Eve Bunting
Encyclopedia
Anne Evelyn Bunting better known as Eve Bunting, is an Irish author who has written more than 250 books. Her work covers a broad array of subjects and includes fiction and non-fiction books. Her novels are primarily aimed at children and young adults, but her works also include picture books. While many of her books are set in Northern Ireland, where she grew up, her topics and settings range from Thanksgiving
to riots in Los Angeles
. Bunting's first book, The Two Giants, was published in 1971, and several books are to be published in 2011. Due to the popularity of her books with children, she has been listed as one of the Educational Paperback Association's top 100 authors.
, and Mary (née
Canning) Bolton, a homemaker. She married business executive Edward Davison Bunting, whom she met in college, on March 26, 1950, and has three children: Christine, Sloan, and Glenn. She was educated in Belfast
, Northern Ireland, attending Methodist College
in the early 1940s and graduating in 1945; she then attended Queen's University, where she met her husband. After marrying, the couple moved to Scotland and started their family.
In 1958, Bunting immigrated to the United States
with her husband and three children, later attending Pasadena City College
in 1959. Bunting then enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting's first published story, The Two Giants (1971), focused an Irish folktale about Finn McCool who out smarted Culcullan, a terrible Scottish giant. The first published work gave Bunting confidence and passion to pursue a writing career.
Bunting has taught writing classes at the University of California, Los Angeles
and at various at writer's conferences. She is a member of International PEN
and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
. She continues to write at her home in Pasadena, California
, and has six grandchildren.
and grew up with storytelling
. In Ireland, "There used to be Shanachies...the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghost
s and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I'm a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen". This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and has continued with her work.
from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in 1976 for One More Flight. Other honors include the Southern California council on Literature for Children and Young People Award, PEN Los Angeles Center Literacy Award for Special Achievement in Children's Literature, and Southern California council on Literature for Children and Young People Award Excellence is a Series Award. Coffin on a Case won an Edgar Award for Best Juvenile from the Mystery Writers of America
in 1993.
Eve Bunting has also received the Heal the World award from a school.
In 1995, her book Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, won the Caldecott Medal
. She also won a "Heal the World" award from a school. A young reader wrote Bunting to notify her of the achievement. She said, "It is among of the most cherished honors I have ever received and the plaque hangs proudly above my desk."
In 2006, Bunting's book One Green Apple, illustrated by Ted Lewin
, won the inaugural Arab American Book Award
for books written for Children/ Young Adults. One Green Apple tells the story of a young girl who just immigrated to America from an Arab country and how she discovers that her differences are what makes her special.
Bunting is proud of her writing and how it affects children of all ages.
A father and son are homeless and they sleep at the airport. The son watches the planes fly away and hopes one day he will be able to leave.
A young boy wakes up in the middle of the night and his family is forced to leave their house due to riots. Despite hatred in the city, two families are bonded by the events.
A young girl remembers her family, including her mother, by a string full of buttons. Each button belongs to a certain family member and memory. She is dealing with change as her stepmother and father paint the house. This story focuses on how the young girl copes with the pain of losing her father and gaining a stepmother.
This book describes a family secretly leaving their country and taking a small boat to America. When they reach America, they celebrate and have Thanksgiving. This is a very powerful Thanksgiving story.
A group of friends travels through a forest and decorates a Christmas tree with oranges and popcorn. They sing and drink hot chocolate with the animals. The family leaves the tree for the animals to celebrate Christmas.
The same theme as Titanic but a different story board.
Jesse Harmon searches for the hit-and-run serial killer who killed his brother Bry.
Gleam and Glow Viktor finds hope from two fishes during a harsh war in the 1990s.
Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving Day is a holiday celebrated primarily in the United States and Canada. Thanksgiving is celebrated each year on the second Monday of October in Canada and on the fourth Thursday of November in the United States. In Canada, Thanksgiving falls on the same day as Columbus Day in the...
to riots in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
. Bunting's first book, The Two Giants, was published in 1971, and several books are to be published in 2011. Due to the popularity of her books with children, she has been listed as one of the Educational Paperback Association's top 100 authors.
Biography
Anne Evelyn Bolton was born in Maghera to Sloan Edmund Bolton, a postmasterPostmaster
A postmaster is the head of an individual post office. Postmistress is not used anymore in the United States, as the "master" component of the word refers to a person of authority and has no gender quality...
, and Mary (née
NEE
NEE is a political protest group whose goal was to provide an alternative for voters who are unhappy with all political parties at hand in Belgium, where voting is compulsory.The NEE party was founded in 2005 in Antwerp...
