“[D]ying’s part of the wheel, right there next to being born. You can’t pick out the pieces you like and leave the rest. Being part of the whole thing, that’s the blessing.”

-Tuck Everlasting (1975)

Natalie Babbitt, author of the beloved children’s novel Tuck Everlasting, died on Monday at age 84.

In Tuck, Babbitt taught generations of children (and adults too) about death, dying, and what it means to truly live. The story follows a girl who meets a family that’s become immortal after drinking from a magical spring.

Babbitt wrote more than a dozen children’s books between the 1960s and 2011, ending with The Moon over High Street, which takes place in 1960s rural Ohio and addresses wealth and ambition. She also illustrated several books for herself and other authors. In 1982, The New York Times deemed her “our most gifted writer for children.”

The Search for Delicious (1969)

Knee-Knock Rise (1970)

Tuck Everlasting (1975)

The Eyes of the Amaryllis (1977)

Jack Plank Tells Tales (2007)

The Moon over High Street (2012)

Find more of Babbitt's work, including audiobooks and books in Spanish, in our catalog.

(Author photo via macmillan.com)

---

Have trouble reading standard print? Many of these titles are available in formats for patrons with print disabilities.