published 1963
Amelia Bedelia author Peggy Parish was born this day in 1927 in Manning. Though perhaps best known for her Amelia Bedelia stories about the kooky maid who takes her orders a bit too literally, Parish published many other works and collaborated with some other well-known children’s authors, including Richard Scarry and Arnold Lobel. The New York Times Book Review said of Amelia Bedelia: “No child can resist Amelia [Bedelia] and her literal trips through the minefield of the English language—and no adult can fail to notice that she’s usually right when she’s wrong.”
Peggy Parrish died in 1988. Her nephew Herman, an author, has continued the Amelia Bedelia series, mostly recently telling stories about Amelia’s childhood in the Young Amelia Bedelia series, and continuing to build an audience of young readers. Mr. Parish often visits South Carolina schools to share the continued legacy started by his aunt.
