Elizabeth Gray Vining

Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining (October 6, 1902 - November 27, 1999), born Elizabeth Janet Gray and also known as Elizabeth Gray Vining, was a professional librarian who tutored Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was the crown prince. She was also a noted author of children's literature. Vining was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was a graduate of Germantown Friends School and Bryn Mawr College, class of 1923. In 1925, she earned a ... more

Elizabeth Janet Gray Vining (October 6, 1902 - November 27, 1999), born Elizabeth Janet Gray and also known as Elizabeth Gray Vining, was a professional librarian who tutored Emperor Akihito of Japan in English while he was the crown prince. She was also a noted author of children's literature. Vining was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and was a graduate of Germantown Friends School and Bryn Mawr College, class of 1923. In 1925, she earned a degree in library science from the nearby Drexel Institute, and in 1926 she became a librarian at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. In 1929 she married Morgan Fisher Vining, associate director of the Extension Division of the same university. The marriage ended in 1933 with her husband's death in a New York City automobile accident, in which she was severely injured. During her convalescence, she converted to the Quaker faith. Vining soon became known as an author, primarily of children's books, and was awarded the 1943 Newbery... less