Dan Greenburg facts for kids

Dan Greenburg (born June 19, 1936) is an American writer, humorist, and journalist. He has written 73 books, which have been published in 20 languages across 24 countries.

He is well-known for his popular children's book series. These include The Zack Files, Secrets of Dripping Fang, Maximum Boy, and Weird Planet. He also writes books for adults, often using humor and satire.

Dan Greenburg's Writing Journey

Dan Greenburg was born in Chicago, Illinois, on June 19, 1936. His father, Samuel, was an artist.

He studied design at the University of Illinois. While there, he read a famous book called Catcher in the Rye. This book inspired him to become a writer. He earned his bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois. Later, he received his master's degree from the University of California in Los Angeles.

His first professional writing piece was "3 Bears in Search of an Author." It retold the classic "Goldilocks" story in the styles of famous writers like J.D. Salinger. This piece was published in Esquire magazine.

After college, Dan worked in advertising for three years. Then, an editor from Esquire asked him to move to New York. He became the managing editor for a new magazine called Eros. In New York, he wrote a funny non-fiction book. It was called How to Be a Jewish Mother. This book became a bestseller in 1965.

Today, Dan Greenburg is most famous for his many popular children's book series. He also continues to write novels for adults, especially mysteries and thrillers. He has written for television and movies too. His work has appeared in well-known magazines like Life, Time, and The New Yorker.

In a 2005 interview, Dan shared how he stays connected with young readers. He said he often visits schools. He talks to kids and tries out new ideas on them. He also asks them what kinds of stories they enjoy reading. Both boys and girls told him they love scary and funny stories the most. Boys also mentioned they like stories that are a bit gross. Dan tries to include all these elements in his books.

When asked where he gets his ideas, he gave three main sources:

• Adventures he has experienced.
• A funny title he thinks of first.
• Asking himself "What if...?" about different situations.

Dan Greenburg's Personal Life

Dan Greenburg has been married three times. His first wife was the film director and author Nora Ephron. Their marriage lasted seven years and ended amicably.

His second wife was writer Suzanne O'Malley. They married in 1980 and were together for fifteen years before divorcing. Dan and Suzanne have a son named Zack O'Malley Greenburg. Dan's popular children's book series, The Zack Files, was named after his son.

Dan's third wife is Judith C. Wilson. She is also a children's book author. They live in Hastings, Oswego County, New York.

Books for Young Readers

Dan Greenburg has written many exciting and funny books for children. Here are some of his popular series:

Other children's books:

• Jumbo the Boy and Arnold the Elephant (1969)
• The Bed Who Ran Away from Home (1991)
• Young Santa (1991)
• Claws (2006)

Books for Adults

Dan Greenburg has also written many books for grown-ups. Some of these are humorous, while others are mysteries or thrillers. Here are a few examples:

• How to Be a Jewish Mother: A Very Lovely Training Manual (1964)
• How to Make Yourself Miserable: Another Vital Training Manual (1966)
• Love Kills (1978)
• How to Avoid Love and Marriage (1983)
• Exes (1990)

Dan Greenburg's Work in Film and TV

Many of Dan Greenburg's books have been turned into movies and TV shows.

Movies Based on His Books

• Live a Little, Love a Little (1968), based on his novel Kiss My Firm But Pliant Lips
• Private Lessons (1981), based on his novel Philly
• The Guardian (1990), based on his novel The Nanny

Television Series

• The Zack Files (2000-2002) was a television series based on his popular children's book series.
• He also had a story credit on the TV series Mad About You.

Dan Greenburg has also written many pilot episodes for TV shows. He even spent time with real firefighters and homicide police officers to research his scripts. He has appeared as a guest on many TV talk shows, including The Today Show and Larry King Live. He has also performed stand-up comedy.

Journalism and Articles

Dan Greenburg has written over 150 articles and humorous pieces. These have appeared in many famous magazines. Some of them include The New Yorker, Vanity Fair, Esquire, The New York Times Magazine, Time, and Life. His articles have also been included in many collections of humor and satire.

Acting Roles

Dan Greenburg has had small acting roles in some of the films he wrote. He also played a character named John Clum in the 1971 movie Doc.