Robert Lawson (author)
Encyclopedia
Robert Lawson was an American author and illustrator
of children's books. During World War I
, he also served as a camouflage
artist.
, Lawson spent his early life in Montclair, New Jersey
. Following high school, he studied art for three years under illustrator Howard Giles (an advocate of dynamic symmetry as conceived by Jay Hambidge
) at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (now Parsons School of Design). His career as an illustrator began in 1914, when his illustration for a poem about the invasion of Belgium
was published in Harper's Weekly. He went on to publish in other magazines, including the Ladies Home Journal, Everybody's Magazine
, Century Magazine, and Designer.
, Sherry Edmundson Fry
, William Twigg-Smith
and Kerr Eby
(Behrens 2009). In his autobiography, Faulkner recalls that Lawson had a remarkable "sense of fantasy and humor", which made him especially valuable when the camoufleurs put on musical shows for the children of the French women who worked with them on camouflage (Faulkner 1957).
by Munro Leaf
(which later became an animated film by the Walt Disney Studios
) and Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. In total, he illustrated as many as forty books by other authors, and another seventeen books that he himself was author of, including Ben and Me
: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin By His Good Mouse Amos and Rabbit Hill
. His work was widely admired, and he became the first, and so far only, person to be given both the Caldecott Medal
(They Were Strong and Good
, 1941) and the Newbery Medal
(Rabbit Hill, 1945). Ben and Me earned a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award
in 1961.
Lawson was a witty and inventive author, and his children's fiction is no less engaging for grown-ups. One of his inventive themes was the idea of a person's life as seen through the eyes of a companion animal, an approach that he first realized in Ben and Me. Some of his later books employed the same device (which was compatible with his style of illustration) to other figures, such as Christopher Columbus
(I Discover Columbus) and Paul Revere
(Mr. Revere and I). Captain Kidd's Cat, which he both wrote and illustrated, is narrated by the feline in the title, named McDermot, who tells the story of the famous pirate's ill-starred voyage, in the process of which he is shown to have been a brave, upright, honest, hen-pecked man betrayed by his friends and calumniated by posterity. His artistic witticism and creativity can be seen in The Story of Ferdinand the Bull, where he illustrates a cork tree
as a tree that bears corks as fruits, ready to be picked and placed into bottles.
. One of the resulting prints was awarded the John Taylor Arms Prize by the Society of American Etchers.
Lawson died in 1957 at his home in Westport, Connecticut
, in a house that he referred to as Rabbit Hill, since it had been the setting for his book of the same name. He was 64. He is buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery, in Bridgeport, Connecticut
. An annual conference is held in his honor in Westport.
The Robert Lawson Papers are in the University of Minnesota
Children's Literature Research Collections.
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
of children's books. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, he also served as a camouflage
Camouflage
Camouflage is a method of concealment that allows an otherwise visible animal, military vehicle, or other object to remain unnoticed, by blending with its environment. Examples include a leopard's spotted coat, the battledress of a modern soldier and a leaf-mimic butterfly...
artist.
Background
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, Lawson spent his early life in Montclair, New Jersey
Montclair, New Jersey
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 38,977 people, 15,020 households, and 9,687 families residing in the township. The population density was 6,183.6 people per square mile . There were 15,531 housing units at an average density of 2,464.0 per square mile...
. Following high school, he studied art for three years under illustrator Howard Giles (an advocate of dynamic symmetry as conceived by Jay Hambidge
Jay Hambidge
Jay Hambidge was an American artist, born in Canada. He was a pupil at the Art Students' League in New York and of William Chase, and a thorough student of classical art. He conceived the idea that the study of arithmetic with the aid of geometrical designs was the foundation of the proportion and...
) at the New York School of Fine and Applied Art (now Parsons School of Design). His career as an illustrator began in 1914, when his illustration for a poem about the invasion of Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
was published in Harper's Weekly. He went on to publish in other magazines, including the Ladies Home Journal, Everybody's Magazine
Everybody's Magazine
Everybody's Magazine was an American magazine from 1899 to 1929.The magazine was founded by Philadelphia merchant John Wanamaker in 1899, though he had little role in its actual operations....
, Century Magazine, and Designer.
Camouflage service
It is not widely known that, during World War I, Lawson was a member of the first U.S. Army camouflage unit (called the American Camouflage Corps), in connection with which he served in France with other artists, such as Barry FaulknerBarry Faulkner
Barry Faulkner was an American artist who was primarily known for his murals. During World War I, he and sculptor Sherry Edmundson Fry organized artists for training as camouflage specialists , an effort that contributed to the founding of the American Camouflage Corps in 1917.-Background:Faulkner...
