Getting to Know the Author

For the past few months, (it's taken me a little longer than expected!), I have been studying, writing, and teaching a Children's Literature course for the Hyles-Anderson Online College. Of course, this has been very exciting to me and I have thoroughly enjoyed studying for this class.

One of the sections in my curriculum is a brief bio sketch of 30 different children's authors and an excerpt from one or more of their books.  I have found that learning how each of these authors took their own life experiences, good or bad, and used them in their story line has made their books come alive in a whole new way.  For instance, Beverly Cleary lived near a Clickitat Street which is where one of her main characters, Henry Huggins, lived.  The author of Paddington Bear, Michael Bond, lives near Paddington Station in England.  Louisa May Alcott used her adventures with her sisters as pieces of her story line in Little Women.  Frances Hodgson Burnett, author of The Secret Garden, wrote the book from inside her own walled garden.  Lucy Maud Montgomery was practically an orphan and much of Anne of Green Gables is patterned after her own childhood.  On and on it goes of the authors who wrote about something of which they knew or had experienced themselves.  It has made the books I have loved even more special.

As you introduce your child or students to new books and new authors, it would be a great idea to learn a little bit about the author.  It gives the reader a little bit of background knowledge while reading the book.  Again, as mentioned in my previous blog about Dr. Trelease, he has an entire book that highlights several of his favorite authors.  You can also look up just about any author online and get information about them. 

Happy Reading!!!