Robyn Eversole
Biographical Information
Anthropologist and children's book author Robyn Eversole was born in Clarksburg, WV, in June 1971. She decided at the age of eight she wanted to be a writer and began writing regularly. Much of her early writing was poetry; Eversole did not begin writing picture books until she spent time in Australia during her senior year. While she was there, her study-abroad coordinator insisted that she enroll in correspondence courses because living on a cattle station in the outback prevented her from attending regular classes. One of the courses Eversole chose from the Adelaide School of Technical and Further Education was "Writing for Children." One of the class assignments was to write a picture book. The story Eversole created for that class eventually became her first published book, The Magic House. The teacher of the course was also an editor, one who was impressed enough by Eversole's story to encourage the young author to submit it for publication--even submitting the manuscript on Eversole's behalf. Though the manuscript was initially rejected, she continued to encourage Eversole to keep trying until the story was indeed published . Following her graduation from the Interlochen Arts Academy, a fine-arts boarding high school in Michigan, Eversole attended Trinity University, completing an undergraduate degree in anthropology in 1993. She continued her education at McGill University, earning a PhD in anthropology. Her doctoral thesis examined the role played by small entrepreneurs and organizations in fostering economic growth in underdeveloped countries. Currently, Robyn Eversole lives and works in Australia at RMIT University, Victoria.
Robyn Eversole has published 5 picture books for children and has another book upcoming. She has also published some poetry in collections. Commenting on her own work in an interview with the McGill Reporter, Eversole explained "A lot of my stories seem to share a basic theme, which has to do with something that could be called 'magic,' or more precisely, recognizing the extraordinary in the midst of the ordinary. Most people, kids included, seem to be cultivating the art of the blasé-cool, unimpressed, a deep-rooted belief in the dullness of everyday life. My stories are always going out in search of wonder."
Critical Responses
Robyn Eversole's books for children have garnered praise for the almost lyric quality of their writing and the sense of magic that infuses their stories. Writing about Eversole for the McGill Reporter, Daniel McCabe says that "Her sentences have a musical texture and the tales they tell are delicate and full of wonder." Reviewing The Flute Player for Horn Book, Nancy Vasilakis comments that "what could easily have seemed forced or trite is instead an unusual and attractive book." Her work has been featured the PBS children's shows Storytime and Pappyland. Her work also received recognition when a panel of authors on CBC Radio's Morningside named her a recommended author.
Works Published
Stories for Children
- The Magic House
- Flood Fish
- The Gift Stone
- The Flute Player
- Red Berry Wool
Other
- Here to Help: NGOs Combating Poverty in Latin America
Selected Bibliography
Robyn Eversole. In Something About the Author, Volume 74. pp. 76-77.
McCabe, Daniel. In Search of Wonder: Magic Tales for Children. The McGill Reporter. 29(17), May 29, 1997.
The Magic House (book review). Publishers Weekly. 239(2), January 6, 1992. pp. 64
Vasilakis, Nancy. The Flute Player (book review). Horn Book. 72(1), Jan-Feb 1996. pp.62-63.
Author Website
none available