This biography introduces reader to L. Frank Baum, the best-selling author of The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Readers will learn about Baum's childhood in New York, his work as a writer, actor, and traveling salesman, and the inspiration for his famous book that continues to be popular today. Baum wrote 13 books in his Oz series. Easy-to-read text and full-color photos highlight Baum's childhood, family, education, and life as an author. Checkerboard...

This biography introduces readers to Cynthia Kadohata, the Newbery Medal winning author of Kira-Kira. She is also the author of A Million Shades of Gray, Outside Beauty, Weedflower, Cracker! The Best Dog in Vietnam, and other young adult and adult novels. Readers will learn about Kadohata's early life in the South, the influence of her Japanese heritage, her struggle to get short stories published in magazines, her switch to young adult fiction,...

This biography introduces readers to beloved, award-winning author E.B. White. Readers will learn about White's childhood in New York, his work at the New Yorker, his farm in Maine, and his authorship of and inspiration for Charlotte's Web, Stuart Little, and The Trumpet of the Swan. Easy-to-read text and full-color photos highlight White's childhood, education, family, and life as an author. Checkerboard Library is an imprint of ABDO Publishing...

This biography introduces readers to Suzanne Collins, the best-selling author of the Underland Chronicles series and the Hunger Games series. Her books include Gregor the Overlander, The Hunger Games, Catching Fire, and Mockingjay. Readers will learn about Collins's childhood in the United States and Belgium, the influence of her father's military career, her early love of reading, and her initial work as a writer for television shows such as Clarissa...

Few stories have the power to stay with us the way the tales we hear in childhood do. Great children's book authors have at their disposal countless techniques to channel young imaginations and appeal directly to their audience's tender sensibilities. They craft colorful characters whose circumstances and actions resonate with readers in a way that carries through well into adulthood. The creators of some of the most whimsical, witty, thought-provoking,...

Mysteries, horror stories, and thrillers keep readers' hearts pounding and their bodies firmly planted on the edge of their seats. The authors who have provided some of the greatest literary adrenaline rushes in history are profiled in this book. These individuals challenge readers to solve crimes, delve into the supernatural, and face their deepest fears-all in the name of entertainment and edification. By examining the lives of many of the writers...

While a number of genres-including mystery, romance, fantasy, science fiction, horror, literary fiction, and thrillers, among others-comprise the broader category of fiction, few authors in those genres can claim popular crossover appeal. Culled from a variety of these genres, the authors profiled in this appealing volume have penned books that have done just that. Readers will be introduced to the lives and works of such writers as Judy Blume, Michael...

As with novelists and short story writers, the job of poets and playwrights is to elicit emotion and generate thought. The difference is that the latter authors do so while adhering to rules different than those governing standard prose works. Where poets create rich verses loaded with subtext, playwrights rely largely on dialogue to create poignant scenes that become all the more powerful when performed onstage. This captivating collection of biographies...

This biography introduces readers to Gary Paulsen, the Newbery Medal winning author of Hatchet. Readers will learn about Paulsen's childhood in the Philippines and Minnesota, the night he received a library card, his love of dog sledding, and the adventures that inspire his award-winning books. He is also the author of Tracker, Mr. Tucket, and Woodsong. Easy-to-read text and full-color photos highlight Paulsen's childhood, education, and life as an...

This biography introduces readers to Newbery Medal and Carnegie Medal winning author Sharon Creech. Her books include Absolutely Normal Chaos, Walk Two Moons, Ruby Holler, and Love That Dog. Readers will learn about her childhood and college days in Ohio, her move to London, England, and how her life and family influence her award-winning titles. Easy-to-read text and full-color photos highlight Creech's childhood, education, and life as an author....