The Westing Game
Raskin's award-winning signature novel and the clearest entry point to her mystery writing.
Author guide
Ellen Raskin Books in Order
Ellen Raskin (1928–1984) was an American writer, illustrator, and graphic artist from Milwaukee, Wisconsin. She wrote and illustrated twelve picture books and four novels, combining visual wit, wordplay, humor, puzzles, and unconventional narrative structures. Her novel Figgs & Phantoms was a Newbery Honor Book, and The Westing Game won the 1979 Newbery Medal.
children's literaturepicture booksmystery fictionhumorous fiction
Catalog record updated .
Not sure where to begin?
Start with one of these
Outside the series
Bibliography by category
Novels (4)
- The Mysterious Disappearance of Leon (I Mean Noel)
novel · 1971
The disappearance of her husband is only the first of the mysteries Mrs. Carillon must solve.
- Figgs & Phantoms
novel · 1974
Chronicles the adventures of the unusual Figg family after they left show business and settled in the town of Pineapple.
- The Tattooed Potato and Other Clues
novel · 1975
Answering an advertisement for an artist's assistant involves seventeen-year-old Dickory Dock in several mysteries and their ultimate solutions.
- The Westing Game
novel · 1978
The mysterious death of an eccentric millionaire brings together an unlikely assortment of heirs who must uncover the circumstances of his death before they can claim their inheritance.
Children's books (12)
- Nothing Ever Happens on My Block
picture-book · 1966
As Chester sits and complains about the boring block where he lives all sorts of exciting, and even strange, things are going on behind his back.
- Silly Songs and Sad
picture-book · 1967
- Spectacles
picture-book · 1968
A nearsighted little girl talks about and shows some of the unusual things she saw before being fitted with glasses.
- Ghost in a Four-Room Apartment
picture-book · 1969
A mischievous poltergeist describes the havoc he creates in the life of a family occupying a four-room apartment as more and more relatives keep arriving and add to the confusion.
- And It Rained
picture-book · 1969
- A & The, or, William T. C. Baumgarten Comes to Town
picture-book · 1970
- The World's Greatest Freak Show
picture-book · 1971
- Franklin Stein
picture-book · 1972
Friendless Franklin Stein decides to make a friend out of odds and ends.
- Moe Q. McGlutch, He Smoked Too Much
picture-book · 1973
- Who, Said Sue, Said Whoo?
picture-book · 1973
Cumulative verse reveals the sounds made by various animals, but who said chitter-chitter-chatter?
- Moose, Goose & Little Nobody
picture-book · 1974
When a red roof with a little lost animal lands at their feet, Moose and Goose help the little creature find its home, mother, and identity.
- Twenty-Two, Twenty-Three
picture-book · 1976
All the animals have advice for mouse on what to wear and what not to wear for the special holiday greeting on Twenty-two, Twenty-three.
Frequently asked questions about Ellen Raskin
Who was Ellen Raskin?
Ellen Raskin was an American writer, illustrator, and book designer born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on March 13, 1928. She died in New York City on August 8, 1984, at age 56.
Sources: ccbc.education.wisc.edu (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
What did Ellen Raskin do before becoming a children’s author?
Raskin studied fine art at the University of Wisconsin–Madison and built a career as a commercial illustrator and designer in New York. She designed more than 1,000 book jackets, including the original jacket for Madeleine L’Engle’s A Wrinkle in Time.
Sources: ccbc.education.wisc.edu (opens in a new tab)penguinrandomhouse.com (opens in a new tab)
What influenced Ellen Raskin’s creative work?
Her work grew from childhood reading and imaginative play, her Wisconsin upbringing during the Great Depression, and her training in fine art and graphic design. She also identified writers, artists, films, and subjects—including William Blake, Nabokov, Matisse, Fantasia, baseball, and zoos—as influences.
What awards did Ellen Raskin receive?
Raskin won the 1979 John Newbery Medal for The Westing Game. Figgs & Phantoms was named a 1975 Newbery Honor Book.
Sources: ala.org (opens in a new tab)ala.org (opens in a new tab)
What is Ellen Raskin’s legacy in children’s literature?
Raskin is remembered for combining inventive book design, visual wit, humor, wordplay, and carefully constructed puzzles. Her manuscripts and design materials for The Westing Game are preserved by the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s Cooperative Children’s Book Center as a resource for understanding the creative process behind children’s books.
Sources: ccbc.education.wisc.edu (opens in a new tab)ccbc.education.wisc.edu (opens in a new tab)