Nola Langner (Nola Langner) Malone (1930-2003) Biography

See index for SATA sketch: Born September 24, 1930, in New York, NY; died of heart failure October 28, 2003. Illustrator and author. Malone published over thirty books for children during a prolific career. After attending Vassar College (now University) for two years, she received her B.A. from Bennington College in 1952. She was then employed for a time as a commercial artist, working on movie magazines for Ideal Publishing in New York City. Next, from 1953 to 1954, she was an illustrator for TV Art Studio in New York before becoming a freelancer. The first children's book to be published that she illustrated was Flora Fifield's Pictures for the Palace (1958). Many more collaborative efforts for authors would follow over the decades, including books by Constance C. Greene, Tobi Tobias, Norma Klein and Phyllis Reynolds Naylor. Malone, whose illustration work for Ann McGovern's Scram, Kid! (1974) won a Horn Book Award, was particularly known for her innovative use of muted washes in her artwork, rather than the more garish use of color commonly employed by children's book illustrators at the time. But she also wrote original stories that she illustrated. Many of these were written under the name Nola Langner, including Miss Lucy (1969), which was named a New York Times outstanding picture book of 1969. Other original stories include Joseph and the Wonderful Tree (1972), Dusty (1976), Freddy, My Grandfather (1979), and By the Light of the Silvery Moon (1983).