HIT: author bio information

[Johanna Halbeisen Woodland ES <jhalbei@k12.oit.umass.edu>]

I asked where I could find author bios in something less expensive than
Something About The Author.  This hit is composed of responses I got and
some stuff from the archive that someone so kindly dug up and sent me.


>Try Omnigraphics' Biography Today series for Authors.  Slim, appealing,
>large typeface, and easy to use.  Price is reasonable for standing order
>I think, quarterly issues-  maybe $20.00 each??  They also have
biography for Beginners.  The books put out regularly and collected
annually.  They include a lot of children's authors, but also have other
popular figures children want to read about.  Call 1-800-234-1340 for
a brochure.

Several people mentioned "Author a Month" and "Bookpeople"
 from Libraries Unlimited.  .

Author websites:
http://www.wcsu.k12.vt.us/~wardsboro/scl.htm#Authors
www.bridge.ci.lexington.ma.us/library/author.htm you
http://scils.rutgers.edu/special/kay/author.html
http://falcon.jmu.edu/~famseyil/chauthors.htm
http://www.harpercollins.com/kids/ (for HarperCollins authors)
http://www.ucalgary.ca/~dkbrown/authors.html

One librarian does a project with high schoolers compiling bios for
elementary school students.  She sent this list of sources:
An author a month for pennies: Libraries Unlimited
Author portfolios: American Library Association
Author profile collection: Book Report & Library Talk
Authors and artists for young adults: Gale
Children's authors speak: Libraries Unlimited
Children's books and their creators: Houghton Mifflin
Current biography: H.W. Wilson
Famous children's authors: T. S. Denison
Highlights for children
Junior authors and illustrators: H. W. Wilson
Library Talk/Author profile
Major authors and illustrators for children and young adults: Gale
Meet the authors: Creative Teaching Press
The 100 most popular young adult authors: Libraries Unlimited
Popular nonfiction authors for children: Libraries Unlimited
Something about the author: Gale
Twentieth century children's writers: St. James Press
World authors: 800 b.c.-present
Yesterday's authors of books for children

I use the "Authors and Illustrators" set from Scholastic.  It's a two
volume set that has  a nicely written two page bio on quite a few
authors and illustrators.  It's invaluable when we have an author
visit scheduled or are doing an author study. It's paperback and I
think each book was around 20.00

I use Authors and Illustrators for Children and Young
Adults from Gale Research.  It's a six volume set and is excellent.
We also use two volumes called Bookpeople but authors are fiction
only.

The Internet Public Library has a great site called Ask the Author.
Such authors as Avi, Cormier, Yolen, Lowry and others are available
for questions.  The address is
http://ipl.sils.umich.edu/youth/AskAuthor/
There is biographical info, FAQs and a form to submit questions.

I have a book from the NCTE called Speaking for Ourselves, Too (1993)
that has author autobiographies.  My students often find the "newer"
authors there.  The is a previous edition (1990) called Speaking for
Ourselves.


--
Johanna Halbeisen
Woodland Elementary School(K-4)
Southwick, Mass
jhalbei@k12.oit.umass.edu

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