Else Holmelund Minarik
Else Holmelund Minarik was a Danish-born American author, renowned for her contributions to children's literature, particularly through her beloved series "Little Bear." Born on September 13, 1920, in Århus, Denmark, she emigrated to the United States with her family at the age of four. Minarik's literary journey began when she was unable to find suitable reading materials for her daughter and her students, prompting her to create her own stories. Her first significant work, "Little Bear," published in 1957 with illustrations by Maurice Sendak, became a cornerstone of early childhood reading. The series, characterized by simple language and engaging narratives, has sold over six million copies and received critical acclaim, including Caldecott Honors. Minarik continued to write and expand the series with additional titles and adaptations, including an animated television program and a stage musical. Throughout her life, she fostered a legacy of warmth and charm in children's literature, earning a special place in the hearts of readers young and old. Minarik's influence endures, as her works remain widely cherished and recognized for their remarkable collaborations between text and illustration.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Else Holmelund Minarik
Writer
- Born: September 13, 1920
- Birthplace: Århus, Denmark
- Died: July 12, 2012
Biography
Else Holmelund was born on September 13, 1920, in Århus, Denmark. With her parents, Kaj Marius Holmelund and Helga Holmelund, she emigrated to the United States in 1925 when she was four years old. Her mother taught her to speak English by taking her to the playground and translating what the other children were saying. She studied psychology at Queens College (now the City University of New York) and at what is now the State University of New York at New Paltz. In 1940, she married Walter Minarik. The couple had one daughter, Brooke.
In the early 1940’s, Minarik worked as a reporter for the Daily Sentinel in Rome, New York. During World War II, learning that there was a shortage of teachers in rural areas, she taught first grade and art in an elementary school in Commack, Long Island. When she could not find enough good books for her young daughter and her first-graders to read themselves, she began creating her own.
In 1957, Minarik published her first and her most important book, Little Bear, with illustrations by Maurice Sendak. The book contains three heart-warming stories about a young bear, named Little Bear, who plays outside and learns small lessons under the safe guidance of his parents. Minarik’s text, crafted intentionally for beginning readers, uses simple words and short sentences. The book became the first in Harper’s I Can Read series, and was an immediate popular and critical success. Minarik wrote four more Little Bear books, all illustrated by Sendak, continuing the adventures of Little Bear and introducing a circle of friends. She also published ten other children’s books, with illustrations by Garth Williams, James Stevenson, and other well-known artists.
Walter Minarik died in 1963. In 1970, Minarik married Homer Bigart, a Pulitzer Prize- winning journalist. Bigart retired in 1972, and the couple retired to a farm in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. By the turn of the twenty-first century, Bigart had died and Minarik lived in Nottingham, New Hampshire.
Minarik published several new books in the Maurice Sendak’s Little Bear series, illustrated by different artists. The original Little Bear books, beloved classics of children’s literature, have long been recognized as exceptional collaborations between writer and illustrator. Their charm, gentleness and warmth, as well as the fact that the texts are geared for early readers, have made them popular with children and adults. The series has sold more than six million copies. Little Bear’s Visit was named a Caldecott Honor Book, and two others in the series were named Best Illustrated Children’s Books of the Year by The New York Times. The series has been published with accompanying audio cassettes, and has been adapted as an animated television program, a stage musical, and a computer game.