Obituary: Walter Dean Myers - deeply respected children's book author

Shelf Awareness

Photo: Malin Fezehai

Walter Dean Myers, beloved and deeply respected children's book author, died July 1. He was 76. In a career spanning over 45 years, he wrote more than 100 books, including two Newbery Honor Books, three National Book Award finalists and six Coretta Scott King Award/Honor-winning books. Among his many honors were the inaugural Michael L. Printz Award (for Monster), the first Coretta Scott King-Virginia Hamilton Award for Lifetime Achievement and the Margaret A. Edwards Award for lifetime achievement in writing for young adults. In 2012, he was appointed the third National Ambassador for Young People's Literature, and served a two-year term.

"We are deeply saddened by the passing of erudite and beloved author Walter Dean Myers," said Susan Katz, president and publisher of HarperCollins Children's Books. "Walter's many award-winning books do not shy away from the sometimes gritty truth of growing up. He wrote books for the reader he once was, books he wanted to read when he was a teen. He wrote with heart and he spoke to teens in a language they understood. For these reasons, and more, his work will live on for a long, long time."

Miriam Altshuler, his literary agent, described him as "a compassionate, wonderful and brilliant man. He wrote about children who needed a voice and their stories told. His work will live on for generations to come. It was an honor to work with him for so many years."

Scholastic CEO Dick Robinson said Myers "changed the face of children's literature by representing the diversity of the children of our nation in his award-winning books. He was a deeply authentic person and writer who urged other authors, editors and publishers not only to make sure every child could find him or herself in a book, but also to tell compelling and challenging stories that would inspire children to reach their full potential. My favorite quote from Walter is a clarion call to embrace the power of books to inform and transform our lives--he said, 'Once I began to read, I began to exist.' He will be missed by us all."