Richard Peck
Richard Wayne Peck, born on April 5, 1934, in Decatur, Illinois, was a renowned American author best known for his contributions to young adult literature. His formative years in Illinois, coupled with encouragement from educators, nurtured his literary talent and diverse perspectives. Peck pursued an English degree from DePauw University and later taught at various institutions, including high schools and universities, before committing fully to writing in 1971. His debut novel, *Don’t Look and It Won’t Hurt*, addressed the serious issue of teenage pregnancy, establishing his reputation for tackling complex themes in a realistic manner.
Throughout his career, Peck received numerous accolades, including the Newbery Medal for *A Year Down Yonder* and the National Humanities Medal, making him a significant figure in children's literature. His works often blend wry humor with poignant observations about familial and societal issues, encouraging young readers to engage with history and geography. In a notable turn, Peck publicly came out as gay following the release of his last novel, *The Best Man*, which explores themes of same-sex marriage. His legacy endures through his impactful stories and commitment to fostering literacy, as he emphasized the importance of reading for writers. Peck passed away on May 23, 2018, leaving behind a rich literary heritage.
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Subject Terms
Richard Peck
- Born: April 5, 1934
- Birthplace: Decatur, Illinois
- Died: May 23, 2018
- Place of death: New York City, New York
Biography
Richard Wayne Peck was born on April 5, 1934, in Decatur, Illinois. His father, Wayne Morris Peck, a World War I veteran, managed a gasoline station, and his mother Virginia Gray Peck, performed dietetic work. Peck’s hometown experiences inspired his literary imagination and developed his awareness of varying perspectives. High school teachers challenged him to learn Latin, expand his vocabulary, and communicate effectively with his writing. Peck listened to radio programs and read books and magazines, aspiring to experience the world beyond Illinois. In particular, Mark Twain’s writing appealed to Peck for its fictional Midwestern situations and characters.
Peck studied English at DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana. During his junior year, he sailed to England to study abroad at the University of Exeter. He completed his bachelor’s degree in 1956. After completing compulsory military service in Germany, he began teaching English while he was a graduate student at Southern Illinois University in Carbondale. By 1959, he earned a MA and started advanced course work at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri.
Beginning in 1961, Peck taught English at Glenbrook North High School in Northbrook, Illinois, for two years. He would come to credit that experience with suburban teenagers for providing him characters and situations he later appropriated for novels. After Peck resigned, he edited textbooks in Chicago. In 1965, he began teaching at New York City’s Hunter College High School but soon tired of resolving students’ issues more than instructing them. Frustrated by administrative limitations, academic censorship, and disinterested students and parents, Peck decided to become a full-time writer. He declared his writing career started on May 24, 1971, the final day he taught. Peck published his first novel the next year. Titled Don't Look and It Won't Hurt, it took on the serious subject of unwanted teenage pregnancy and was adapted as the film Gas Food Lodging in 1992.
Peck quickly earned attention for his received his uncompromisingly realistic young adult fiction. He received his first Mystery Writers of America’s Edgar Allan Poe Award for Dreamland Lake in 1973. Four years later, Are You in the House Alone? (1976)—which tackled the subject of rape—earned him his second Edgar. The Illinois Association of Teachers of English named him Illinois Writer of the Year in 1977. The American Library Association (ALA) presented Peck the Margaret A. Edwards Award in 1990. A Long Way from Chicago (1998) was a National Book Award finalist, and ALA designated it a Newbery Honor book. In 2001, Peck became the first children’s writer to receive a National Humanities Medal. He won the 2001 Newbery Medal for A Year Down Yonder (2000). The River Between Us (2003) was a National Book Award nominee and received the Scott O’Dell Award for Historical Fiction, while The Teacher's Funeral (2004) won the Christopher Medal. The Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators designated Peck its 2004 Member of the Year.
Though best known for his young adult works, Peck did write some books for adult readers. Among these were New York Time (1981) and London Holiday (1998). He also published the memoir Anonymously Yours (1991) and several other pieces of nonfiction.
Peck’s versatility to pen both contemporary and historical fiction significantly impacted modern children’s and young adult literature. His wry humor offers readers more questions than solutions while contemplating universal, timeless problems children encounter in their families and communities. His work encourages readers to expand their knowledge of history and geography, and Peck was known for his own commitment to accuracy on these subjects—for example, he joined the Titanic Historical Society of America to research his novels featuring the famous ship. Peck emphasized that literacy is essential to improve education and that "writers must be readers."
Peck was generally a very private person, and most of his works contain little to no autobiographical material. However, with the 2016 publication of his last novel, The Best Man, which concerns a boy whose uncle and teacher have a same-sex marriage, he publicly came out as gay. He subsequently spoke about gay rights, including efforts by a private school in Georgia to censor The Best Man. The book, meanwhile, was received a Boston-Globe-Horn Book Award Honor.
Peck was eventually diagnosed with bladder cancer, which he fought for some time. He died on May 23, 2018, due to kidney failure at the age of eighty-four.
Bibliography
Gallo, Donald R., and Wendy J. Glenn. Richard Peck: The Past Is Paramount. Scarecrow Press, 2009.
Maughan, Shannon. "Obituary: Richard Peck." Publishers Weekly, 24 May 2018, www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-authors/article/76968-obituary-richard-peck.html. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
"Richard Peck." National Book Foundation, www.nationalbook.org/people/richard-peck/#fullBio. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
"Richard Peck." National Endowment for the Humanities, 2001, www.neh.gov/about/awards/national-humanities-medals/richard-peck. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
"Richard Peck Papers." De Grummond Collection, McCain Library and Archives, University of Southern Mississippi, July 2001,www.lib.usm.edu/legacy/degrum/public‗html/html/research/findaids/peck.htm. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.
Sandomir, Richard. "Richard Peck, Acclaimed Author for Young Readers, Dies at 84." The New York Times, 27 May 2018,www.nytimes.com/2018/05/27/obituaries/richard-peck-acclaimed-author-for-young-readers-dies-at-84.html. Accessed 26 Nov. 2018.