“All of us have to learn how to invent our lives, make them up, imagine them. We need to be taught these skills; we need guides to show us how. If we don’t, our lives get made up for us by other people.” —Ursula K. Le Guin, The Wave in the Mind, 2004. Ursula Le Guin… Read More October 21st – Ursula Le Guin
“She believes in girls, studies them, and depicts them with pen both skilled and sympathetic.” Advertisement in Polly and Eleanor, Lillian Elizabeth Roy. Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1922. Lilian C. McNamara was born in 1872 in Cleveland, Ohio, the daughter of Irish immigrants. She was an avid writer, penning a popular “Women’s Page” for… Read More October 20th – Lilian Garis
“What American literature needs at this moment is color, music, gusto….” Arna Bontemps – Harlem Renaissance Remembered The noted novelist, poet, and librarian, and celebrated member of the Harlem Renaissance, Arna Bontemps, was born in Alexandria, Louisiana, on October 13, 1902. When he was three, his family moved as part of the Great Migration out… Read More October 13th – Arna Bontemps
“have fun with it.” R.L. Stine on writing Robert Lawrence Stine was born October 8th, 1943, in Columbus, Ohio. He began writing stories and jokes at the age of 9. He graduated from Ohio State University in 1965 with a B.A. in English. After college, he went to work for a soft drink magazine, then… Read More October 8th – R.L. Stine
When I am gone what will you do? Who will write and draw for you? Someone smarter–someone new? Someone better–maybe YOU! “When I Am Gone” by Shel Silverstein Sheldon Allan Silverstein was born September 25th, 1930, in Chicago Illinois. His father ran a bakery and expected Sheldon, who was born at the beginning of the… Read More September 25th – Shel Silverstein
“The more one suffered and lived, the more one had known of joy and grief, the deeper the response must be if an artist were great enough to summon it.” Rachel Field Rachel Lyman Field was born September 19th, 1894 in New York City and raised in Stockbridge, Massachusetts. At the age of 16 she… Read More September 19th – Rachel Field
“I don’t wait for inspiration. Writing is my job.” Gail Carson Levine Gail Carson Levine was born September 17, 1947. She grew up in New York, where her father owned a commercial art studio and her mother was a teacher. In 1967 she married David Levine, and in 1969 she received her B.A. in philosopher… Read More September 17th – Gail Carson Levine
“You must have stamina. In other words, you must be able to stick to what you are doing and never give up, for hour after hour, day after day, week after week and month after month.” Roald Dahl Roald Dahl was born September 13, 1916, in Wales. His parents were affluent Norwegian immigrants, and he… Read More September 13th – Roald Dahl
“Read as much as you can, and then sit down and write.” Jon Scieszka John Scieszka was born on September 8, 1954 in Flint, Michigan. He was the second oldest of six boys. Six. Boys. His mother was a registered nurse, and his father was an elementary school principal. His father’s parents came from Poland,… Read More September 8th – Jon Scieszka
“A picture book is a small door to the enormous world of the visual arts, and they’re often the first art a young person sees.” Tomie dePaola Tomie dePaola was born on September 5th, 1934 in Meriden, Connecticut. His father was a barber, his mother a homemaker, and he had one brother, Joseph (nicknamed Buddy),… Read More September 5th – Tomie dePaola
