Andre Norton's career began in the Cleveland Library System in the 1930s, then with a position as a special librarian in the cataloging department of the Library of Congress. Her first published science fiction work was short novella, The People of the Crater, which appeared under the name Andrew North. With series such as The Time Traders, Solar Queen, Forerunner, Beast Master, Crosstime, and Janus, as well as many stand-alone novels, her tales of adventure have drawn countless readers to the science fiction genre.
Although her work has encompassed many genres, Andre Norton is probably most famous for her fantasy, in particular the Witch World series, begun in 1963 with the Hugo-nominated book of the same name. Her unprecedented success in publishing has inspired generations of writers and paved the way for other women looking to break into the male dominated genre.
On February 20, 2005, the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America, which had earlier honored her with its Grand Master Award in 1983, announced the creation of the Andre Norton Award, to be given each year for an outstanding work of fantasy or science fiction for the young adult literature market, beginning with 2005 publications.