Cynthia Rylant

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Cynthia Rylant
A West Virginia Author
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Cynthia at Work
Cynthia hard at work on her childrens books.
Photo taken from Best Wishes, by Cynthia Rylant,
photographs by Carlo Ontal
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Cynthia at her Grandmothers House
Cynthia likes to visit her Grandmother in Beaver,
West Virginia. Many of her stories have roots in
her memories of West Virginia.
Photo taken from Best Wishes, by Cynthia Rylant,
photographs by Carlo Ontal
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The Relatives Came
This is the story about relatives who came to
visit Cynthia Rylants family each summer. They
would come up to visit from Virginia and stay for
a long time.
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When I Was Young in the Mountains
This is a true story about Cynthia Rylant when
she was six years old and living with her
grandparents in Cool Ridge, West Virginia in 1960!
The illustrator, Diane Goode, set the story
further back in time.
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Missing May
This wonderful book revolves around a few
delightfully named characters Summer, Uncle Ob,
Aunt May, and Cletus Underwood. After being
passed among relatives, Summer joins her aunt and
uncle and marvels at the couples deep love for
one another. But after Aunt May dies, Summer and
Uncle Ob are brought together in their struggle
to come to terms with the death. Cletus, a
neighbor boy, comes along to help provide an
answer.
Newberry Medal winner in 1993.
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Appalachia The Voices of Sleeping Birds
In this beautifully created picture book,
Rylant describes the people and places of
Appalachia as only a native West Virginian could.
Her love for the hard-working folk who live in
this region is shown with great tenderness and
understanding. The grit of the coal fields, the
celebration of the seasons, the tastes and smells
of home cooking are all shared in this poignant
story.
Illustrations by Barry Moser
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Cynthia walking in woods
Cynthia uses her time alone to think about and
develop her stories for children. Many of her
stories are about her many pets.
Photo taken from Best Wishes, by Cynthia Rylant,
photographs by Carlo Ontal
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Family Picture
Cynthias family plays an important role in her
stories. Her son, Nate, is the main character for
Henry in the Henry and Mudge books.
Photo taken from Best Wishes, by Cynthia Rylant,
photographs by Carlo Ontal
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Photos were taken from Best Wishes, by Cynthia
Rylant, photographs by Carlo Ontal, Richard C.
Owen Publishers, Inc., New York, 1992