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The Banta Award 1979

 

The Westing Game
by Ellen Raskin
Dutton, 1978

The 1979 Banta Award BOOK

A puzzle, a mystery, yes -- a game that twists and turns around the actions of a diverse and fascinating group of characters who struggle to win the massive fortune of their Uncle Sam Westing by identifying his murderer. Four enigmatic clues are given to each of the eight pairs of heirs. There is much secretive conferring, private investigating, and scheming as they search for their meaning.

The AUTHOR
Ellen Raskin

Ms. Raskin was born and grew up in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and graduated from the University of Wisconsin, Madison.

She began her professional career as a commercial illustrator and designer, designing more than 1,000 book jackets. After illustrating other authors' books for children, Ellen Raskin decided that it was time to write and illustrate her own books. Since 1966 she has written and illustrated fifteen books for children ranging in ages 5-14.

Although Ms. Raskin has lived in New York City since 1960, she has maintained close ties with her native state. In the December 1978 issue of The Horn Book Magazine, an article by Ms. Raskin reflects the influence of her family and friends on her writing -- "they're all there, recreated in that different dimension -- the people I have known, the times I shared, the strangers who touched me, the child that I was. They come of their own accord, those threads of memory spun with wishes."

Ms. Raskin's illustrations and writing have been cited for their excellence with many prestigious awards and honors -- the most recent, The John Newbery Medal for 1979 for her book The Westing Game.

The WLA Literary Awards Committee has proudly selected Ellen Raskin's The Westing Game for the Banta Award for 1979.