Nancy Willard

Nancy Willard (1936–2017) was a prolific and acclaimed American author, poet, and educator. She is best known for her children's literature, particularly 'A Visit to William Blake's Inn: Poems for Innocent and Experienced Travelers' (1981), which made history as the first book of poetry to win the Newbery Medal. Her work often blended the magical with the mundane, drawing inspiration from folklore, art, and her own imaginative view of life. In addition to her children's books, she wrote novels, poetry collections, and literary criticism for adults, and taught creative writing at Vassar College for many years.