Polly Horvath


Polly Horvath is an American-Canadian author of novels for children and young adults. She won the 2003 U.S. National Book Award for Young People's Literature for The Canning Season, published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux. In 2010, Horvath received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People.
WWW pollyhorvath.com

Biography

Horvath was born 30 January 1957 in Kalamazoo, Michigan to John Anthony and Betty Ann Horvath. Horvath began writing at the age of eight.
She attended the Canadian College of Dance in Toronto and the Martha Graham School of Contemporary Dance in New York City. She lived in New York City and Montreal before settling on southern Vancouver Island in British Columbia.
Horvath once declared, "I don't have that much fun writing them. I have the most fun when I'm on the last page."
She is married to Arnold Keller, a professor, with whom she has two daughters: Emily Willa and Rebecca Avery Keller.

Awards and honors

In 2010, Horvath received the Vicky Metcalf Award for Literature for Young People, which is considered a top honour for Canadian children's book writers and illustrators.
Six of Horvath's books are Junior Library Guild selections: My One Hundred Adventures, Northward to the Moon, One Year in Coal Harbor, The Night Garden, Very Rich, and Pine Island Home.
Her books have also landed on many lists of the best books of the year:
  • In 1999, The Horn Book Magazine named The Trolls one of the best children's fiction books of the year.
  • In 2003, Horn Book Magazine named The Canning Season one of the best children's fiction books of the year.
  • In 2004, Horn Book Magazine named The Pepins and Their Problems one of the best children's fiction books of the year.
  • In 2008, Booklist and School Library Journal named My One Hundred Adventures one of the best children's books of the year.
  • In 2013, School Library Journal named One Year in Coal Harbor one of the best children's books of the year.
YearTitleAwardResultRef.
1999ALSC Notable Children's BookSelection
1999Boston Globe–Horn Book Award for FictionHonor
1999National Book Award for Young People's LiteratureFinalist
2001Everything on a WaffleBoston Globe–Horn Book Award for Fiction and PoetryHonor
2001Everything on a WaffleMr. Christie's Book Award: English, Ages 8 to 11Winner
2002Everything on a WaffleALSC Notable Children's BookSelection
2002Everything on a WaffleNewbery MedalHonor
2002Everything on a WaffleSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeWinner
2003National Book Award for Young People's LiteratureWinner
2004ALA Best Fiction for Young AdultsSelection
2004Amazing Audiobooks for Young AdultsSelection
2004Canadian Library Association Young Adult Book AwardWinner
2004Sheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist
2006The VacationSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist
2007The VacationChocolate Lily Young Readers’ Choice AwardWinner
2008The Corps of the Bare-Boned PlaneSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeWinner
2009My One Hundred AdventuresSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeWinner
2011Northward to the MoonSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist
2013One Year in Coal HarborBolen Books Children’s Book PrizeWinner
2013One Year in Coal HarborTD Canadian Children's Literature AwardWinner
2019Very RichSheila A. Egoff Children's Literature PrizeFinalist

Publications

  • An Occasional Cow
  • No More Cornflakes
  • The Happy Yellow Car
  • When the Circus Came to Town
  • The Trolls
  • Everything on a Waffle
  • The Canning Season
  • The Pepins and their Problems
  • The Vacation
  • The Corps of the Bare-Boned Plane
  • My One Hundred Adventures
  • Northward to the Moon
  • Mr. and Mrs. Bunny—Detectives Extraordinaire!
  • One Year in Coal Harbor
  • ''Lord and Lady Bunny—Almost Royalty!''