She even used a friend as a model for her Evil Queen in Snow White! Although the friend gave her permission to use her image, she was upset when she actually saw the book because she didn’t realize how realistic it would be! Hyman was also inspired by a local farmer for a character in Little Red Riding Hood and her daughter for a member of court in Sleeping Beauty. Many authors and illustrators say, “Write what you know!” Trina Schart Hyman loved to draw what she knew! She liked to use people and places she was familiar with in her art. She also received three Caldecott Honors ( Little Red Riding Hood, Hershel and the Hanukkah Goblins, and A Child’s Calendar), making her one of the most recognized children’s book creators. Hyman won the extremely prestigious Caldecott Medal for her work on St.

Her daughter, Katrin Tchana, was married to a man from Cameroon, and Tchana and Hyman collaborated on three books that included stories from Cameroon and other places around the world. She was also one of the earliest white American children’s book illustrators to include diverse characters. While holding the position of art director for CRICKET from 1973-1979, she continued to contribute her own artwork. In addition to many fairy tales, she also illustrated classic stories for older readers like A Christmas Carol, Peter Pan, A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court, and the Canterbury Tales, as well as young adult novels like Caddie Woodlawn, Among the Dolls, and The Castle In The Attic. She also wrote some of her own, including adaptations of Sleeping Beauty and her favorite, Little Red Riding Hood. Hyman illustrated over 150 books over the course of her career. Still, that never kept her from being an incredibly prolific artist! She preferred to work on one book at a time so that she could preserve the ‘mood’ of that story. She liked to work slowly and deliberately, taking about six months to finish illustrations for each book. The same store appears fondly on a wintery CRICKET Magazine cover! A life-long lover of nature, having peace, quiet, and space for a garden was important to her. Her favorite story as a little girl was Little Red Riding Hood, and she even took to wearing a red cape for a whole year!Īlthough she had little money when she first arrived in Lyme, she survived off of home-grown vegetables and credit at the Lyme Country Store. And, in a way, it still is.” – Trina Schart Hyman I learned to read early and I loved to read and I just lived in storybooks and in pictures. I had trouble, I think, separating reality and fantasy. I used to burst into tears at the slightest thing and I was terrified, of people especially.

Trina schart hyman rapunzel