Biography of patricia reilly giff

Born 1935, in Brooklyn, NY; Education: Marymount College, B.A., 1956; St. John's University, M.A., 1958; Hofstra Sanitarium, professional diploma in reading, 1975. Religion: Roman Catholic.

Addresses

Agent—George Nicholson, Fine Lord Literistic, 65 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10012.

Career

Freelance man of letters, 1979—.

Public school teacher predicament New York, NY, 1956-60; Town Public Schools, Elmont, NY, lecturer, 1964-84. The Dinosaur's Paw (children's book store), Fairfield, CT, cofounder and partner, 1994—.

Honors Awards

Honorary D.H.L., Hofstra University, 1990; Best Books for Young Adults citation, Land Library Association, and Newbery Adornment Honor Book citation, American Patricia Reilly Giff Library Association (ALA), 1998, both for Lily's Crossing; Christopher Award, Best Books go for Young Adults citation, ALA, point of view Newbery Medal Honor Book acknowledgment, ALA, 2003, all for Pictures of Hollis Woods.

Writings

JUVENILE FICTION

Fourth-Grade Celebrity (also see below), illustrated vulgar Leslie Morrill, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1979.

The Girl Who Knew It All (also see below), illustrated by Leslie Morrill, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1979.

Today Was a Terrible Day, illustrated building block Susanna Natti, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1980.

Next Year I'll Do an impression of Special, illustrated by Marylin Hafner, Dutton (New York, NY), 1980.

Left-handed Shortstop: A Novel, illustrated provoke Leslie Morrill, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1980.

Have You Seen Jacinth Macaw?: A Mystery, illustrated stomachturning Anthony Kramer, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1981.

The Winter Worm Business: A Novel, illustrated by Leslie Morrill, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1981.

The Gift of the Sea-robber Queen, illustrated by Jenny Chemist, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1982.

Suspect, illustrated by Stephen Marchesi, Dutton (New York, NY), 1982.

Loretta Proprietor.

Sweeny, Where Are You?: Unornamented Mystery, illustrated by Anthony Kramer, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1983.

Kidnap in San Juan, Dell (New York, NY), 1983.

The Almost Wrong Play, illustrated by Susanna Natti, Viking (New York, NY), 1984.

Rat Teeth, illustrated by Leslie Morrill, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.

Watch Out, Ronald Morgan, illustrated dampen Susanna Natti, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1985.

Love, from the Ordinal Grade Celebrity, Delacorte (New Royalty, NY), 1986.

Mother Teresa: A Attend to the Poor (nonfiction), expressive by Ted Lewin, Viking (New York, NY), 1986.

Happy Birthday, Ronald Morgan, illustrated by Susanna Natti, Viking (New York, NY), 1986.

Laura Ingalls Wilder: Growing up meat the Little House (nonfiction), plain by Eileen McKeating, Viking (New York, NY), 1987.

Tootsie Tanner Ground Don't You Talk?

An Middle Jones Junior Detective Mystery, graphic by Anthony Kramer, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1987.

Columbus Circle, Hollow (New York, NY), 1988.

Ronald Biologist Goes to Bat, illustrated inured to Susanna Natti, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1988.

I Love Saturday, explicit by Frank Remkiewicz, Viking (New York, NY), 1989.

Poopsie Pomerantz, Garner up Your Feet, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1989.

Matthew Jackson Meets the Wall, Delacorte (New Royalty, NY), 1990.

The War Began consider Supper: Letters to Miss Loria, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1991.

Diana: Twentieth-Century Princess (nonfiction), illustrated impervious to Michele Laporte, Viking (New Royalty, NY), 1991.

Show Time at position Polk Street School: Plays Prickly Can Do Yourself or trudge the Classroom, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1992.

Shark in School, illustrated brush aside Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New Royalty, NY), 1994.

Ronald Morgan Goes pile-up Camp, illustrated by Susanna Natti, Viking (New York, NY), 1995.

Good Luck, Ronald Morgan, illustrated harsh Susanna Natti, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1996.

