[3] Upon her graduation, with few job opportunities available during the Great Depression, Larrick returned to Winchester and taught English in public schools for twelve years.

[5] After the war, Larrick moved to New York to begin working in the publishing industry, editing magazines and journals about reading and education.

[6][4] On February 15, 1958, Larrick married writer Alexander Lawrence Crosby at her parents' home in Winchester, Virginia.

[2] Retiring to her hometown after Crosby's death in 1980, Larrick continued her editing work and served on the Shenandoah University board of trustees for many years.

[9] Larrick began her career in publishing as editor for the children's magazine Young American Readers (1946–1951) and academic journal The Reading Teacher (1950–1954).

[13][14][15] In 1966, Larrick joined Gwendolyn Brooks, Langston Hughes, Ben Shahn, Benjamin Spock, and others in sponsoring the Council on Interracial Books for Children.

[1] In honor of her contributions to children's literature and education, Larrick received the New York University Founder's Day Achievement Award upon earning her doctorate in 1955.

[3] The Nancy Larrick Crosby Native Plant Trail in the State Arboretum of Virginia at Blandy Experimental Farm is named in her honor.