The Life and Works of Elizabeth Yates (written by Leo, age 8)

This is a report that he will be presenting in his NH History Co-Op class tomorrow (March 1, 2010). He worked incredibly hard on it and did a beautiful job with his essay and illustration.


I chose to do my report on my favorite NH author, Elizabeth Yates. Elizabeth Yates lived from 1937-2001; she lived 95 years and died on a Sunday at a hospice in Concord, NH (I found this information from The New York Times, August 2, 2001). Elizabeth Yates was born in Buffalo, NY, and she went to school in Mamaroneck, NY. She lived in Peterborough, NH, about 62 years. She wrote many books for children such as SWISS HOLIDAY, [SWISS HOLIDAY], AMOS FORTUNE, and THE JOURNEYMAN*. I have enjoyed many of her books.
ELIZABETH YATES signed this book, A Place for Peter, for my uncle at a home school meeting. He asked her this question, “How do you know when your story is ended?”
She answered, “Good question. That confuses many authors. I start at the end and work my way to the beginning.”
*THE JOURNEYMAN is one of my favorite books written by Elizabeth Yates. This book is about a traveling artist. One of my favorite hobbies is art.
Another book we’ve enjoyed is Mountain Born. This book is about a family that lived in pasturelands. They raise sheep and sell the wool at market. One day on the farm, 34 lambs were born, yet one of them appeared to be dead. As the father came in, carrying it in his arms, he told his wife, Martha, about the loss. He laid it in the lambing box by the fire and said that he would skin it later so he could sell the hide. Martha picked up the lamb. Their faithful farm hand, Benj, soon found out about the tragedy.
“Lifeless is it?” Benj murmured.
Martha looked up at him, “Andrew said it was dead.”
“Andrew does not know as much as God,” Benj said.
He knelt down and took the lamb in his arms. Pressing his bearded lips close to the black
nostrils, he blew into them…Soon it sucked all the milk [Martha] would give it from a nursing
bottle, and gradually strength came into the legs.” (Mountain Born, 6,8)

I have copied a picture from Mountain Born to illustrate this scene. It shows Martha nursing the little black lamb (Biddy) back to life.
I would encourage you to read some of these unforgettable children’s books written by a talented author from our home state, New Hampshire.