Dorothy P. Lathrop

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Dorothy Pulis Lathrop (1891-1980) was an American author and illustrator. She was born April 16, 1891 in Albany, New York. In 1930, she illustrated the Newbery Medal winning Hitty, Her First Hundred Years by Rachel Field. In 1937 she illustrated Animals of the Bible, which won the 1938 Caldecott Medal, the first one. Her last book illustrated was Bells and Grass (1942). However she didn't stop her career in books. Her first book that she wrote on her own right was The Fairy Circus, in 1931. She continued writing books until her death in 1980.

Asked how to say her name, she told The Literary Digest: "It is surprising what a variety of pronunciations can be given to even so short a name as Lathrop. It is pronounced lay'throp." Of her middle name, she said "It was originally Pulisvelt (Dutch). The 'velt' was dropped in this country and the pronunciation changed to pew'liss." (Charles Earle Funk, What's the Name, Please?, Funk & Wagnalls, 1936.)