, Sherry Edmundson Fry
Sherry Edmundson Fry
Sherry Edmundson Fry was an American sculptor, who also played a prominent role in U.S. Army camouflage during World War I.-Early years:...
, William Twigg-Smith
William Twigg-Smith
William Twigg-Smith was a New Zealand-born painter, illustrator and musician, who lived most of his life in Hawaii. During World War I, he was one of the first artists to serve in the American Camouflage Corps.-Early life:...
and Kerr Eby
Kerr Eby
Kerr Eby was an Canadian illustrator best known for his renderings of soldiers in combat in the First and Second World Wars. He is held in a similar regard to Harvey Dunn and the other famous illustrators dispatched by the government to cover the First World War.Born in Tokyo, Japan to Canadian...
(Behrens 2009). In his autobiography, Faulkner recalls that Lawson had a remarkable "sense of fantasy and humor", which made him especially valuable when the camoufleurs put on musical shows for the children of the French women who worked with them on camouflage (Faulkner 1957).
Children's books
After the war, Lawson resumed his work as an artist, and in 1922, illustrated his first children's book, The Wonderful Adventures of Little Prince Toofat. Subsequently he illustrated dozens of children's books by other authors, including such well-known titles as The Story of FerdinandThe Story of Ferdinand
The Story of Ferdinand is the best known work written by American author Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. The children's book tells the story of a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights...
by Munro Leaf
Munro Leaf
Wilbur Monroe Leaf , was an American author of children's literature who wrote and illustrated nearly 40 books during his 40-year career. He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand , a children's classic which he wrote on a yellow legal-length pad in less than an hour...
(which later became an animated film by the Walt Disney Studios
Walt Disney Pictures
Walt Disney Pictures is an American film studio owned by The Walt Disney Company. Walt Disney Pictures and Television, a subsidiary of the Walt Disney Studios and the main production company for live-action feature films within the Walt Disney Motion Pictures Group, based at the Walt Disney...
) and Mr. Popper's Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater. In total, he illustrated as many as forty books by other authors, and another seventeen books that he himself was author of, including Ben and Me
Ben and Me
Ben and Me was Disney's first animated two-reel short subject and released theatrically on November 10, 1953. It was adapted from the children's book written by author/illustrator Robert Lawson and first published in 1939...
: An Astonishing Life of Benjamin Franklin By His Good Mouse Amos and Rabbit Hill
Rabbit Hill
Rabbit Hill is a novel by Robert Lawson that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1945.- Plot introduction:The story takes place in a place called Rabbit Hill, a country crossroads near Danbury, Connecticut...
. His work was widely admired, and he became the first, and so far only, person to be given both 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...
(They Were Strong and Good
They Were Strong and Good
They Were Strong and Good is a book by Robert Lawson that won the Caldecott Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1941. It tells the story of Lawson's family: where they came from, how they met, what they did, where they lived...
, 1941) and the 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. ...
(Rabbit Hill, 1945). Ben and Me earned a 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...
in 1961.
Lawson was a witty and inventive author, and his children's fiction is no less engaging for grown-ups. One of his inventive themes was the idea of a person's life as seen through the eyes of a companion animal, an approach that he first realized in Ben and Me. Some of his later books employed the same device (which was compatible with his style of illustration) to other figures, such as Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus
Christopher Columbus was an explorer, colonizer, and navigator, born in the Republic of Genoa, in northwestern Italy. Under the auspices of the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, he completed four voyages across the Atlantic Ocean that led to general European awareness of the American continents in the...
(I Discover Columbus) and Paul Revere
Paul Revere
Paul Revere was an American silversmith and a patriot in the American Revolution. He is most famous for alerting Colonial militia of approaching British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, Paul Revere's Ride...
(Mr. Revere and I). Captain Kidd's Cat, which he both wrote and illustrated, is narrated by the feline in the title, named McDermot, who tells the story of the famous pirate's ill-starred voyage, in the process of which he is shown to have been a brave, upright, honest, hen-pecked man betrayed by his friends and calumniated by posterity. His artistic witticism and creativity can be seen in The Story of Ferdinand the Bull, where he illustrates a cork tree
Cork tree
Cork tree may refer to:* Cork Oak, the tree from which most cork is harvested* Chinese Cork Oak, a tree from which cork is occasionally harvested* Cork-tree, a species of Phellodendron...
as a tree that bears corks as fruits, ready to be picked and placed into bottles.