Canning) Bolton, a homemaker. She married business executive Edward Davison Bunting, whom she met in college, on March 26, 1950, and has three children: Christine, Sloan, and Glenn. She was educated in Belfast
Belfast
Belfast is the capital of and largest city in Northern Ireland. By population, it is the 14th biggest city in the United Kingdom and second biggest on the island of Ireland . It is the seat of the devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly...
, Northern Ireland, attending Methodist College
Methodist College Belfast
Methodist College Belfast , styled locally as Methody, is a voluntary grammar school in Belfast, Northern Ireland, one of eight Northern Irish schools represented on the Headmasters' and Headmistresses' Conference, and is a member of the Independent Schools Council...
in the early 1940s and graduating in 1945; she then attended Queen's University, where she met her husband. After marrying, the couple moved to Scotland and started their family.
In 1958, Bunting immigrated to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with her husband and three children, later attending Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College
Pasadena City College is a community college in Pasadena, California, USA, located on Colorado Boulevard. PCC is the third largest community college campus in the United States. PCC was founded in 1924 as Pasadena Junior College. In 1954, Pasadena Junior College merged with another junior...
in 1959. Bunting then enrolled in a community college writing course. She felt the desire to write about her heritage. Bunting's first published story, The Two Giants (1971), focused an Irish folktale about Finn McCool who out smarted Culcullan, a terrible Scottish giant. The first published work gave Bunting confidence and passion to pursue a writing career.
Bunting has taught writing classes at the University of California, Los Angeles
University of California, Los Angeles
The University of California, Los Angeles is a public research university located in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles, California, USA. It was founded in 1919 as the "Southern Branch" of the University of California and is the second oldest of the ten campuses...
and at various at writer's conferences. She is a member of International PEN
International PEN
PEN International , the worldwide association of writers, was founded in London in 1921 to promote friendship and intellectual co-operation among writers everywhere....
and the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators is a nonprofit, 5013 organization that acts as a network for the exchange of knowledge between writers, illustrators, editors, publishers, agents, librarians, educators, booksellers and others involved with literature for young people.The...
. She continues to write at her home in Pasadena, California
Pasadena, California
Pasadena is a city in Los Angeles County, California, United States. Although famous for hosting the annual Rose Bowl football game and Tournament of Roses Parade, Pasadena is the home to many scientific and cultural institutions, including the California Institute of Technology , the Jet...
, and has six grandchildren.
Literary career
Bunting went to school in Northern IrelandNorthern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
and grew up with storytelling
Storytelling
Storytelling is the conveying of events in words, images and sounds, often by improvisation or embellishment. Stories or narratives have been shared in every culture as a means of entertainment, education, cultural preservation and in order to instill moral values...
. In Ireland, "There used to be Shanachies...the shanachie was a storyteller who went from house to house telling his tales of ghost
Ghost
In traditional belief and fiction, a ghost is the soul or spirit of a deceased person or animal that can appear, in visible form or other manifestation, to the living. Descriptions of the apparition of ghosts vary widely from an invisible presence to translucent or barely visible wispy shapes, to...
s and fairies, of old Irish heroes and battles still to be won. Maybe I'm a bit of a Shanchie myself, telling stories to anyone who will listen". This storytelling began as an inspiration for Bunting and has continued with her work.
Diversity
With over 250 titles, Eve Bunting has included diversity in her work. Every title focuses on a different issue. Smoky Night discusses racism and the Los Angeles riots with colorful illustrations. Fly Away Home illustrates a homeless father and son who live in an airport. Bunting has also discussed topics, such as death, war, and troubled family life. Her writing speaks about important social issues with clarity and empowerment.Awards
During her writing career, Bunting has won several awards for her books. She received the Golden Kite AwardGolden Kite Award
The Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize excellence in children’s literature. Instituted in 1972, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers...
from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators in 1976 for One More Flight. Other honors include the Southern California council on Literature for Children and Young People Award, PEN Los Angeles Center Literacy Award for Special Achievement in Children's Literature, and Southern California council on Literature for Children and Young People Award Excellence is a Series Award. Coffin on a Case won an Edgar Award for Best Juvenile from the Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America
Mystery Writers of America is an organization for mystery writers, based in New York.The organization was founded in 1945 by Clayton Rawson, Anthony Boucher, Lawrence Treat, and Brett Halliday....
in 1993.
Eve Bunting has also received the Heal the World award from a school.
