by We went to Hamilton, Ohio, for the express purpose of visiting a small museum honoring writer and illustrator John Robert McCloskey (1914-2003). McCloskey was born and grew up in Hamilton, though he left for college in Boston and never lived here again.
As a teen he served as a camp counselor, where he carved a totem pole that stood at the camp for over 50 years. Today it can be found in Heritage Hall where the McCloskey Museum is located. That building also has bas relief and cast aluminum pieces decorating its exterior, which were designed by McCloseky when he was just 19!
By his late 20s, McCloskey was already a success, winning a prestigious Caldecott Medal for Make Way for Ducklings in 1942. The book features a pair of mallards who bring their eight ducklings to a public garden in downtown Boston. It’s the official children’s book of Massachusetts, and is honored by a beloved sculpture and annual parade.
McCloskey was a runner up for Caldecott awards in 1949 for Blueberries for Sal, in 1953 for One Morning in Maine, and in 1954 for JourneyCake, Ho! He won the award again in 1958 for Time of Wonder. Considering he only wrote and illustrated eight books, that’s a pretty impressive list of wins and near-wins!
The cover photo features illustrations by McCloskey for Tom Robinson’s 1949 book Trigger John’s Son.
