Snowball and the Prettiest House
  • 2008 Book 3: Annie and Snowball and the Teacup Club
  • 2008 Book 4: Annie and Snowball and the Pink Surprise
  • 2009 Book 5: Annie and Snowball and the Cozy Nest
  • 2009 Book 6: Annie and Snowball and the Shining Star
  • 2010 Book 7: Annie and Snowball and the Magical House
  • 2010 Book 8: Annie and Snowball and the Wintry Freeze
  • 2011 Book 9: Annie and Snowball and Book Bugs Club
  • 2011 Book 10: Annie and Snowball and the Thankful Friends
  • 2012 Book 11: Annie and Snowball and the Surprise Day
  • 2012 Book 12: Annie and Snowball and the Grandmother Night
  • 2014 Book 13: Annie and Snowball and the Wedding Day

Cobble Street Cousins

  • 1998 In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen
  • 1998 A Little Shopping
  • 1999 Special Gifts
  • 1999 Some Good News
  • 2001 Summer Party
  • 2002 Wedding Flowers

Everyday

  • 1993 Everyday Children
  • 1993 Everyday Garden
  • 1993 Everyday House
  • 1993 Everyday Pets
  • 1993 Everyday School
  • 1993 Everyday Town
  • 1997 An Everyday Book

Henry and Mudge

  • Henry and Mudge: The First Book of Their Adventures
  • Henry and Mudge in Puddle Trouble
  • Henry and Mudge in the Green Time
  • Henry and Mudge under the Yellow Moon
  • Henry and Mudge in the Sparkle Days
  • Henry and Mudge and the Forever Sea
  • Henry and Mudge Get the Cold Shivers
  • Henry and Mudge and the Happy Cat
  • Henry and Mudge and the Bedtime Thumps
  • Henry and Mudge Take the Big Test
  • Henry and Mudge and the Long Weekend
  • Henry and Mudge and the Wild Wind
  • Henry and Mudge and the Careful Cousin
  • Henry and Mudge and the Best Day of All
  • Henry and Mudge in the Family Trees
  • Henry and Mudge and the Sneaky Crackers
  • Henry and Mudge and the Starry Night
  • Henry and Mudge and Annie's Good Move
  • Henry and Mudge and the Snowman Plan
  • Henry and Mudge and the Funny Lunch
  • Henry and Mudge and the Tall Tree House
  • Henry and Mudge and Mrs. Hopper's House
  • Henry and Mudge and the Great Grandpas
  • Henry and Mudge and a Very Special Merry Christmas
  • Henry and Mudge and the Wild Goose Chase
  • Henry and Mudge and the Big Sleepover
  • Henry and Mudge and the Tumbling Trip
  • Henry and Mudge and Annie's Perfect Pet
  • Henry's Puppy Mudge has a Snack
  • Henry's Puppy Mudge Takes a Bath

The High Rise Private Eyes

  • The High Rise Private Eyes #1: The Case of the Missing Monkey
  • The High Rise Private Eyes #2: The Case of the Climbing Cat
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Puzzling Possum
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Troublesome Turtle
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Sleepy Sloth
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Fidgety Fox
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Baffled Bear
  • The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Desperate Duck

Little Whistle

  • 2001 Little Whistle
  • 2001 Little Whistle's Dinner Party
  • 2002 Little Whistle's Medicine
  • 2003 Little Whistle's Christmas

Mr. Putter and Tabby

  • 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Pour the Tea
  • 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Walk the Dog
  • 1994 Mr. Putter and Tabby Bake the Cake
  • 1995 Mr. Putter and Tabby Pick the Pears
  • 1997 Mr. Putter and Tabby Fly the Plane
  • 1997 Mr. Putter and Tabby Row the Boat
  • 1998 Mr. Putter and Tabby Take the Train
  • 1998 Mr. Putter and Tabby Toot the Horn
  • 2000 Mr. Putter and Tabby Paint the Porch
  • 2001 Mr. Putter and Tabby Feed the Fish
  • 2002 Mr. Putter and Tabby Catch the Cold
  • 2003 Mr. Putter and Tabby Stir the Soup
  • 2004 Mr. Putter and Tabby Write the Book
  • 2005 Mr. Putter and Tabby Make a Wish
  • 2006 Mr. Putter and Tabby Spin the Yarn
  • 2007 Mr. Putter and Tabby See the Stars
  • 2008 Mr. Putter and Tabby Run the Race
  • 2009 Mr. Putter and Tabby Spill the Beans
  • 2010 Mr. Putter and Tabby Clear the Decks
  • 2011 Mr. Putter and Tabby Ring the Bell
  • 2012 Mr. Putter and Tabby Dance the Dance
  • 2013 Mr. Putter and Tabby Drop the Ball
  • 2014 Mr. Putter and Tabby Turn the Page

Poppleton

  • 1997 Poppleton
  • 1998 Poppleton and Friends
  • 1998 Poppleton Everyday
  • 1998 Poppleton Forever
  • 1999 Poppleton in Spring
  • 1999 Poppleton in Fall
  • 2000 Poppleton Has Fun
  • 2001 Poppleton in Winter

Lighthouse family

  • 2002 The Storm
  • 2003 The Whale
  • 2003 The Eagle
  • 2005 The Turtle
  • 2005 The Octopus
.

Autobiography

  • But I'll Be Back Again; An Album (1989) New York: Scholastic

Other books and poetry

Waiting to Waltz....a Childhood (poetry)

Soda Jerk (poetry)

A Blue-Eyed Daisy

A Fine White Dust

A Kindness

Every Living Thing (stories)

Children of Christmas: Stories for the Season

A Couple of Kooks and Other Stories about Love

Appalachia: The Voices of Sleeping Birds

Missing May

Best Wishes

I Had Seen Castles

The Dreamer

Something Permanent

The Blue Hill Meadows and the Much-Loved Dog

Dog Heaven

The Van Gogh Cafe

Gooseberry Park

The Whales

The Old Woman Who Named Things

The Bookshop Dog

Margaret, Frank, and Andy: Three Writers' Stories

The Blue Hill Meadows

Cat Heaven

Silver Packages: An Appalachian Christmas Story

Scarecrow

Bear Day

The Bird House

Bless Us All: A Child's Yearbook of Blessings

In Aunt Lucy's Kitchen

The Islander: A Novel

A Little Shopping

Tulip Sees America

Some Good News

Special Gifts

Bunny Bungalow

The Cookie-Store Cat

Give Me Grace: A Child's Daybook of Prayers

The Heavenly Village

The High Rise Private Eyes: The Case of the Climbing Cat

Let's Go Home: The Wonderful Things About a House

In November

Thimbleberry Stories

The Wonderful Happens

The Ticky-Tacky Doll

Little Whistle

Summer Party

Little Whistle's Dinner Party

The Great Gracie Chase

Wedding Flowers

Old Town in the Green Groves

Little Whistle's Medicine

Good Morning Sweetie and Other Poems for Little Children

Interviews

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