In 1995, her book Smoky Night, illustrated by David Diaz, won the Caldecott Medal
Caldecott Medal
The Caldecott Medal is awarded annually by the Association for Library Service to Children , a division of the American Library Association, to the artist of the most distinguished American picture book for children published that year. The award was named in honor of nineteenth-century English...
. She also won a "Heal the World" award from a school. A young reader wrote Bunting to notify her of the achievement. She said, "It is among of the most cherished honors I have ever received and the plaque hangs proudly above my desk."
In 2006, Bunting's book One Green Apple, illustrated by Ted Lewin
Ted lewin
Ted Lewin is an author/illustrator of children's books. Lewin and his wife Betsy Reilly drew on their travels to exotic places such as the Amazon River, Botswana, Egypt, Lapland, the Sahara Desert, and India when collaborating on their many books...
, won the inaugural Arab American Book Award
Arab American Book Award
The Arab American Book Award was established in 2006 to celebrate and support the research of, and the written work of, Arab Americans and their culture. The Arab American Book Award encourages the publication and excellence of books that preserve and advance the understanding, knowledge, and...
for books written for Children/ Young Adults. One Green Apple tells the story of a young girl who just immigrated to America from an Arab country and how she discovers that her differences are what makes her special.
Bunting is proud of her writing and how it affects children of all ages.
Fiction
Bunting's best-known writings include:- The Presence: A Ghost StoryThe Presence: A Ghost StoryThe Presence: A Ghost Story is a children's ghost novel by Eve Bunting.-Plot introduction:The spirit of a 17 year old boy that died 120 years ago stands on the stairs of a church in California, waiting for 17 year old Catherine, who is spending Christmas with her grandmother while her parents are...
(2003) - Someone is Hiding on Alcatraz Island
- Fly Away Home (1991) Award Winning Novel
A father and son are homeless and they sleep at the airport. The son watches the planes fly away and hopes one day he will be able to leave.
- The Summer of Riley
- Smoky NightSmoky NightSmoky Night is a 1994 children's book by Eve Bunting. It tells the story of a Los Angeles riot and its aftermath: two people who previously disliked each other working together to find their cats. In the end, the cats teach their masters how to get along. The book made the list of One Hundred Books...
(1994)
A young boy wakes up in the middle of the night and his family is forced to leave their house due to riots. Despite hatred in the city, two families are bonded by the events.
- One More Flight (1976, Warne). Awarded Golden Kite AwardGolden Kite AwardThe Golden Kite Awards are given annually by the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators to recognize excellence in children’s literature. Instituted in 1972, the Golden Kite Awards are the only children’s literary award judged by a jury of peers...
from the Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. - Coffin on a Case! (1992) Received the 1993 Edgar AwardEdgar AwardThe Edgar Allan Poe Awards , named after Edgar Allan Poe, are presented every year by the Mystery Writers of America...
for Best Juvenile Mystery - Is Anybody There? (1988). Edgar nominee.
- Spying on Miss Muller (1995). Edgar nominee
- Moon Stick
- Dandelions
- The Memory String
A young girl remembers her family, including her mother, by a string full of buttons. Each button belongs to a certain family member and memory. She is dealing with change as her stepmother and father paint the house. This story focuses on how the young girl copes with the pain of losing her father and gaining a stepmother.
- How Many Days to America?
This book describes a family secretly leaving their country and taking a small boat to America. When they reach America, they celebrate and have Thanksgiving. This is a very powerful Thanksgiving story.
- Night Tree
A group of friends travels through a forest and decorates a Christmas tree with oranges and popcorn. They sing and drink hot chocolate with the animals. The family leaves the tree for the animals to celebrate Christmas.
- The Sixth Grade Sleepover. Won the 1989 Sequoyah Children's Book Award. http://oklibs.org/modx/Organization/Committees/Sequoyah.htm
- Nasty, Stinky Sneakers. Won the 1997 Sequoyah Children's Book Award. http://oklibs.org/modx/Organization/Committees/Sequoyah.htm
- S.O.S Titanic
The same theme as Titanic but a different story board.
- A Sudden Silence
Jesse Harmon searches for the hit-and-run serial killer who killed his brother Bry.
Gleam and Glow Viktor finds hope from two fishes during a harsh war in the 1990s.
Non-fiction
- Skateboards: How to Make Them, How to Ride Them (1977)
- The Great White Shark (1982)
- The Sea World Book of Sharks (1984)
- The Sea World Book of Whales (1987)