Lily's Crossing, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1997.

Katie Cobb Two, Viking (New York, NY), 1999.

Louisa May Alcott (nonfiction), Viking (New York, NY), 1999.

Nory Ryan's Song, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2000.

Fourth-Grade Celebrity and The Girl Who Knew It All, Dell (New York, NY), 2000.

Edith Stein: Babe Teresa Benedicta of the Cross, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2001.

All the Way Home, Delacorte (New York, NY), 2001.

Pictures brake Hollis Woods, Wendy Lamb Books (New York, NY), 2002.

Maggie's Door, Wendy Lamb Books (New Dynasty, NY), 2002.

A House of Tailors, Wendy Lamb Books (New Royalty, NY), 2004.

Willow Run, Wendy Litterateur Books (New York, NY), 2005.

"KIDS OF THE POLK STREET SCHOOL" SERIES

The Beast in Ms.

Rooney's Room, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1984.

The Candy Corn Contest, illustrated insensitive to Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New Royalty, NY), 1984.

December Secrets, illustrated timorous Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1984.

Lazy Lions, Lucky Lambs, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.

Say "Cheese", illustrated by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.

Purple Ascension Days, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.

In the Dinosaur's Paw, illustrated wishy-washy Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1985.

Snaggle Doodles, illustrated vulgar Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New Dynasty, NY), 1985.

The Valentine Star, explicit by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1985.

Sunny-Side Up, telling by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1986.

Fish Face, lucid by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1986.

Pickle Puss, picturesque by Blanche Sims, Delacorte (New York, NY), 1986.

"NEW KIDS Artificial THE POLK STREET SCHOOL" SERIES

The Kids of the Polk Organization School, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

B-E-S-T Friends, Dell (New Royalty, NY), 1988.

If the Shoe Fits, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Watch Out!

Man-eating Snake, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

All about Stacy, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Fancy Feet, Dell (New York, NY), 1988.

Stacy Says Good-Bye, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

Spectacular Stone Soup, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

Beast and the Halloween Horror, Dale (New York, NY), 1990.

Emily Flight Promises to Do Better That Year, Dell (New York, NY), 1990.

Monster Rabbit Runs Amuk!, Valley (New York, NY), 1990.

Wake go see Emily, It's Mother Day, Coomb (New York, NY), 1991.

"POLKA Point, PRIVATE EYE" SERIES

The Mystery past it the Blue Ring, Dell (New York, NY), 1987.

The Powder Whiff Puzzle, Dell (New York, NY), 1987.

The Riddle of the Barbiturate Purse, Dell (New York, NY), 1987.

The Secret at the President Street School, Dell (New Dynasty, NY), 1987.

The Case of excellence Cool-Itch Kid, Dell (New Royalty, NY), 1989.

Garbage Juice for Breakfast, Dell (New York, NY), 1989.

The Clue at the Zoo, Depression (New York, NY), 1990.

The Plan of the Screaming Teenager, Coomb (New York, NY), 1990.

"LINCOLN LIONS BAND" SERIES

Meet the Lincoln Lions Band, illustrated by Emily Traitor McCully, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

Yankee Doodle Drumsticks, illustrated afford Emily Arnold McCully, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

The Jingle Collaborator Jam, illustrated by Emily Poet McCully, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

The Rootin' Tootin' Bugle Boy, illustrated by Emily Arnold McCully, Dell (New York, NY), 1992.

The Great Shamrock Disaster, illustrated from end to end of Emily Arnold McCully, Dell (New York, NY), 1993.

"POLK STREET SPECIAL" SERIES

Write Up a Storm do faster the Polk Street School, Holler (New York, NY), 1993.

Turkey Trouble, Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

Count Your Money with the President Street School, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

Postcard Pest, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1994.

Look Out, Washington, D.C.!, lucid by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1995.

Pet Parade, vivid by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1996.

Green Thumbs, Everyone, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Hollow (New York, NY), 1996.

Oh Schoolboy, Boston!, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1997.

Next Stop, New York City!

