Who was this expert on children’s literature? |

Charlotte S. Huck was an internationally renowned children’s literature expert who is the inspiration for the Charlotte S. Huck Children’s Literature Festival.

“Charlotte S. Huck turned a national spotlight on children’s literature,” Char Burgess, Charlotte’s niece and namesake said in the introduction to the YouTube video made for the 25th anniversary. “She taught it, celebrated it, wrote it and expanded its place in the world of education and the lives of countless children and adults.

“Most of all she was a master at sharing her love and enthusiasm for children and good literature.”

Huck grew up in suburban Chicago. She had four sisters. They grew up surrounded by books and shared the joy of reading. She had a twin sister, Ginny, and they both graduated from Northwestern University and taught in elementary schools. After six years Huck returned to the university to earn her master’s degree and doctorate.

Huck joined the education faculty of Ohio State University in 1955 where she organized the first course in children’s literature and founded the Ohio State Children’s Literature Conference that grew to an attendance of more than 2,000. She built a nationally respected master’s and doctorate program in children’s literature as well. Thirty years later a professorship was named after her. It was the first endowed professorship in children’s literature in the nation.

Her classic textbook “Children’s Literature in the Elementary School” now in its 10th edition and authored by Barbara Kiefer, has been renamed “Charlotte Huck’s Children’s Literature.” During her career, Charlotte served on the Newbery Award Committee, chaired the Caldecott Award Committee, was inducted into the Reading Hall of Fame, was an Arbuthnot Lecturer, received several distinguished teaching awards, and was elected president of the National Council of Teachers of English.

In 1988 Huck moved to Redlands to live near her nieces Charlotte Burgess and Jean Gaylord. She wrote five children’s books. Anita Lobel illustrated several of her books calling their collaboration, “Inspired pairing.”

“She thought it would be much more exciting to have (a festival) that was small, where the authors were able to interact with the people coming,” Burgess said.

“No one can live long enough to see all of life clear and whole. But through wide reading, as well as living, we can acquire a perception of life and literature, and on this fragile green world, a tiny globe of humanity must learn compassion and cooperation or cease to exist,” said Charlotte S. Huck in a speech titled “No wider than the heart is wide” while she lived.

“No wider than the heart is wide.” Burgess added, “How even more prescient is that quote in our world today.”

Charlotte was the force behind the evening read aloud program at A.K. Smiley Public Library, the Children’s Literature Festival, the annual Family Day at Smiley Library and a children’s literature book discussion group that continues to meet. She also served on the board of the YWCA and Redlands Day Nursery and was named by Town and Gown as a “Woman of Distinction.”

In 2002, a stained-glass window was dedicated to Charlotte for her 80th birthday at A.K. Smiley Library. She invited groups to come see her Christmas tree each year decorated with children’s literature ornaments. They can be seen at the Smiley Library in December.

Charlotte continued to be a teacher, mentor and an active participant in the festival planning until her death at her home on April 7, 2005.