Hildegard Woodward

Hildegard Woodward (February 10, 1898 – 15 December 1977) was the author and illustrator of many children's books, two of which were awarded a Caldecott Honor. Woodward's art was not restricted to children's books; her portfolio includes numerous works of fiction and humor for adults. Although most noted for her watercolor illustrations, she painted in oil and was a children's portrait artist.

She was born in Worcester, Massachusetts February 10, 1898. Her parents were Rufus and Stella Woodward. She was educated at the School of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and in Paris.

In 1948 she was given a Caldecott Medal for her illustrations of Roger and the Fox written by Lavinia R. Davis and again in 1950 for The Wild Birthday Cake.

In 1953 Woodward painted a mural on the wall of the Center School cafeteria in Brookfield, Connecticut near her residence in Hawleyville.

She began to lose her sight in the 1960, but didn't stop painting. When she went blind she developed a method of "painting by touch".

Woodward never married or had children. She died on December 15, 1977, in Newtown, Connecticut.

Her papers are held at the University of Southern Mississippi and the Children's Literature Research Collection at the University of Minnesota house copies of her original artwork.