Alison McGhee
Encyclopedia
Alison McGhee is an American
author
of books for all ages. She has published several picture book
s, books for children
, and adult novel
s. She is a New York Times bestselling
author, the winner of numerous awards, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize
for her novel Shadow Baby.
She then began writing children's pictures. Countdown to Kindergarten and Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth, both share the same main character who begins the first story as she enters kindergarten and is in first grade by the second book.
Turning her hand to young adult novels, McGhee introduced Snap and All Rivers Flow to the Sea.
In Only a Witch Can Fly McGhee focuses on poetry. In this story-poem, created in sestina form, a little girl dreams about flying on her broom.
In addition to being an award winning author, McGhee is a professor of creative writing at Metropolitan State University
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
.
? - Julia Gillian and the Dream of a Dog
with co-author Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Tony Fucile (Bink and Gollie)
2003 Minnesota Book Award (Countdown to Kindergarten)
The Great Lakes College Association National Fiction Award
1999 Minnesota Book Award (Rainlight)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author
Author
An author is broadly defined as "the person who originates or gives existence to anything" and that authorship determines responsibility for what is created. Narrowly defined, an author is the originator of any written work.-Legal significance:...
of books for all ages. She has published several picture book
Picture book
A picture book combines visual and verbal narratives in a book format, most often aimed at young children. The images in picture books use a range of media such as oil paints, acrylics, watercolor and pencil.Two of the earliest books with something like the format picture books still retain now...
s, books for children
Children's literature
Children's literature is for readers and listeners up to about age twelve; it is often defined in four different ways: books written by children, books written for children, books chosen by children, or books chosen for children. It is often illustrated. The term is used in senses which sometimes...
, and adult novel
Novel
A novel is a book of long narrative in literary prose. The genre has historical roots both in the fields of the medieval and early modern romance and in the tradition of the novella. The latter supplied the present generic term in the late 18th century....
s. She is a New York Times bestselling
New York Times Best Seller list
The New York Times Best Seller list is widely considered the preeminent list of best-selling books in the United States. It is published weekly in The New York Times Book Review magazine, which is published in the Sunday edition of The New York Times and as a stand-alone publication...
author, the winner of numerous awards, and was nominated for a Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
for her novel Shadow Baby.
Career
Alison McGhee is an eclectic writer who had published works for all ages, in many forms. Her first novel, Rainlight, is a heartrending story which follows the characters left behind after the sudden and accidental death of Starr Williams. It received positive reviews and won both the Great Lakes College Association National Fiction Award and the Minnesota Book Award in 1999. McGhee's sophomore effort, Shadow Baby, is witnessed through the eyes of a young girl who befriends an old man as part of a school project. Clara Winter and Georg Kominsky are strong characters who find in each other light in a dark world. It was a Pulitzer Prize nominee. McGhee continued her adult themes with 'Was It Beautiful?.She then began writing children's pictures. Countdown to Kindergarten and Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth, both share the same main character who begins the first story as she enters kindergarten and is in first grade by the second book.
Turning her hand to young adult novels, McGhee introduced Snap and All Rivers Flow to the Sea.
In Only a Witch Can Fly McGhee focuses on poetry. In this story-poem, created in sestina form, a little girl dreams about flying on her broom.
In addition to being an award winning author, McGhee is a professor of creative writing at Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University
Metropolitan State University is a four-year public university located in the Twin Cities of Minnesota, United States. It is a member of the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities system.-History:...
in Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul, Minnesota
Saint Paul is the capital and second-most populous city of the U.S. state of Minnesota. The city lies mostly on the east bank of the Mississippi River in the area surrounding its point of confluence with the Minnesota River, and adjoins Minneapolis, the state's largest city...
.
Children's Chapter Books
- 2008 - Julia Gillian and the Art Of Knowing - Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan
- 2009 - Julia Gillian and the Quest for Joy - Illustrated by Drazen Kozjan
? - Julia Gillian and the Dream of a Dog
Picture Books
- 2002 - Countdown to Kindergarten - Illustrated by Harry BlissHarry BlissHarry Bliss is a United States cartoonist and illustrator.Bliss grew up in New York State among an artistic family. His sister Rachel Bliss and brother Charlie Bliss, and father Jack Bliss are all artists...
- 2004 - Mrs. Watson Wants Your Teeth - Illustrated by Harry Bliss
- 2006 - A Very Brave Witch - Illustrated by Harry Bliss
- 2007 - Someday - Illustrated by Peter H. ReynoldsPeter H. ReynoldsPeter Hamilton Reynolds is an author and illustrator of children's books and is the Founder of the educational media company FableVision.Reynolds was born in 1961 in Canada with his identical twin brother, Paul who serves as FableVision's CEO, as well as a selectman in the town of Dedham,...
- 2008 - Bye-bye, Crib - Illustrated by Ross MacDonald
- 2008 - Little Boy - Illustrated by Peter H. Reynolds
- 2009 - Always - Illustrated by Pascal Lemaitre
- 2009 - Song of Middle C - Illustrated by Scott Menchin
- 2009 - Only a Witch Can Fly - Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
- 2010 - So Many Days - Illustrated by Taeeun Yoo
- 2010 - Bink and Gollie (with Kate DiCamilloKate DiCamilloKatrina Elizabeth "Kate" DiCamillo is an American children's author. She is known for the Newbery Medal-winning book The Tale of Despereaux, the Newbery Honor book Because of Winn-Dixie, and the Mercy Watson series, plus numerous other award-winning and honored books.-Early life:Born in...
) - Illustrated by Tony Fucile
Awards
2011 Theodor Seuss Geisel AwardGeisel Award
Established in 2004, the Theodor Seuss Geisel Award is given annually to the author and illustrator of the most distinguished American book for beginning readers published in English in the United States during the preceding year. The winner receive a bronze medal at the ALA Annual Conference...
with co-author Kate DiCamillo and illustrator Tony Fucile (Bink and Gollie)
2003 Minnesota Book Award (Countdown to Kindergarten)
The Great Lakes College Association National Fiction Award
1999 Minnesota Book Award (Rainlight)
External links
- http://www.alisonmcghee.com/
- http://authors.simonandschuster.com/Alison-McGhee