Alexander Ryrie

Carol Ryrie Brink, born in Moscow, Idaho, was an American writer who authored over thirty books for both children and adults. Her early life was marked by significant family tragedy, including the death of her father and the suicide of her mother, after which she was raised by her maternal grandmother. This grandmother, Caroline Woodhouse Watkins, served as the inspiration for Brink's most famous work, "Caddie Woodlawn."

Brink pursued higher education, attending the University of Idaho and later graduating from the University of California, Berkeley. She married Raymond W. Brink, a mathematics professor, and they settled in St. Paul, Minnesota, raising two children. Throughout her life, Brink was a prolific writer, producing novels, poetry, and plays. Her novel "Caddie Woodlawn" received the prestigious Newbery Medal in 1936 and a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958. Her literary contributions were later recognized with an honorary doctorate from the University of Idaho, and buildings and parks in her hometown bear her name.

Born Caroline Sybil Ryrie in Moscow, Idaho, Carol was the only child of Alexander and Henrietta Ryrie. Her father, a Scottish immigrant, served as the city's mayor. Her mother was the daughter of a prominent physician. Following her father's death in 1900, her mother remarried, but this union dissolved, and Henrietta died by suicide in 1904. Carol was then raised by her maternal grandmother, Caroline Woodhouse Watkins, who became the inspiration for the character Caddie Woodlawn. The life experiences and storytelling of her grandmother profoundly influenced Brink's early inclination toward writing.

Brink's writing journey began in school publications, continuing through her college years. She attended the University of Idaho before transferring to the University of California, Berkeley, where she graduated in 1918. Shortly after, she married Raymond W. Brink, a mathematics professor. The couple resided in St. Paul, Minnesota, for many years and raised a son and a daughter. Brink's literary output spanned decades, encompassing novels, poetry, and painting. Her debut novel, "Anything Can Happen on the River," was published in 1934, followed by numerous other works.

Carol Ryrie Brink achieved significant recognition for her writing, most notably with her novel "Caddie Woodlawn," which earned the 1936 Newbery Medal and a Lewis Carroll Shelf Award in 1958. Her hometown of Moscow, Idaho, has honored her legacy through various means, including an honorary doctorate of letters from the University of Idaho in 1965. The university named Brink Hall, an English department building, in her honor. Additionally, a nature park, "Carol Ryrie Brink Nature Park," and the "Carol Ryrie Brink Reading Room" at the Moscow Public Library commemorate her life and contributions.