Natalie Babbitt (née Moore) was an American writer and illustrator of children’s books. She wrote Tuck Everlasting, which was adapted into two films and a musical on Broadway.

Natalie was born in Dayton on July 28, 1932, to personnel administrator Ralph Moore and former artist Genevieve Converse Moore. Natalie grew up with what she referred to as an “Ohio life view”, which she described as “the feeling that certain things are right, and that’s that.”

Since childhood, Natalie wanted to be an illustrator. She studied at Laurel School in Cleveland and Smith College in Northampton, Massachusetts. Later, she married Samuel Babbitt, and together they had three children, born between 1956 and 1960.

Together, the couple created The Forty-ninth Magician, written by Samuel and illustrated by Natalie. Eventually Samuel became too busy to continue with books and Natalie was encouraged to continue producing children’s books. She started with short books, then continued on to children’s novels.

Children’s novels was where Natalie succeeded. For her books, she won the following awards:

• Tuck Everlasting – named an ALA Notable Book and ranked among the “Top 100 Chapter Books” of all time by the School Library Journal. Adapted into a movie twice and a Broadway Musical
• The Eyes of Amaryllis – adapted into a movie in 1982.
• Received The Newbery Honor Award
• Received the Christopher Award
• U.S. Nominee for Hans Christian Andersen Award in 1982
• Finalist for Edgar Allan Poe Award
• Awarded the inaugural E.B. White Award for achievement in children’s literature by the American Academy of Arts and Letters.

Natalie’s writing career spanned four decades and produced 20 books she wrote and 10 she illustrated. She also illustrated five volumes in the Small Poems Series by Valerie Worth. She was a frequent contributor to The Times Book Review, continuing to write into her 70s.

Natalie died on October 31, 2016 at her home in Hamden Connecticut. She had lung cancer. She was survived by her husband Samuel, and her three children, Dr Christopher Converse Babbitt, Thomas Collier Babbitt, and Lucy Cullyford Babbitt.

Regarding the subject of immortality from Tuck Everlasting, Natalie echoed Angus Tuck. “I think that living forever would be a terrible thing,” she once said. “ It would be boring, sad and lonely.”