Jon Scieszka
Encyclopedia
Jon Scieszka was born September 8, 1954 in Flint, Michigan
is an American
author of children's literature
, best known for his collaborations with illustrator
Lane Smith
. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and in early 2008 was named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Librarian of Congress. His Time Warp Trio
series, which teaches kids history, has been adapted into a television show.
, and Louis Scieszka, an elementary school
principal. He attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana
, graduating in three years, and then began to study both English and science at Albion College
, as he considered studying medicine. He eventually received a B.A.
in writing in 1976; he turned down an acceptance to Johns Hopkins Medical School
, opting instead to enroll in Columbia University
's writing program, where he received a Master of Fine Arts
in 1980.
After graduating, Scieszka worked in a variety of capacities: teaching at an elementary school (mostly second grade), writing for magazines, painting apartments, and working as a carpenter and lifeguard.
Scieszka currently lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn
with his wife Jerilyn, son Jake, and daughter Casey.
, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
and Math Curse
. He is also the principal author of the Time Warp Trio series, for which Smith illustrated a number of installments. The series has been made into a television show
. The design of many of Scieszka and Smith's collaborative works is attributed to Molly Leach, Smith's wife, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.
Scieszka has also edited the essay compilation Guys Write for Guys Read
, which featured over eighty essays from noted authors who shared stories from their own childhoods. The compilation stems from his personal nonprofit
literacy
program for boys and men, Guys Read
, which he created due to his reaction to United States
government statistics regarding literacy amongst boys, as well as society's attitudes toward masculinity
.
Scieszka's other books include The Book That Jack Wrote, illustrated by Daniel Adel, and The Frog Prince, Continued
.
In terms of the writing process, Scieszka creates outlines for the books of his Time Warp Trio series for structural reasons. When writing other books, however, Scieszka says, "Anything goes. Middle first, sometimes end, sometimes title, sometimes punchline."
Jon Scieszka has written a number of books featuring The Time Warp Trio, a group of children who go back in time to various moments in history. The early books were illustrated by Lane Smith, the later by Adam McCauley. The dates in some cases reflect reissues, with noted books in the series including:
literacy program, created primarily to appeal to a male audience.
because of their similarity in appearance and in writing. Bosch has recently turned out to be Raphael Simon.
One fact that separated them is that Scieszka is bald, but Bosch had lots of hair in his photos.
Flint, Michigan
Flint is a city in the U.S. state of Michigan and is located along the Flint River, northwest of Detroit. The U.S. Census Bureau reports the 2010 population to be placed at 102,434, making Flint the seventh largest city in Michigan. It is the county seat of Genesee County which lies in the...
is an American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
author of children's literature
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...
, best known for his collaborations with illustrator
Illustrator
An Illustrator is a narrative artist who specializes in enhancing writing by providing a visual representation that corresponds to the content of the associated text...
Lane Smith
Lane Smith (illustrator)
Lane Smith is an American children's book author and illustrator.-Background:Smith was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but moved to Corona, California at a young age...
. He is also a nationally recognized reading advocate, and in early 2008 was named the National Ambassador for Young People's Literature by the Librarian of Congress. His Time Warp Trio
Time Warp Trio
The Time Warp Trio is a book series written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith and later by Adam McCauley, which chronicles the adventures of three boys - Joe, Sam, and Fred - who travel through time and space with the aid of the mysterious Book.The storyline has been adapted into an...
series, which teaches kids history, has been adapted into a television show.
Personal life
Scieszka is the second oldest of six sons born to Shirly Scieszka, a Registered NurseRegistered nurse
A registered nurse is a nurse who has graduated from a nursing program at a university or college and has passed a national licensing exam. A registered nurse helps individuals, families, and groups to achieve health and prevent disease...
, and Louis Scieszka, an elementary school
Elementary school
An elementary school or primary school is an institution where children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as elementary or primary education. Elementary school is the preferred term in some countries, particularly those in North America, where the terms grade school and grammar...
principal. He attended Culver Military Academy in Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, graduating in three years, and then began to study both English and science at Albion College
Albion College
Albion College is a private liberal arts college located in Albion, Michigan. Related to the United Methodist Church, it was founded in 1835 and was the first private college in Michigan to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa. It has a student population of about 1500.The school's sports teams are...
, as he considered studying medicine. He eventually received a B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in writing in 1976; he turned down an acceptance to Johns Hopkins Medical School
Johns Hopkins University
The Johns Hopkins University, commonly referred to as Johns Hopkins, JHU, or simply Hopkins, is a private research university based in Baltimore, Maryland, United States...
, opting instead to enroll in Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
's writing program, where he received a Master of Fine Arts
Master of Fine Arts
A Master of Fine Arts is a graduate degree typically requiring 2–3 years of postgraduate study beyond the bachelor's degree , although the term of study will vary by country or by university. The MFA is usually awarded in visual arts, creative writing, filmmaking, dance, or theatre/performing arts...
in 1980.
