Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Anne Cath Vestly (15 February 1920 – 15 December 2008) was a Norwegian author of children’s literature. She is known for a wide range of books published from 1953 to 2004.
Life and Career
Vestly was born on 15 February 1920 in Rena, Norway. Her mother was a schoolteacher. Vestly took her Examen artium at Lillehammer in 1939. She then moved with her mother to Oslo, where she studied at the University of Oslo, attended trade school, and became involved in amateur theater work.
She began her career as a writer in the 1950s and went on to publish over 40 books, many of which have been translated into multiple languages. Vestly’s works often focused on the everyday lives of Norwegian families and were known for their humor, warmth, and relatability to children.
In addition to her writing, Vestly was also a celebrated artist who created illustrations for her own books as well as for others. She was a vocal advocate for children’s literature and helped to establish the Norwegian Children’s Book Institute. Vestly’s contributions to Norwegian literature have been widely recognized, and she has received numerous awards for her work, including the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature and the Norwegian Ministry of Culture’s Cultural Award.
Anne-Cath. Vestly was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in early 2006. She spent her final years living in a nursing home in Mjøndalen, where she died in 2008 at the age of 88.
Award and Legacy
Anne Cath Vestly’s contributions to Norwegian literature have been widely recognized, and she has received numerous awards for her work, including the Norwegian Critics Prize for Literature and the Norwegian Ministry of Culture’s Cultural Award. In addition, several of her books have been adapted into popular television shows and movies in Norway.
Vestly’s legacy continues to be felt in Norway, where her books remain popular with children and adults alike. She is widely regarded as one of the most important and influential figures in Norwegian children’s literature, and her books have been credited with helping to shape the genre in the country. The Norwegian government established the Anne-Cath Vestly Prize in her honor, which is awarded to outstanding writers and illustrators of children’s literature in Norway.
On 15 Feb 2015, Google celebrated Anne Cath Vestly’s 93rd birthday with a doodle.