Illustrator. She received world-wide acclaim as a 19th century English literary illustrator for child and adult books. The coveted Kate Greenaway Medal, established in her honor in 1955, is awarded annually by the Chartered Institute of Library and Information Professionals to an illustrator of children's books from the United Kingdom. It is considered as an equal to the Carnegie Medal for Literature for authors of children's books. Today, the recipient is awarded the medal along with a monetary gift. An illustrator adds much to the success of any book, but even more with children's books as illustrations provide a starting platform for a child's imagination. Born Catherine Greenaway, she was the daughter of John Greenaway, a draftsman and wood engraver and his wife Elizabeth, a seamstress. Living in near poverty, she spent her childhood in various residences, including a farmhouse as a sanctuary in Nottinghamshire, and studied art in various places, including London. The family became more stable in 1850 after her mother opened a successful hat shop. She began to exhibit drawings in 1868, and her first published illustrations appeared in such magazines as “Little Folks.” In 1879 she produced her first successful book, “Under the Window,” followed by “The Birthday Book” in 1880, “Mother Goose” in1881, “Little Ann” in 1883, and other books for children, which have become enormous success and very highly valued in the collector's world. A forerunner of children's picture books, her Victoria "Toy-books" created a revolution in book illustration and were praised by John Ruskin, Ernest Chesneau and Arsène Alexandre in France, Richard Muther in Germany, and by other leading art critics throughout the world. Her paintings were reproduced by chromo xylography, by which the colors were printed from hand engraved wood blocks by the firm of Edmund Evans. Through the 1880s and 1890s, her only rivals in popularity in children's book illustrating were “ Walter Crane and “ Randolph Caldecott. As well as illustrating books, she also produced a number of bookplates. The influence of children's clothes in portraits from 1758 to 1810 by British painter John Hoppner may have provided some inspiration for hers. Liberty of London adapted her drawings as designs for actual children's clothes. In 1890 she was elected to the Royal Institute of Painters in Water Colors. In 1891, 1894, and 1898 she exhibited watercolor drawings, including illustrations for her books, at the gallery of the Fine Art Society and in 1902 a representative selection was exhibited. From 1883 to 1897, with a break only in 1896, she issued a series of “Kate Greenaway's Almanacs.” Although she illustrated “The Pied Piper of Hamelin” in 1889 and other works, the artist preferred to provide her own text. She had great personal charm but was extremely shy in front of the public.