Carol Ryrie Brink was an American author of over thirty juvenile and adult books. Her novel Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn is a popular children's novel by Carol Ryrie Brink which won the John Newbery Medal in 1936 and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958. The original edition was illustrated by Newbery-award winning author and illustrator Kate Seredy...

won the 1936 Newbery Medal

Newbery Medal

The John Newbery Medal is a literary award given by the Association for Library Service to Children, a division of the American Library Association . The award is given to the author of the most distinguished contribution to American literature for children. The award has been given since 1922. ...

. In 1958 Caddie Woodlawn won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

Lewis Carroll Shelf Award

The Lewis Carroll Shelf Award was started in 1958 by Dr. David C. Davis with the assistance of Prof. Lola Pierstorff, Director Instructional Materials Center, Univ. of Wisconsin and Madeline Allen Davis, WHA Wisconsin Public Radio. Awards were presented annually at the Wisconsin Book Conference...

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Born Caroline Ryrie, the only child of Alexander and Henrietta (Watkins) Ryrie, Brink was orphaned by age 8, and raised by her maternal grandmother, Caroline Watkins, the model for Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn

Caddie Woodlawn is a popular children's novel by Carol Ryrie Brink which won the John Newbery Medal in 1936 and the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958. The original edition was illustrated by Newbery-award winning author and illustrator Kate Seredy...

. Her grandmother's life and storytelling abilities inspired her writing at an early age.

She started writing for her school newspapers and continued that in college.