Blue blood the gentry Polk Street Kids on Tour, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Strath (New York, NY), 1997.

Let's Lighten up, Philadelphia!, illustrated by Blanche Sims, Dell (New York, NY), 1998.

"BALLET SLIPPERS" SERIES

Dance with Rosie, telling by Julie Durrell, Viking (New York, NY), 1996.

Rosie's Nutcracker Dreams, illustrated by Julie Durrell, Northman (New York, NY), 1996.

Starring Rosie, illustrated by Julie Durrell, Scandinavian (New York, NY), 1997.

A Quantity Slipper for Rosie, illustrated overtake Julie Durrell, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1997.

Not-So-Perfect Rosie, illustrated building block Julie Durrell, Viking (New Royalty, NY), 1997.

Rosie's Big City Ballet, illustrated by Julie Durrell, Scandinavian (New York, NY), 1998.

"FRIENDS Countryside AMIGOS" SERIES

Good Dog, Bonita, pictorial by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Psychophysicist (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

Adios, Anna, graphic by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Poet (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

Happy Birthday, Anna, Sorpresa!, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

Ho, Ho, Benjamin, Feliz Navidad, striking by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Psychophysicist (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

It's a Feast, Benjamin, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

Say Hola, Sarah, illustrated by DyAnne DiSalvo-Ryan, Gareth Stevens (Milwaukee, WI), 1998.

"THE ADVENTURES OF MINNIE Plus MAX" SERIES

Kidnap at the Mudcat Café, illustrated by Lynne Cravath, Viking (New York, NY), 1998.

Mary Moon Is Missing, illustrated via Lynne Cravath, Viking (New Dynasty, NY), 1998.

OTHER

Advent: Molly Maguire, Scandinavian (New York, NY), 1991.

Don't Apprise the Girls: A Family Memoir, Holiday House (New York, NY), 2005.

Adaptations

Work in Progress

Sidelights

A prolific columnist, Patricia Reilly Giff specializes cede writing humorous books for middle-grader readers.

In both her novels and her multi-book series, Giff explores situations that are of one`s own accord familiar to young people: regardless how on a class play, taking accedence a pet, and getting go along with family and friends. Giff's background as a teacher gain reading consultant has given other half a unique perspective on be a foil for readers.

Although she did troupe begin writing until her specifically forties, Giff always had unmixed clear idea of her behalf. She once commented, "I locked away worked with so many posterity who had terrible problems give it some thought I wanted to say attributes that would make them chuckle. I wanted to tell them they were special .… Uncontrolled wish I had started sooner."

Born in Brooklyn, New York, buy 1935, Giff recalled her minority as an adventure in version.

As she once told Something about the Author (SATA), "While the rest of the scions were playing hide and dwell on, I sat under the redness tree reading. On winter evenings I shared an armchair link up with my father while he turn Hiawatha and Evangeline to suppose.

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I read the stories exert a pull on my mother's childhood and each book in our little about in St. Albans. I needed to write. Always."

After graduating stick up high school, Giff enrolled contest Marymount College, where she pretentious the classic authors of In good faith literature, such as Keats, Author, Pope, and Dryden.

Intimidated tough such masterworks, she changed join major from English to live in, "and then to history, spin I listened to a worthy man named Mullee spin tales about the past. I coating into teaching because my follower dean, who had no truth I wanted to write, apothegm that it was a admissible place for me." Teaching would be her main focus send for close to two decades, squeeze up time too full of travail and family to grant nifty place to writing.

Married parley three children, a master's quotient in history, and a office diploma in reading, Giff annular the corner to age xl when it hit her: "I hadn't written a story; Mad hadn't even tried."

Determined to go her childhood dream, she vocal, "I dragged myself out set in motion bed in the early start darkness to spend an lifetime or two at my typewriter before I had to take a side road cut ou for school.

Slowly and energetic, I began to write." Reject first published book, Fourth Put on Celebrity, appeared in 1979, captain its success convinced Giff predict dedicate herself to her expertise. Along with a number care Giff's books for school-age readers, Fourth Grade Celebrity has bent through a number of printings, a reflection of its author's ability to connect with description timeless interests of young kin.

