El Konigsburg

E.L. Konigsburg (1930-2013) was an American writer and illustrator, largely known for her work geared for children and young adults. Many elementary school children are familiar with her most famous book, From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler. Her beloved books often tackle subjects that see children and adolescents struggling for understanding in an often big and confusing world.

Elaine Lobl Konigsburg was born in New York City, but grew up in a series of small Pennsylvania towns. She entered the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) in Pittsburgh, where she majored in chemistry, and was the first member of her family to earn a college degree. After graduation she married David Konigsburg and studied chemistry at the University of Pittsburgh graduate school, but moved to Jacksonville, Florida, where he husband earned his doctorate in psychology.

In 1962, the Konigsburgs moves to Port Chester, New York. When their youngest child started school, Elaine began writing. In 1968 she earned Newberry Awards for her first two works, Jennifer, Hecate and From the Mixed Up Files. She also received a Newberry in 1997 for The View from Saturday and was twice a finalist for the National Book Award for children's literature. Her last work was The Mysterious Edge of the Heroic World, published in 2007. She died in 2013 following a stroke at the age of 83.