Natalie Savage Carlson (October 3, 1906–September 23, 1997) is an award-winning American author of children's books. Carlson was born in Kernstown, Virginia. She was of French Canadian descent, and worked many old family stories and folktales into early books like The Talking Cat and Other Stories of French Canada (1952). Carlson published her first story at age 8 on the children's page of the Baltimore Sunday Times. USM de Grummond Collection - NATALIE CARLSON PAPERS Her book The Family Under the Bridge won a Newbery Honor in 1959. Natalie Savage Carlson In 1966, Carlson was the American nominee for International Children's Book Day, also known as the Hans Christian Andersen International Children's Book Award.