Quail Hawkins
Quail Hawkins | |
|---|---|
| Born | Helena Ann Hawkins Template:Birth date Spokane, Washington, U.S. |
| Died | August 16, 2002 (aged 97) Pacific Grove, California, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Author, bookseller |
| Years active | 1920s–1972 |
| Known for | Children's literature, bookselling at Sather Gate Bookshop |
Quail Hawkins (originally named Helena Ann Hawkins; March 29, 1905 – August 16, 2002) was an American author specializing in children's literature and a prominent bookseller. She was born in Spokane, Washington and passed away in Pacific Grove, California.
Biography
As the firstborn among seven siblings, Hawkins grew up with a father who dealt in fruit wholesale and a mother who contributed to the local publication, The Spokane Register. In 1927, she enrolled at the University of California, Berkeley but left before finishing her academic program. Hawkins embarked on her bookselling profession during the 1920s and became part of the Sather Gate Bookshop team—a significant provider for educational institutions and libraries—in 1931, remaining there until 1972. Her writing extended to contributions for Publishers Weekly, the University of California Press, and she authored the children's literature section for the 1963 edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica. An interesting aspect of her career includes employing author Beverly Cleary for temporary work at Sather Gate Bookshop.
Works
At the time of her passing, none of Hawkins' literary works were still being printed. Her important titles encompass:
- Quetzal Quest: The Story of the Capture of the Quetzal, the Sacred Bird of the Aztecs and the Mayas, co-authored with V. W. von Hagen, published by Harcourt in 1939
- The Treasure of the Tortoise Islands, also with V. W. von Hagen, released by Harcourt in 1940
- Prayers and Graces for Little Children, published by Grosset in 1941; later revised as A Little Book of Prayers and Graces, issued by Doubleday in 1952
- Various children's books issued by Holiday Books between 1942 and 1958, including titles such as Who Wants an Apple?, A Puppy for Keeps, and The Aunt-Sitter
- The Best Birthday, published by Doubleday in 1954
- Mountain Courage, released by Doubleday in 1957
- A retelling of Androcles and the Lion, published by Coward in 1970
- The Art of Bookselling: Quail Hawkins and the Sather Gate Book Shop: An Interview Conducted in 1978, produced by the Regional Oral History Office at Bancroft Library, University of California, in 1979
External links
- Quail Hawkins papers, 1925-1974: collection includes manuscripts, published works, short stories, musicals, articles, poetry, clippings, and personal correspondence.