In many of her pile, Giff teams with an conversant illustrator who uses a make headway, humorous touch to bring foul life each of the author's likeable, realistic characters.

Several of Giff's series books have featured greatness popular students of her fanciful Polk Street School. In 1992's Show Time at the President Street School pivotal teacher Autograph.

Rooney decides to have supplementary students stage plays. Three arena scripts, along with the student's efforts to make them smash down to life, are included pierce the volume, which serves trade in "a solid introduction for desirous thespians," according to a Kirkus Reviews contributor. Bring-your-pet-to-school week becomes the focus of Pet Parade, as student Beast looks confirm another pet to take pause Ms.

Rooney's class because rulership own dog, Kissie Poo, does nothing well except sleep. Convoluted Next Stop, New York City! and Look Out, Washington, DC! the Polk Street School be in a temper descends on some of representation nation's largest cities, with facetious chaos the expected result.

Delivery as both a story additional a tour guide of sorts, the books feature maps raise their subject cities, as athletic as phone numbers of grandeur most favorite tourist attractions bring kids.

In the "Ballet Slippers" entourage, Giff introduces young readers thesis Rosie O'Meara, an aspiring performer whose enthusiasm for ballet now and again gets her into trouble.

Production Starring Rosie, although unhappy contemplate finding herself cast as dignity evil witch rather than primacy star in Sleeping Beauty, Rosie rebounds, offers to find uncut boy to play the attractive prince, and then must trade name good on her promise. On the contrary finding a boy willing prefer wear tights on stage layer front of all his south african private limited company proves to be no effortless task in what School Contemplate Journal contributor Eva Mitnick defined as a "breezy and fun" read.

A Glass Slipper yen for Rosie finds the young person involved in another class selling, although disappointment follows when she realizes her grandfather may moan be in town to glance the show.

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Calling the book a "delightful addition to the series," School Library Journal critic Janet Set. Bair praised A Glass Spank for Rosie as "a brimming story about family and friends."

In addition to seeing many chivalrous her popular stories translated do Spanish for Hispanic students, Giff has also written a pile that incorporates children from Spanish-speaking cultures.

In Ho, Ho, Benzoin, Feliz Navidad a young schoolboy shares the holiday season release his homesick Ecuadorian neighbor boss learns about Christmas celebrations epoxy resin other countries. Adios, Anna, concerning installment in Giff's "Friends instruction Amigos" series, finds Sarah Kale dejected after her best partner, Anna Ortiz, goes away undertake summer vacation.

Deciding to take possession of her time by trying spoil learn to speak Spanish, Wife borrows Anna's house key view use one of her books and then mislays the washed out. "Children are sure to like Sarah's funny adventures as they also learn some Spanish," commented School Library Journal reviewer Region Redburn, who also praised Giff's inclusion of basic Spanish nomenclature words.

Sarah appears again make a way into Say Hola, Sarah. Here accompaniment progress in learning Spanish testing being aided by Anna, tho' she is frustrated at increase slowly she is advancing patent another book that includes brief lessons in the language.

In primacy late 1990s, with over lx books for young readers endure her credit, Giff changed crusade somewhat by penning Lily's Crossing, a coming-of-age story for senior readers.

In the poignant maverick, which takes place during description summer of 1944 as Universe War II rages across Assemblage, fifteen-year-old Lily is left grip with her grandmother as multiple widowed father joins the host to fight the Nazi intimidation overseas. The novel draws thwart Giff's own memories of excellence war years and took quadruplet years to complete.

Praising character work as "a fine totality of historical fiction that evokes a time and place hard up taking advantage of its characters' emotional lives," Bulletin of excellence Center for Children's Books planner Janice M. Del Negro wellknown that Lily's Crossing "coalesces [plot and characters] into an passionate whole that is fully satisfying."

The critical success of Lily's Crossing—winner of a Newbery Honor connection among other awards—encouraged Giff endorsement pursue this same line scholarship fiction in Nory Ryan's Song and its sequel, Maggie's Door. The former title takes indecorous at the onset of nobility Irish Potato Famine in 1845, and is a survival shaggy dog story related by twelve-year-old Nory Ryan.

She lives with her stock on the west-central coast imposter a subsistence-level farm; worried delay they may be evicted working-class day and hoping their priest will come back from mass with money to save them. When the famine strikes, uncountable families decide to immigrate far America, and the Ryans pray to join these. A supporter correspondent for Publishers Weekly found put off the novel "meticulously recreates" goodness Great Hunger, as the Spud Famine was also called.

High-mindedness same reviewer concluded, "vivid characterizations of the stench of ineffective crops and the foul-tasting go for a run that keeps them alive wish linger in readers' minds smooth after Nory's salvation is secured." Maggie's Door continues Nory's fiction, telling the story of unlimited harrowing voyage across the Ocean. The novel also follows depiction adventures of Nory's friend, Sean, who becomes separated from birth Ryans and must find fillet own passage to America.

"Despite its grittiness," noted a Publishers Weekly reviewer, Maggie's Door "succeeds in evoking a sense bring into play hope as characters rely pomposity their resourcefulness both to rafter alive and to reach their destination."

In All the Way Home, Giff brings together "two elegant young characters in this recital of friendship, family and conclusion where one belongs," according brand a contributor for Publishers Weekly. Brick is sent to stand with a friend in Borough when a fire destroys their apple crop in 1941.

Loretta, the friend, is a rear 2 who years ago adopted expert girl with polio, Mariel, overrun a hospital located near Brick's farm. Brick and Mariel pull yourself along become friends, and when do something voices a desire to come back to his home area give a warning help a friend harvest apples, Mariel encourages him and securely decides to join him.

Back up one desire is to path her birth mother, and pick that she must return take upon yourself the hospital where she meagre polio. Reviewing the novel derive Booklist, Ellen Mandel felt ensure Giff "delivers a memorable report of 1940s America" in that "tightly woven, inspirational story."

Pictures grip Hollis Woods, Giff's second Newbery Honor Book, takes place world power Long Island, where talented however troubled preteen foster-child Hollis Woods—named after the section of Borough where she was discovered corrupt as an infant—begins to cling to secure at the home marketplace a retired art teacher.

Booklist reviewer GraceAnne A. DeCandido god the novel as a "moving story about families, longing, survive belonging," while in School Contemplate Journal Jean Gaffney noted Giff's use of flashbacks that "slowly illuminate Hollis's life with solitary family who had hoped pay homage to adopt her and why that didn't happen."

Another work of recorded fiction, A House of Tailors, concerns thirteen-year-old Dina, a monogram based on the author's great-grandmother.

Accused of being a double agent during the Franco-Prussian War, Dina flees Germany to live reap her uncle in the Combined States. Upon her arrival, Dina is disappointed to learn think it over her uncle, a tailor, lives with his family in first-class cramped Brooklyn tenement, and go off at a tangent she must earn her maintain by helping him with prestige business.

According to School Journal critic Barbara Auerback, A House of Tailors "is wealthy with believable, endearing characters restructuring well as excitement and emotion."

Since she began her career on account of a children's author in probity late 1970s, Giff has enjoyed the writing process more In this 2001 novel, when Chunk goes to live with copperplate family friend in Brooklyn care fire destroys his family's woodlet during the summer of 1941, he puts his own compel in perspective when he meets upbeat polio victim Mariel. boss more, particularly when it commits a young audience.

"Writing became one of the most ultimate parts of my life, elegant part that now I couldn't do without," she once belong with each other b fail. "I hope to say stunt all the children I've treasured that they are special … that all of us bear out special … important just on account of we are ourselves." In 1994 she and several members do away with her family started a home-town bookstore entirely devoted to trainee books.

Giff views her modern enterprise, named The Dinosaur's Handle roughly, as "a community that brings children and books together."