Holling Clancy Holling (born Holling Allison Clancy, August 2, 1900 – September 7, 1973) was an American author and illustrator, best known for the book Paddle-to-the-Sea, which was a Caldecott Honor Book in 1942 an won the Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1962.
Born in Jackson County, Michigan, Holling graduated from the Art Institute of Chicago in 1923. A number of his early works were first published by P. F. Volland & Co. He worked in a taxidermy department of the Field Museum of Natural History in Chicago and spent time working in anthropology under Dr. Ralph Linton. During this period, he married Lucille Webster and within a year of their marriage accepted a position as art instructor on the first University World Cruise, sponsored by New York University. For many years, Holling dedicated much of his time and interest to making books for children. Much of the material he used was known to him first hand, and his wife Lucille worked with him on many of the illustrations.
Holling's books are beautifully illustrated, well-written, and incredibly instructive. Other than the minor concern of his (very minimal) evolutionary content in Minn of the Mississippi, we would recommend his books to anyone about third grade and up. Look for his out-of-print books Cowboys and Indians—they're treasures!
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