After graduating, Scieszka worked in a variety of capacities: teaching at an elementary school (mostly second grade), writing for magazines, painting apartments, and working as a carpenter and lifeguard.
Scieszka currently lives in Park Slope, Brooklyn
Brooklyn
Brooklyn is the most populous of New York City's five boroughs, with nearly 2.6 million residents, and the second-largest in area. Since 1896, Brooklyn has had the same boundaries as Kings County, which is now the most populous county in New York State and the second-most densely populated...
with his wife Jerilyn, son Jake, and daughter Casey.
Professional life
According to Scieszka, he writes books because he "love[s] to make kids laugh." Most of his best-known works were written in collaborations with illustrator Lane Smith, who does the artwork for Scieszka's words. Among their collaborations are The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid TalesThe Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
The Stinky Cheese Man and Fairly Stupid Tales is a postmodern children's book by Jon Scieszka. Published in 1992 by Viking, it is a collection of twisted, humorous parodies of famous children's stories and fairy tales, such as "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Gingerbread Man"...
, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
The True Story of the Three Little Pigs
A parody of The Three Little Pigs, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is a children's book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Released in a number of editions since its first release in 1989, it is the story of The Three Little Pigs as told by the Big Bad Wolf, known in the book as "A. Wolf,"...
and Math Curse
Math Curse
Math Curse is a children's picture book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. Published in 1995 through Viking Press, the book tells the story of a student who is cursed by the way mathematics works in everyday life...
. He is also the principal author of the Time Warp Trio series, for which Smith illustrated a number of installments. The series has been made into a television show
Time Warp Trio
The Time Warp Trio is a book series written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith and later by Adam McCauley, which chronicles the adventures of three boys - Joe, Sam, and Fred - who travel through time and space with the aid of the mysterious Book.The storyline has been adapted into an...
. The design of many of Scieszka and Smith's collaborative works is attributed to Molly Leach, Smith's wife, including The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales.
Scieszka has also edited the essay compilation Guys Write for Guys Read
Guys Write for Guys Read
Guys Write for Guys Read is a compilation of essays for the Guys Read organization. Edited by children's book author Jon Scieszka, it features contributions from Lloyd Alexander, Christopher Paolini, James Howe, Mo Willems, Jack Gantos, Stephen King, Neil Gaiman, and other male children's and...
, which featured over eighty essays from noted authors who shared stories from their own childhoods. The compilation stems from his personal nonprofit
Non-profit organization
Nonprofit organization is neither a legal nor technical definition but generally refers to an organization that uses surplus revenues to achieve its goals, rather than distributing them as profit or dividends...
literacy
Literacy
Literacy has traditionally been described as the ability to read for knowledge, write coherently and think critically about printed material.Literacy represents the lifelong, intellectual process of gaining meaning from print...
program for boys and men, Guys Read
Guys Read
Guys Read is a literary organization founded in 2001 by children's book author Jon Scieszka to promote literacy in men and boys. Citing psychological and biological studies concerning the physical, mental, and emotional growth of adolescent males in comparison to their female counterparts, the...
, which he created due to his reaction to United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
government statistics regarding literacy amongst boys, as well as society's attitudes toward masculinity
Masculinity
Masculinity is possessing qualities or characteristics considered typical of or appropriate to a man. The term can be used to describe any human, animal or object that has the quality of being masculine...
.
Scieszka's other books include The Book That Jack Wrote, illustrated by Daniel Adel, and The Frog Prince, Continued
The Frog Prince, Continued
The Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka is a picture book parody "sequel" to the tale of The Frog Prince, in which a princess kisses a frog which then turns into a prince. It was first published in 1991.Instead of living happily ever after, issues ensue on both sides...
.
On writing
In his autobiography, Knucklehead: Tall Tales and Almost True Stories of Growing Up Scieszka, Scieszka writes that his inspiration for much of his work comes from the "strange things" that happened to him while growing up with his brothers.In terms of the writing process, Scieszka creates outlines for the books of his Time Warp Trio series for structural reasons. When writing other books, however, Scieszka says, "Anything goes. Middle first, sometimes end, sometimes title, sometimes punchline."
Awards and recognition
- 1994 - Rhode Island Children's Book Award for The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
- 1995 - Blue Ribbon Book from the Bulletin Center for Children's Books for Math Curse
- 1995 - Publishers WeeklyPublishers WeeklyPublishers Weekly, aka PW, is an American weekly trade news magazine targeted at publishers, librarians, booksellers and literary agents...
