Happy Birthday Howard Pyle
Happy Birthday, Howard Pyle!
The stories of childhood leave an indelible impression, and their author always has a niche in the temple of memory from which the image is never cast out to be thrown on the rubbish heap of things that are outgrown and outlived. ~Howard Pyle
Howard Pyle was born 160 years ago, March 5, 1853. Brave Writer is celebrating by offering the Boomerang based on Howard Pyle’s book, The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood:
Half price for one day only: $4.95! OFFER HAS EXPIRED
It’s said that Mark Twain admired Pyle’s tales of Robin Hood. And it’s no wonder. His book is a lively, colorful account of the outlaw and his band of Merry Men. On the one hand, it’s easily understood by children (of all ages!), while on the other, it brilliantly maintains an “Old English” feel to the language.
Some tidbits about Mr. Pyle:
He was born eight years before the Civil War.
Unlike almost all American artists before him, Pyle did not study overseas. His family couldn’t afford a stay in Europe, so off to Philadelphia he went.
He later founded The Brandywine School, which greatly influenced American art (some of his students: N. C. Wyeth, Maxfield Parrish, and Frank E. Schoonover).
As an illustrator, Pyle was especially known for his depiction of pirates.
He was a friend of President Theodore Roosevelt.
Pyle lived in Florence, Italy for a year before he died. One of the most American of artists was buried in a foreign country.
He never received any formal awards for his work.
The Boomerang is a monthly digital downloadable product that features copywork and dictation passages from a specific read aloud novel. It is the indispensable tool for Brave Writer parents who want to teach language arts in a natural, literature-bathed context.
