Misplaced Pages

Margaret Hillert (January 22, 1920 – October 11, 2014) was an American author, poet and educator. Hillert, a lifelong resident of the state of Michigan, was known for her children's literature, having written over eighty books for beginning readers. She began writing poetry at a young age and published her first verses in 1961.

Hillert was born in Saginaw, Michigan, in 1920. She was best known for her Dear Dragon series, which pairs tales of a young boy and his pet dragon with instructional notes, word lists, and activities to promote reading skills. By using limited vocabulary and repeating words, her books are aimed at helping beginning readers gain skills and confidence. Hillert's work has been illustrated by Ed Young, Nan Brooks, Kelly Oechsli, Kinuko Y. Craft, and Dick Martin.

Hillert received a nursing degree from the University of Michigan and a teaching degree from Wayne State University. She taught First Grade at Whittier Elementary in the Royal Oak Public School District for 34 years. She died on October 11, 2014, at the age of 94.

Awards

• 1991 Annual Award of the Children's Reading Round Table of Chicago
• 1993 The Women's National Book Association Michigan Bookwoman of the Year
• 1997 The Women of Wayne State “Headliner”
• David W Longe Prize

Bibliography

• Come Play with Me (1975) (Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft)
• What Is It? (1977) (Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft)
• The Cookie House (1978) (Illustrated by Kinuko Y. Craft)
• The Snow Baby (1969) (Illustrated by Liz Dauber)

References

1. ^ "About Us - The Norwood House Press Books Staff". Norwood House Press Books. Archived from the original on 2008-03-13. Retrieved 2008-04-12.
2. "Margaret Hillert Papers". de Grummond Children's Literature Collection The University of Southern Mississippi. Retrieved October 17, 2014.
3. ^ Diane K. Bert (August 1, 2013). "Through Dragon's eyes". Observer & Eccentric. Archived from the original on August 24, 2013. Retrieved August 14, 2013.
4. Commrie, Anne (1976). Something about the Author - Volume 8. Gale. p. 82. ISBN 0810300648.
5. "On the shelves". Clovis News Journal. November 8, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2012. Retrieved 2009-11-15.
6. Margaret Hillert Obituary
7. ^ 42nd Annual Writer's Conference booklet (PDF) Presented by Detroit Working Writers and Schoolcraft College in conjunction with The MacGuffin, Schoolcraft College’s national literary magazine

External links

• The Margaret Hillert Papers in the de Grummond Children's Literature Collection of the University of Southern Mississippi

• American children's writers
• Writers from Michigan
• 1920 births
• 2014 deaths
• University of Michigan School of Nursing alumni
• People from Saginaw, Michigan
• Wayne State University alumni