author

Arthur Bowie Chrisman

1889–1953

Best remembered for winning the 1926 Newbery Medal, this American writer brought a playful, story-rich imagination to children's literature. His best-known book, Shen of the Sea, helped make his name with readers who loved folktale-style adventures.

1 Audiobook

Shen of the Sea: A Book for Children

Shen of the Sea: A Book for Children

by Arthur Bowie Chrisman

About the author

Born in Clarke County, Virginia, in 1889, he grew up on a farm, attended a one-room school, and later studied at Virginia Polytechnic Institute for two years before leaving school. Before finding recognition as a writer, he worked a range of jobs, and that varied life experience seems to have fed the earthy, lively tone of his storytelling.

His breakthrough came with Shen of the Sea: A Book for Children (1925), a collection of sixteen stories that won the Newbery Medal in 1926. He went on to write other books for young readers, including The Wind That Wouldn't Blow and Treasures Long Hidden, and became known for stories shaped by his interest in Chinese themes and folktale traditions.

He died in 1953 in Shirley, Arkansas. Today, he is remembered chiefly for Shen of the Sea and for his place in the early history of one of children's literature's most important awards.