Carolyn Haywood (January 3, 1898 – January 11, 1990) was an American writer and illustrator from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She created 47 children's books, most notably the series under the "Eddie" and "Betsy" titles.
Carolyn Haywood was brought up in a middle-class home. Her parents, Charles and Mary Emma Haywood, encouraged her creative abilities. Haywood attended Philadelphia High School for Girls, and graduated in 1922 from the Philadelphia Normal School. The same year, she was employed at the Friends Central School in Wynnewood, Pennsylvania as a third-grade teacher. This inspired Haywood to write books for children.
In 1923, Haywood enrolled in the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts with a scholarship and became interested in portrait painting.
In 1925, she won a Cresson Traveling Scholarship to travel in Europe. She returned to Philadelphia, after a year. Haywood was then employed as a studio assistant by Violet Oakley. Haywood worked on murals in the Philadelphia area during this time, some of which are still extant today.
Subsequently, Haywood pursued both art and writing. Her first children's book, "B" is for Betsy, was published in 1939. She was inspired by Elizabeth Hamilton, juvenile department editor at Harcourt Brace to write about the experiences of American children. Haywood used her personal observations and childhood experiences to write her books.
Haywood continued to write until the end of her life.
Conmire, Anne, ed. Something About the Author, #29. Gale Research Company: Detroit, 1982.
Haycroft, Howard & Stanley J. Kunitz, ed. The Junior Book of Authors. New York: H.W. Wilson Company, 1951.
Shachter, Jacqueline. Carolyn Haywood and Jane Flory. Profiles in Literature, vol. 35. (video series) Philadelphia: Temple University Department of Educational Media, 1979.
Carolyn Haywood at GoodReads.com
Carolyn Haywood at the Library of Congress, with 72 library catalog records