William Morris Succumbs to Cancer
By Staff -- School Library Journal, 11/1/2003
Morris, who was born in Eagle Pass, TX, in 1928, was a familiar figure to many fans of children's literature. In 1992, Morris was the first recipient of the Distinguished Service Award from the Association for Library Services to Children, a division of the American Library Association.
In a 1999 profile in History of Reading News, his colleague, editor Joanna Cotler, wrote, "Bill Morris's great feel for books and his deeply committed relationship to authors make him one of the most important forces in the field of children's publishing."
Children's literature consultant and former school librarian Sharron McElmeel adds, "I was so impressed with Bill's genuine interest in people—no matter who or what they were. I never saw him without a smile."
