GEN: need Bios on authors

[Jody Newman <newmanj@MEOL.MASS.EDU>]

Dear LM_NETters:

I turn to you once more for guidance.  In Massachusetts, we have
Community Readers Day when community "celebrities" come into the schools
to read a story to the children.  A committee selects books for the day
and they are purchased by a bank for distribution to every classroom
teacher in the schools which participate.

This year, to enhance the day, I thought I would try to dig up some
biographical information on the authors of the books that the teachers
selected.  I have been out on the NET and found very little.  I have
saved bios on Authors/Illustrators from magazines over the years and
found good stuff for Eve Bunting (How Many Days to America), Diane Goode
(Diane Goode Book of American Folktales), and William Steig (Amos &
Boris).  But I have many others for which I have nothing.  I'm hoping that
some of you might have some goodies to share or sites to recommend where
I might find bios for:  Mary-Joan Gerson (Why the Sky is Far Away),
Gregory Maguire (Seven Spiders Spinning), Jack Prelutsky (The Baby Uggs
Are Hatching), Adrien Stoutenburg (American Tall Tales), Bruce Brooks
(The Moves Make the Man), Michael Dorris (Guests).  I have a little on
Lawrence Yep (Tree of Dreams: Ten Tales from the Garden of Night), and
Robert Kimmel Smith (The War With Grandpa), but could use more.

Any help would be appreciated.  Reading Day is Wednesday, April 9th.

Jody Newman
Center School
Stow  MA
newmanj@meol.mass.edu