Sterling North

Sterling North - Journalist, author; born on November 4, 1906 in Edgerton, Wisconsin. He is best known for his bestselling 1963 children's novel, Rascal, a remembrance of a year in his childhood during which he raised a baby raccoon named "Rascal".

North was born on the second floor of a farmhouse on the shores of Lake Koshkonong, a few miles from Edgerton, Wisconsin, in 1906. Surviving a near-paralyzing struggle with polio in his teens, he grew to young adulthood in the quiet southern Wisconsin village of Edgerton, which North transformed into the "Brailsford Junction" setting of several of his books.

After graduating from Edgerton High School, he earned his way through the University of Chicago and began his writing career. He wrote for The Chicago Daily News, The New York World-Telegram and Sun, and for many magazines, including Reader's Digest, The Atlantic, Esquire, and Holiday.

One of North's first books, The Pedro Gorino (1929) was a narrative of the life of Harry Dean, an African-American sea captain. A 1934 North novel, Plowing on Sunday, featured a rare dust jacket illustration by Iowa artist Grant Wood. North's book, Midnight and Jeremia, was made into the Disney movie, So Dear to My Heart in 1949. (The movie was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Original Song for Burl Ives's version of the 17th century English song "Lavender Blue").

North's 1963 book Rascal received a Newbery Honor in 1964, a Sequoyah Book Award in 1966, and a Young Reader's Choice Award in 1966. It was made into the Disney movie of the same name in 1969. Additionally, it was made into a 52-episode Japanese anime entitled Araiguma Rasukaru.