Best Children's Book for Math Curse - 1996 - American Library Association Notable Book citation for Math Curse
- 1997 - Golden Archer Award for The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid Tales
- 1997 - Maine's Student Book Award for Math Curse
- 1997 - Texas Bluebonnet Award for Math Curse
- 1997 - New Hampshire's The Great Stone Face Book Award for Math Curse
Selected bibliography
- The Frog Prince, ContinuedThe Frog Prince, ContinuedThe Frog Prince, Continued by Jon Scieszka is a picture book parody "sequel" to the tale of The Frog Prince, in which a princess kisses a frog which then turns into a prince. It was first published in 1991.Instead of living happily ever after, issues ensue on both sides...
(illustrated by Steve Johnson) - Viking Press - 1991 - The Book That Jack Wrote (illustrated by Daniel Adel) - Viking Press - 1997
Collaborations with Lane Smith
- The True Story of the Three Little PigsThe True Story of the Three Little PigsA parody of The Three Little Pigs, The True Story of the Three Little Pigs is a children's book by Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith. Released in a number of editions since its first release in 1989, it is the story of The Three Little Pigs as told by the Big Bad Wolf, known in the book as "A. Wolf,"...
- Viking Press - 1989 - The Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid TalesThe Stinky Cheese Man and Other Fairly Stupid TalesThe Stinky Cheese Man and Fairly Stupid Tales is a postmodern children's book by Jon Scieszka. Published in 1992 by Viking, it is a collection of twisted, humorous parodies of famous children's stories and fairy tales, such as "Little Red Riding Hood", "The Ugly Duckling" and "The Gingerbread Man"...
- Viking Press - 1992 - Seen Art?Seen Art?Seen Art? is a children's picture book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. It was published in 1995 by Viking Press, and is aimed at a reading age of 4 to 8....
- Viking Press- 1995 - Math CurseMath CurseMath Curse is a children's picture book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. Published in 1995 through Viking Press, the book tells the story of a student who is cursed by the way mathematics works in everyday life...
- Viking Press - 1995 - Squids Will Be SquidsSquids Will Be SquidsSquids Will Be Squids is a children's picture book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. It was published in 1998 by Viking Press.-Reception:...
- Viking Press - 1998 - Baloney, (Henry P.) - Viking Press - 2001
- Science VerseScience VerseScience Verse is a children's picture book written by Jon Scieszka and illustrated by Lane Smith. A follow-up to Math Curse, the book, published by Viking Press, tells the story - in verse - of a student who, according to his teacher, hears "the poetry of science in everything."Later, The art...
- Viking Press - 2004 - Cowboy and Octopus - Viking Press - 2007
The Time Warp Trio
- For the article about the Time Warp Trio, see The Time Warp Trio
Jon Scieszka has written a number of books featuring The Time Warp Trio, a group of children who go back in time to various moments in history. The early books were illustrated by Lane Smith, the later by Adam McCauley. The dates in some cases reflect reissues, with noted books in the series including:
- Knights of the Kitchen Table - (Viking) Penguin Books - 1991
- Summer Reading Is Killing Me! - Penguin BooksPenguin BooksPenguin Books is a publisher founded in 1935 by Sir Allen Lane and V.K. Krishna Menon. Penguin revolutionised publishing in the 1930s through its high quality, inexpensive paperbacks, sold through Woolworths and other high street stores for sixpence. Penguin's success demonstrated that large...
- 2000 - It's All Greek to Me - Penguin Books - 2001
- Sam Samurai - Penguin Books - 2002
- The Not-so-Jolly Roger- The Time Warp Trio -
- Me Oh Maya
Trucktown
The Trucktown series is a product of Scieszka's Guys ReadGuys Read
Guys Read is a literary organization founded in 2001 by children's book author Jon Scieszka to promote literacy in men and boys. Citing psychological and biological studies concerning the physical, mental, and emotional growth of adolescent males in comparison to their female counterparts, the...
literacy program, created primarily to appeal to a male audience.
- Smash! Crash! - Simon & Schuster Children's Pubmmlishing - 2008
- Melvin Might? - Simon & Schuster Children's Publishing - 2008
Connection to Bosch
Sciezka was once widely considered to be the "ever-anonymous" Pseudonymous BoschPseudonymous Bosch
Pseudonymous Bosch is the pen name of Raphael Simon, author of the Secret Series children's books. The name plays off that of the artist Hieronymus Bosch, with the first name a combination of the words pseudonym and anonymous. The Secret Series is a pentalogy of novels based on the five senses:...
because of their similarity in appearance and in writing. Bosch has recently turned out to be Raphael Simon.
One fact that separated them is that Scieszka is bald, but Bosch had lots of hair in his photos.
External links
- An interview with Jon Scieszka at Bookslut.com
- Stripped Books: Jon & Lane Go to Barnes & Noble
- Guys Read, Jon's literacy program for guys of all ages.
- Public School Insights' Interview with Jon Scieszka Posted March 6, 2008
- Jon Scieszka's website
- Photos of Scieszka and his family