Anne Isaacs facts for kids

Anne Isaacs is an American author who writes exciting books for kids and young adults. She was born on March 2, 1949.

Anne Isaacs' Early Life

Anne Isaacs grew up in Buffalo, New York. She lived there until she went to college in 1967. She studied at the University of Michigan. She earned degrees in English Literature and Environmental Education. She also got a Master of Science degree in 1975. Anne Isaacs married Samuel Koplowicz in 1978. Today, she lives in Berkeley, California.

Her Writing Career

Before becoming a full-time writer, Anne Isaacs worked in environmental education. In the mid-1980s, she started writing fiction as a second job.

Isaacs is famous for her picture book, Swamp Angel. Paul O. Zelinsky illustrated this book, which was published in 1994. Swamp Angel was a runner-up for the important Caldecott Medal. In 2014, it also won an Honor Book award from the Children's Literature Association.

Anne Isaacs loves poetry. She says, "All my life, poetry has affected me more than any other genre." She has read, memorized, and written poetry since she was nine. As a child, she was shy and often lost in her imagination. She read all the time, enjoying books like Romeo and Juliet, The Wind in the Willows, and Little Women. She was especially amazed by Shakespeare and Coleridge because of their strong feelings and beautiful words.

Amazing Books by Anne Isaacs

Swamp Angel

Anne Isaacs and illustrator Paul O. Zelinsky created Swamp Angel. This book tells the story of a super strong woodswoman named Angelica Longrider.

Swamp Angel won many awards. It was a 1995 Caldecott Honor book. It also received the 1995 Boston Globe–Horn Book Award Honor Book. Other awards include being an ALA Notable Book and one of The New York Times Best Illustrated Books of 1994.

Treehouse Tales

Isaacs' book Treehouse Tales is about the adventures of three farm children in Pennsylvania in the 1880s. Their stories are like fairytales. These tales were inspired by funny experiences Anne Isaacs had as a girl scout counselor. She changed the details to make them perfect for kids.

Cat Up a Tree

This book is a collection of poems by Anne Isaacs. It's all about a common situation: a cat stuck in a tree! The story unfolds through different poems. Each poem introduces a new character. Everyone thinks they know the best way to help the cat.

Torn Thread

Torn Thread is a powerful story based on the true experiences of Anne Isaacs' mother-in-law. It's about a 12-year-old girl named Eva in Poland in 1943. Her life changes when her sick sister is taken by the Nazis. To try and save his daughters, Eva's father sends her to a Nazi labor camp. There, the girls are forced to work, spinning thread for the German army.

Eva faces many challenges, like not having enough food or clothes. She tries to save herself and her sick sister. The book shows how these two teenagers try to create a sense of home and family. They do this even in the terrible and chaotic time of Nazi Germany.

This book has won many awards. It was an Outstanding International Book and a Notable Book for a Global Society in 2000. It was also an American Library Association: Notable Book and a Best Book for Young Adults in 2000.

Pancakes for Supper

Pancakes for Supper features a little girl named Toby. One day, her family's wagon hits a bump. Toby is thrown into the sky and lands in a forest. There, she meets a porcupine, a bear, and a hungry cougar. Toby is very clever! She talks each animal out of eating her by offering them her fancy clothes. In the end, the animals chase each other around a maple tree. They turn into maple syrup, which Toby eats on her pancakes for supper! This story is a fun twist on The Story of Little Black Sambo.

The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch

The Ghosts of Luckless Gulch was published in 2008. It was illustrated by Dan Santat. The story takes place in 1848, at the start of the California Gold Rush. Estrella, a Latina girl, can run so fast that she leaves a trail of flames. Her pets are based on old tall tales. They include a Kickle Snifter, a Sidehill Wowser, and a Rubberado puppy. Estrella can heal her pets and other wild animals.

When the Ghosts of Luckless Gulch steal her pets, Estrella must use her powers. She needs to save the day and stop the ghosts from stealing all the gold in California.

Anne Isaacs lived in Petaluma, California, when she wrote this book. She was near Rancho Petaluma Adobe. This old rancho house helped her imagine Estrella's home. The Vallejo family also inspired Estrella's family. Isaacs researched many historical details about Northern California during the Gold Rush. She made sure the towns, supplies, and settings were accurate.

Dust Devil

Anne Isaacs and Paul O. Zelinsky created a sequel to Swamp Angel called Dust Devil. It was published in 2010. Swamp Angel is known as the best woodswoman in Tennessee. But she grows too big for that state! So, she moves to Montana. There, she wrestles a huge storm to the ground. Inside the storm, she finds a horse she names Dust Devil. When an outlaw named Backward Bart starts causing trouble, Angel and Dust Devil are the only ones strong enough to stop him.