Dianne Monson, professor emerita of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction (C&I), passed away on Wednesday, March 18. She was 85 years old. Monson earned a BA, MA, and PhD in education from the University of Minnesota. After graduating in 1966, she became a professor at the University of Washington, where she achieved full professorship in 1974. She came back to the U of M to C&I in 1982 and retired in 1997. She received the Arbuthnot Award in 1993 and was inducted into the International Reading Association Hall of Fame in 1997.

In addition to many scholarly articles, her publications include contributions to Experiencing Children’s Literature and co-authorship of the sixth edition of Children and Books. She also served on several professional organizations, including the Caldecott and Newbery Award Committees, committees of the National Council of Teachers of English, and the U.S. Board on Books for Young People.