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Best Wishes
Children's author Cynthia Rylant describes her life and writing process and how they are interwoven
32 pages, Hardcover
First published December 1, 1992
About the author
Cynthia Rylant
380 books870 followersCynthia Rylant is an American author, poet, and librarian whose deeply felt books for children and young adults have made her one of the most beloved voices in contemporary literature. Writing across picture books, novels, short stories, nonfiction, and poetry, she has published more than one hundred works, many of them rooted in memory, family, solitude, and the emotional landscapes of ordinary life. Her fiction often draws from her upbringing in West Virginia and reflects the textures of Appalachian life with unusual tenderness and clarity.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.
Raised in modest circumstances, Rylant spent much of her childhood with her grandparents in a rural setting that later became central to her imagination as a writer. Those early years, marked by hardship as well as warmth, shaped the emotional honesty and quiet resilience that define her work. She later studied English and library science, and after working as a waitress, librarian, and teacher, she began publishing books inspired by the world she had known so intimately.
Among her most acclaimed works are Missing May, which received the Newbery Medal, and A Fine White Dust, a Newbery Honor Book. She also earned Caldecott Honors for When I Was Young in the Mountains and The Relatives Came. For younger readers, she became especially well known through the enduring Henry and Mudge series, as well as other popular books and series that combine gentleness, humor, and emotional depth.
Rylant's writing is distinguished by its compassion for lonely, searching, or overlooked characters, and by its reverence for animals, nature, and small human connections. Whether writing about grief, wonder, childhood, or belonging, she brings a lyrical simplicity that resonates across generations. Her books continue to offer comfort, recognition, and beauty to readers of all ages. She remains a singular literary presence in children's literature and beyond today.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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February 12, 2024i loved this!! it was a simple special lovely feature of a beloved children's author, i want to read more like this!
April 11, 2022
I liked this book, but it there really was no real meaning behind the book for me personally. I know it was a biography of her life, but it was to vague and bland. She was just explaining her day to day activities. She talks about how she loves her family and her animals so much and how they mean so much to her. Her family and animals are major parts of her writings; she includes them in almost everyone of her books. She had always wished for a nice home, people, and pets who love her. At the end of the book, she mentions she has all of these things and she says "I'm home." I think the end makes the author look so humble and loving. She is this great writer, but she does not show off as on. She keeps her pride to the side and actually pays attention to what means the most in life.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 19, 2023
Loved it. A mini biography about a writer and her writing. Inspirational I'm keeping this one.
January 10, 2025
Nice relaxing descriptive book about Cynthia Rylant and you get to learn what inspired her to write her children's book. This is elementary level too.
January 5, 2011
Best Wishes
Written by Cynthia Rylant & Photographed by Carlo Ontal
Reviewed by Yvonne Hao (Age 10)
Do you wishes for things? Do you want a dog? Cynthia Rylant has so many wishes!
Cynthia Rylant wrote a thirty-two page book about wishing for a big house and lots of things that she does not have now when she was young. When she grew up, she had two dogs, two cats, a big pretty house, a son, some picture window, and, most of all, lots and lots of paper for her to write on. Her best wishes came true.
My favorite part is here at the end of the book, because she told us how her best wishes really all came true when she came home:
“But when I get back to my own house, Martha Jane is wiggling with joy, Leia is running in circles, light is pouring through the picture window, as the cats open their sleepy eyes, and the best of all wishes comes true. I’m home.”
I think one thing that the author wants me to know is when you have wishes, NEVER let go or give up. Because if you do. You would not have your wish come true when it could have happened! So, please NEVER let go of your wish.
“Best Wishes” By: Cynthia Rylant is the best Cynthia Rylant book I have ever read, it was much better than other books I have read from different authors. I had never thought a book about an author could be so catchy. It was really amazing!
I would LOVE to recommend this book to good readers that have wishes but that haven’t come true yet. When you read this book, you will understand how important it was if is to never let go or give up of your wish. Then it could be the best thing in the world that had happened to you in your whole life!
Written by Cynthia Rylant & Photographed by Carlo Ontal
Reviewed by Yvonne Hao (Age 10)
Do you wishes for things? Do you want a dog? Cynthia Rylant has so many wishes!
Cynthia Rylant wrote a thirty-two page book about wishing for a big house and lots of things that she does not have now when she was young. When she grew up, she had two dogs, two cats, a big pretty house, a son, some picture window, and, most of all, lots and lots of paper for her to write on. Her best wishes came true.
My favorite part is here at the end of the book, because she told us how her best wishes really all came true when she came home:
“But when I get back to my own house, Martha Jane is wiggling with joy, Leia is running in circles, light is pouring through the picture window, as the cats open their sleepy eyes, and the best of all wishes comes true. I’m home.”
I think one thing that the author wants me to know is when you have wishes, NEVER let go or give up. Because if you do. You would not have your wish come true when it could have happened! So, please NEVER let go of your wish.
“Best Wishes” By: Cynthia Rylant is the best Cynthia Rylant book I have ever read, it was much better than other books I have read from different authors. I had never thought a book about an author could be so catchy. It was really amazing!
I would LOVE to recommend this book to good readers that have wishes but that haven’t come true yet. When you read this book, you will understand how important it was if is to never let go or give up of your wish. Then it could be the best thing in the world that had happened to you in your whole life!
June 27, 2010
My first review got eaten by the computer. I swear, everytime I write a negative or slightly unenthusiastic review, GoodReads eats it. Not imagining that! So. Here I go again.
I love the idea behind this book. Best Wishes is from the Meet the Author series by Richard Owen publishers. It's a simple, first person narrative accompanied by lots of photographs; an autobiography for very young readers. What could be better?
The photographs. The photographs could be better. As I looked at them I wondered how small their budget was that the publisher couldn't hire a better photographer. Goodness.
But, since the computer ate my review I've had time to think about it. I think that the poor quality photographs are a good thing. Here's why: I'm going to use this book next year as the starting point for a whole unit of writing. We are going to study this book, and I'm getting a hold of other books in the series. I plan to check out every camera the school owns and send them home with my students. They can write their own autobiographies. The students can illustrate them with their own photographs, too. The lack of excellence in photography will keep them from being intimidated while the excellence in writing will guide and inspire them. Genius! Can't wait!
I love the idea behind this book. Best Wishes is from the Meet the Author series by Richard Owen publishers. It's a simple, first person narrative accompanied by lots of photographs; an autobiography for very young readers. What could be better?
The photographs. The photographs could be better. As I looked at them I wondered how small their budget was that the publisher couldn't hire a better photographer. Goodness.
But, since the computer ate my review I've had time to think about it. I think that the poor quality photographs are a good thing. Here's why: I'm going to use this book next year as the starting point for a whole unit of writing. We are going to study this book, and I'm getting a hold of other books in the series. I plan to check out every camera the school owns and send them home with my students. They can write their own autobiographies. The students can illustrate them with their own photographs, too. The lack of excellence in photography will keep them from being intimidated while the excellence in writing will guide and inspire them. Genius! Can't wait!
August 14, 2013
I will look for more of these "Meet the Author" books in the future. Cool concept
January 17, 2015
Other than the somber (non-smiling) tone of the pictures, I enjoyed reading a little about an author of many of the books my children have enjoyed.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews