Paula Denzinger - American Author 1944-2004 Paula Danzinger As a teenager, Paula Danziger read The Catcher in the Rye (J. D. Salinger) repeatedly because it reassured her that she “wasn’t alone.” As an adult, her best-selling young adult novels have engendered that response in junior high-age readers since the publication
Michael Bond - British Author 1926-2017 Michael Bond It is almost impossible to think of Michael Bond without also thinking of his most famous character, Paddington Bear, so inescapably linked are the two. Michael Bond’s first published writing, however, was not for children. Born and raised in Berkshire, England, Michael
Judy Blume - American Novelist b. 1938- Judy Blume Few authors have equaled Judy Blume’s popularity, whether one judges by the sales of her books, all of which seem to stay in print ad infinitum, or by the number of awards chosen by children, primarily in statewide contests. Her first
Robert Cormier - American author, 1925-2000 Robert Cormier Robert Cormier entered the field of young adult fiction with The Chocolate War. Although the title suggests an innocuous, even humorous story, the novel’s first line establishes a very different tone: “They murdered him.” With these stark, uncompromising words, the reader is
Molly Bang - American Author & Illustrator 1943- Molly Bang Molly Garrett Bang’s picture books draw from the legends of many cultures and reflect her belief in the importance and power of folktales. Born in Princeton, New Jersey; Bang has lived in Japan, India, and Mali and holds degrees in
Natalie Babbitt - American author and illustrator 1932-2016 Natalie Babbitt With Tuck Everlasting (1975), Natalie Babbitt created an enduring classic of American children’s literature. The thought-provoking story of ten-year-old Winnie Foster, who discovers a fountain of youth, raises profound questions of morality and immortality. Winnie learns of the magical effects