Later life
In the early 1930s, Lawson became interested in etchingEtching
Etching is the process of using strong acid or mordant to cut into the unprotected parts of a metal surface to create a design in intaglio in the metal...
. One of the resulting prints was awarded the John Taylor Arms Prize by the Society of American Etchers.
Lawson died in 1957 at his home in Westport, Connecticut
Westport, Connecticut
-Neighborhoods:* Saugatuck – around the Westport railroad station near the southwestern corner of the town – a built-up area with some restaurants, stores and offices....
, in a house that he referred to as Rabbit Hill, since it had been the setting for his book of the same name. He was 64. He is buried in Mountain Grove Cemetery, in Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
. An annual conference is held in his honor in Westport.
The Robert Lawson Papers are in the University of Minnesota
University of Minnesota
The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities is a public research university located in Minneapolis and St. Paul, Minnesota, United States. It is the oldest and largest part of the University of Minnesota system and has the fourth-largest main campus student body in the United States, with 52,557...
Children's Literature Research Collections.
Works
- Chester, George Randolph, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Wonderful Adventures of Little Prince Toofat. New York: James A. McCann, 1922.
- Mason, Arthur, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Wee Men of Ballywooden. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1930; New York: Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1952. - Bianco, Margery Williams, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). "The House That Grew Small". St. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas Magazine was a popular children's magazine, founded by Scribner's in 1873. The first editor was Mary Mapes Dodge, who continued her association with the magazine until her death in 1905. Dodge published work by the country's best writers, including Louisa May Alcott, Francis Hodgson...
58 (September 1931): 764–66, 782–83. - Mason, Arthur, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). From the Horn of the Moon. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1931. Excerpted as "Moving of the Bog", St. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas Magazine was a popular children's magazine, founded by Scribner's in 1873. The first editor was Mary Mapes Dodge, who continued her association with the magazine until her death in 1905. Dodge published work by the country's best writers, including Louisa May Alcott, Francis Hodgson...
58 (July 1931): 644–47, 667–70. - Mason, Arthur, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Roving Lobster. Garden City, New York: Doubleday, Doran, 1931.
- Untermeyer, Louis, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). "The Donkey of God". St. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas MagazineSt. Nicholas Magazine was a popular children's magazine, founded by Scribner's in 1873. The first editor was Mary Mapes Dodge, who continued her association with the magazine until her death in 1905. Dodge published work by the country's best writers, including Louisa May Alcott, Francis Hodgson...
59 (December 1931): 59–61, 105–108. - Ring, Barbara, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Peik. Translated by Lorence Munson Woodside. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1932.
- Young, Ella, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Unicorn with Silver Shoes. New York: Longmans, Green, 1932.
- Bianco, Margery Williams, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Hurdy-Gurdy Man. New York: Oxford University Press, 1933.
- Marquand, John P., Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Haven's End. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1933.
- Haines, William Wister, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Slim. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1934.
- Tarn, William Woodthorpe, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Treasure of the Isle of Mist. New York: G. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group.-History:...
, 1934. - Bates, Helen Dixon, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Betsy Ross. New York: Whittlesey House and McGraw-Hill, 1936.
- Bates, Helen Dixon, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Francis Scott Key. New York: Whittlesey House and McGraw-Hill, 1936.
- Gale, Elizabeth, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Seven Beads of Wampum. New York: G. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group.-History:...
, 1936. - Glenn, Mabelle, et al., eds. , Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Tunes and Harmonies. New York: G. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group.-History:...
, 1936. - Leaf, MunroMunro LeafWilbur Monroe Leaf , was an American author of children's literature who wrote and illustrated nearly 40 books during his 40-year career. He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand , a children's classic which he wrote on a yellow legal-length pad in less than an hour...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Story of FerdinandThe Story of FerdinandThe Story of Ferdinand is the best known work written by American author Munro Leaf and illustrated by Robert Lawson. The children's book tells the story of a bull who would rather smell flowers than fight in bullfights...
. New York: Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1936. - Sterne, Emma Gelders, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Drums of Monmouth. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1936.
- Barnes, Ruth A., ed., Robert Lawson (Illustrator). I Hear America Singing: An Anthology of Folk Poetry. Chicago: John C. Winston Co. and the Junior Literary GuildJunior Literary GuildThe Junior Literary Guild was the name of a commercial book club devoted to juvenile literature that has become the contemporary Junior Library Guild. It was created in 1929 as one of the enterprises of the Literary Guild, which was an adult book club created in 1927 by Samuel W. Craig and Harold...
