Myra Cohn Livingston August 17, 1926

Her family moved to California when she was 12 years old. She studied the French horn from age 12 to age 20, becoming so good that the Los Angeles Philharmonic invited her to join them when she was 16 years old. She had other plans. She knew she wanted to write. In 1961, Mrs. Livingston helped to found a society called The Southern California Council on Literature for Children and Young People, advocating an increased awareness of children's literature and promoting standards of excellence. Today, this Council gives a Myra Cohn Livingston Award for Poetry each year.