 She decided, however, to take up teaching and, later, writing.For her contribution as a children's illustrator Brown was U.S. nominee in both 1966 and 1976 for the biennial, international Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international recognition available to creators of children's books.She received the 1977 Regina Medal from the Catholic Libraries Association for "continued, distinguished contribution to children's literature without regard to the nature of the contribution" and the 1992 Laura Ingalls Wilder Medal from the American Library Association for "substantial and lasting contributions to children's literature"; it was then conferred every three years.