, 1937. - Bowie, Walter Russell, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Story of Jesus for Young People. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1937.
- Brewton, John E., Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Under the Tent of the Sky: A Collection of Poems about Animals Large and Small. New York: MacmillanMacmillan PublishersMacmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
, 1937. - Cormack, Maribelle, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Wind of the Vikings: A Tale of the Orkney Isles. New York: D. Appleton-Century, 1937.
- Fish, Helen Dean, ed. , Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Four and Twenty Blackbirds: Nursery Rhymes of Yesterday Recalled for Children of To-Day. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1937.
- Kissin, Rita, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Pete the Pelican. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1937.
- Rosmer, Jean, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). In Secret Service: A Mystery Story of Napoleon's Court. Translated by Virginia Olcott. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1937.
- Sterne, Emma GeldersEmma Gelders SterneEmma Gelders Sterne was an author of children's books, with a historical and literary focus.She was born in Birmingham, Alabama on May 13, 1894, to Louis Gelders, a restaurateur, and Blanche Loeb. She grew up on nearby Red Mountain. She wrote for both her high school and college literary...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Miranda Is a Princess: A Story of Old Spain. New York: Dodd, Mead & Co., 1937. - Stratton, Clarence, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Swords and Statues: A Tale of Sixteenth Century Italy. New York: John C. Winston Co. and the Junior Literary Guild, 1937.
- Twain, Mark, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the PauperThe Prince and the Pauper is an English-language novel by American author Mark Twain. It was first published in 1881 in Canada before its 1882 publication in the United States. The book represents Twain's first attempt at historical fiction...
. Chicago: John C. Winston Co., 1937. - Atwater, Richard, and Florence Atwater, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Mr. Popper's Penguins. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1938.
- Dickens, CharlesCharles DickensCharles John Huffam Dickens was an English novelist, generally considered the greatest of the Victorian period. Dickens enjoyed a wider popularity and fame than had any previous author during his lifetime, and he remains popular, having been responsible for some of English literature's most iconic...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). A Tale of Two Cities. Boston: Ginn, 1938. - Farjeon, Eleanor, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). One Foot in Fairyland. New York: F. A. Stokes, 1938.
- Haines, William Wister, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). High Tension. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1938.
- Leaf, MunroMunro LeafWilbur Monroe Leaf , was an American author of children's literature who wrote and illustrated nearly 40 books during his 40-year career. He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand , a children's classic which he wrote on a yellow legal-length pad in less than an hour...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Wee Gillis. New York: Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1938. - Lawson, Robert. Ben and Me. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1939.
- Bunyan, John, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Pilgrim's Progress. Text revised by Mary Godolphin. Philadelphia: J. B. Lippincott, 1939.
- White, T. H., Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the StoneThe Sword in the Stone is a novel by T. H. White, published in 1939, initially a stand-alone work but now the first part of a tetralogy The Once and Future King. A fantasy of the boyhood of King Arthur, it is a sui generis work which combines elements of legend, history, fantasy and comedy...
. New York: G. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's SonsG. P. Putnam's Sons was a major United States book publisher based in New York City, New York. Since 1996, it has been an imprint of the Penguin Group.-History:...
, 1939. - Lawson, Robert. Just for Fun: A Collection of Stories and Verses. Chicago: Rand McNallyRand McNallyRand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
, 1940. - Lawson, Robert. They Were Strong and GoodThey Were Strong and GoodThey Were Strong and Good is a book by Robert Lawson that won the Caldecott Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1941. It tells the story of Lawson's family: where they came from, how they met, what they did, where they lived...
. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1940; rev. ed., 1968. - Brewton, John E, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Gaily We Parade: A Collection of Poems about People, Here, There and Everywhere. New York: MacmillanMacmillan PublishersMacmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
, 1940. - Lawson, Robert. I Discover Columbus. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1941.
- Leaf, MunroMunro LeafWilbur Monroe Leaf , was an American author of children's literature who wrote and illustrated nearly 40 books during his 40-year career. He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand , a children's classic which he wrote on a yellow legal-length pad in less than an hour...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Aesop's Fables. New York: Heritage Press, 1941. - Leaf, MunroMunro LeafWilbur Monroe Leaf , was an American author of children's literature who wrote and illustrated nearly 40 books during his 40-year career. He is best known for The Story of Ferdinand , a children's classic which he wrote on a yellow legal-length pad in less than an hour...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Story of Simpson and Sampson. New York: Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1941. - C.S. Forester , Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Poo-Poo and the Dragons. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1942.
