Erick Berry
Eric Berry (disambiguation) Evangel Allena Champlin Best (January 4, 1892 – February 1974), better known by her pen name Erick Berry, was an American author, illustrator and editor.
Also recorded as Allena Champlin · Allena Champlin Best · Evangel Allena Champlin · Evangel Allena Champlin Best
Erick Berry

Erick Berry (1892 - 1974) · Cover of Roark Bradford's book This Side of Jordan published in 1929 · Public domain
- Name
- Erick Berry
- Born
- 4 January 1892
- Birthplace
- New Bedford, Massachusetts
- Birth Name
- Allena Champlin
- Died
- February 1974 (aged 82)
- Occupation
- Writer, illustrator
- Spouse
- Herbert Best
- Nationality
- United States.
- Languages
- English.
VALÉORINE Encyclopedia
VALÉORINE documentary reading
Documentary summary
Eric Berry (disambiguation) Evangel Allena Champlin Best (January 4, 1892 – February 1974), better known by her pen name Erick Berry, was an American author, illustrator and editor.
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Note VALÉORINE
Erick Berry (1892–1974) was a children's writer, editor and illustrator, among other activities, of American nationality. The children's writer was born in New Bedford. Languages used include English.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 29 September 2026
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wikidata · Q35202244 · wikipedia · Erick Berry
In this article
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Erick Berry • Born — 4 January 1892 • Birthplace — New Bedford, Massachusetts • Birth Name — Allena Champlin • Died — February 1974 (aged 82) • Occupation — Writer, illustrator • Genre — Children's literature • Notable Works — * Garram the Hunter: A Boy of the Hill Tribes • The Apprentice of Florence • Winged Girl of Knossos • Song of the Pines • Spouse — Herbert Best
Early and personal life
Early and personal life
Berry was born on January 4, 1892, in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She was married at least twice, the second time to fellow writer Herbert Best. She derived her pen name from her interest in Eric Pape and the surname of her first husband. Berry died in February 1974 at the age of 82.
Career
Career
Berry published many children's books from the 1930s to the 60s, and worked as an author, illustrator, and editor. Perhaps the most popular book she wrote was 1933's Winged Girl of Knossos, which she also illustrated. It won a Newbery Honor in 1934. In that year, Anne Dempster Kyle's The Apprentice of Florence, illustrated by Berry, won the same award. She also illustrated several of her husband Best's works, one of which, Garram the Hunter: A Boy of the Hill Tribes, also won a Newbery Honor. She also edited at least one publication, Walter and Marion Havighurst's 1949 children's historical novel Song of the Pines.
As sole author
With Herbert Best
With Herbert Best
• Concertina Farm: 1943 • Men Who Changed the Map: 1968 • The Polynesian Triangle: 1968
As editor
As editor
• Song of the Pines — Walter and Marion Havighurst: 1949
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 2 entries
1892
Erick Berry was born on 4 January 1892.
1974
Erick Berry died.
Books by Herbert Best
Books by Herbert Best
• Garram the Hunter: A Boy of the Hill Tribes: 1930 • Tal of the Four Tribes: 1938 • Gunsmith's Boy: 1942 • The Long Portage: A Story of Ticonderoga and Lord Howe: 1948 • Not Without Danger: 1951 • The Columbus Cannon: 1954 • Underwater Warriors: Story of the American Frogmen: 1967
Books by other authors
Primary material
Documents and archives
Institutional database
- Wikidata, structured authority record Q35202244: Erick Berry
Scholarly · Wikimedia Foundation
reference work
- “Erick Berry”, English Wikipedia, consulted as further reading
Reputable secondary · Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
These works are cited by the source article, in its own numbering. They are recorded as its citations, not as sources VALÉORINE has verified.
- 1.Rowman & Littlefield. The New Orleans of Fiction: A Research Guide. 241. 2014. 978-0-8108-9204-0.
- 2.University of Southern Mississippi. ERICK BERRY PAPERS. June 2014.
- 3.Pony Mad Book Lovers. Erick Berry (1892–1974).
- 4.Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. (text) Girls in Africa, (1928). The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation.
- 5.Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. (text) Penny-whistle, (1930). The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation.
- 6.Humbo the Hippo and Little-Boy-Bumbo.
- 7.Cynthia Steps Out by Evangel Allena Champlin Best at Project Gutenberg.
- 8.Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. (text) Araminta, (1935). The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation.
- 9.Digital Collections, The New York Public Library. (text) Jerome Anthony, (1936). The New York Public Library, Astor, Lennox, and Tilden Foundation.
References
Citations
References
Each reference names the institution holding it, so a reader may go to the document itself.
Institutional database
Wikidata, structured authority record Q35202244: Erick BerryWikimedia Foundation
Institutional witnessreference work
Secondary witness
The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 17 August 2026.
Elsewhere in Illustration
5,224 published records in this field, each with its sources named.
- Erich BüttnerIllustrator
- Erich GlasIllustrator
- Erich HeckelIllustrator
- Erich KipsIllustrator
- Erick GinardIllustrator
- Erik BulatovIllustrator
- Erik EgelandIllustrator
- Erik Harry JohannessenIllustrator
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