RIP Patricia Reilly Giff
Patricia Reilly Giff was an author I grew up with. Her early chapter book series The Kids of Polk Street School were a staple of my checkout pile. Later, as I grew up, I graduated to Giff’s other works. These middle grade books took on a more serious note and were amazing all the same.
Giff was a prolific author having published over 100 books for kids. Her last titles, A Slip of a Girl published in 2019 and the Mysteries on Zoo Lane series, the third title which was just published in March. But Giff didn’t just write a lot of books, she also wrote really good books. She was a two-time Newbery Honor award winner for her titles Lily’s Crossing published in 1997 and Pictures of Hollis Woods published in 2002. Personally, I’ll always remember Giff’s book Nory Ryan’s Song. It was one of the first book discussion titles I ever led as a children’s librarian.
In an obituary published by Publisher’s Weekly, many people in the children’s book industry spoke fondly of Patricia Reilly Giff. And the same thing came up multiple times – Giff’s ability to truly understand children. She didn’t write at children, she truly wrote for children – understanding the complex emotions kids feel as they grow up. Giff is a children’s book author that will be sorely missed and fondly remembered.
We’ve got a long weekend coming up for many of us and I can’t think of a better way to spend it than stopping by your local library and grabbing a title by Patricia Reilly Giff to share with the family!
