Elizabeth Enright (1909–1968) was born in Oak Park, Illinois, but spent most of her life in or around New York City. Originally envisioning a career solely in illustration, she studied art in Paris, France, and at the Parsons School of Design in Manhattan. In 1937, her first book was published, quickly proving her talent for writing as well as for drawing.
Throughout her life, Elizabeth Enright wrote and illustrated numerous award-winning children’s books. Among those awards were the 1939 John Newbery Medal for Thimble Summer and a 1958 Newbery Honor for Gone-Away Lake. The first of the Melendy Quartet, The Saturdays, was published in 1941. It was followed by The Four-Story Mistake, Then There Were Five, and Spiderweb for Two: A Melendy Maze. Ms. Enright was also a highly regarded writer of short stories published in magazines, such as the New Yorker and Harper’s. Her stories are assembled in four collections: A Moment Before the Rain, Borrowed Summer, The Riddle of the Fly, and Doublefields. Translated into numerous languages throughout the world, Ms. Enright’s writings have been loved by many generations, and they continue to find an audience with young and old alike. You can sign up for email updates here.