- Gray, Elizabeth Janet, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Adam of the Road. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1942. - Lang, Andrew, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Prince Prigio. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1942.
- Stephens, JamesJames Stephens (author)James Stephens was an Irish novelist and poet.James Stephens wrote many retellings of Irish myths and fairy tales. His retellings are marked by a rare combination of humor and lyricism...
, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Crock of Gold. New York: Limited Editions Club, 1942. - Lawson, Robert. Watchwords of Liberty. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1943; rev. ed., 1957.
- Lawson, Robert. Country Colic. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1944.
- Lawson, Robert. Rabbit HillRabbit HillRabbit Hill is a novel by Robert Lawson that won the Newbery Medal for excellence in American children's literature in 1945.- Plot introduction:The story takes place in a place called Rabbit Hill, a country crossroads near Danbury, Connecticut...
. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1944. - Lawson, Robert. Mr. Wilmer. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1945.
- Hall, William, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Shoelace Robin. New York: Thomas Y. Crowell, 1945.
- Robinson, Tom, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Greylock and the Robins. New York: Viking PressViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
and the Junior Literary Guild, 1946. - Lawson, Robert. At That Time. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1947. - Lawson, Robert. Mr. Twigg's Mistake. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1947.
- Lawson, Robert. Robbut: A Tale of Tails. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1948. - Lawson, Robert. Dick Whittington and His CatDick Whittington and His CatDick Whittington and His Cat is an English folk tale that has often been used as the basis for stage pantomimes and other adaptations. It tells of a poor boy in the 14th century who becomes a wealthy merchant and eventually the Lord Mayor of London because of the ratting abilities of his cat...
. New York: Limited Editions Club, 1949. - Lawson, Robert. The Fabulous Flight. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1949.
- Lawson, Robert. Smeller Martin. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1950. - Neilson, Frances F., and Winthrop Neilson, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Benjamin Franklin. Reader in Real People Series. New York: Row, Peterson, 1950.
- Lawson, Robert. McWhinney's Jaunt. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1951.
- Lawson, Robert. Edward, Hoppy and Joe. New York: Knopf, 1952.
- Potter, Mary A., et al., Robert Lawson (Illustrator). Mathematics for Success. Boston: Ginn, 1952.
- Lawson, Robert. Mr. Revere and I. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1953.
- Lawson, Robert. The Tough Winter. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1954. - Lawson, Robert. Captain Kidd's Cat. Boston: Little, Brown and Co., 1956.
- Lawson, Robert. The Great WheelThe Great WheelThe Great Wheel is Robert Lawson's final children's book, published in 1957, the year of his death. It was posthumously named as a Newbery Honor book in 1958.-Plot summary:...
. New York: VikingViking PressViking Press is an American publishing company owned by the Penguin Group, which has owned the company since 1975. It was founded in New York City on March 1, 1925, by Harold K. Guinzburg and George S. Oppenheim...
, 1957. - Coatsworth, Elizabeth, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Golden Horseshoe. New York: MacmillanMacmillan PublishersMacmillan Publishers Ltd, also known as The Macmillan Group, is a privately held international publishing company owned by Georg von Holtzbrinck Publishing Group. It has offices in 41 countries worldwide and operates in more than thirty others.-History:...
, 1935; rev. ed., 1968. - Teal, Val, Robert Lawson (Illustrator). The Little Woman Wanted Noise. New York: Rand McNallyRand McNallyRand McNally is an American publisher of maps, atlases, textbooks, and globes for travel, reference, commercial, and educational uses. It also provides online consumer street maps and directions, as well as commercial transportation routing software and mileage data...
, 1943; rev. ed., 1967.
Sources
- Faulkner, Barry, Sketches from an Artist's Life. Dublin, New Hampshire: William Bauhan, 1973.
- "Robert Lawson" in Walt Reed, The Illustrator in America 1860–2000. New York: Society of Illustrators, 2001, p. 186. ISBN 0-942604-80-6.
- "Robert Lawson" in Roy R. Behrens, Camoupedia: A Compendium of Research on Art, Architecture and Camouflage. Dysart, Iowa: Bobolink Books, 2009, p. 221. ISBN 978-0-971324-46-6.