Jonathan London (author) facts for kids

Jonathan London (born March 11, 1947) is a famous American author. He writes many exciting books for kids. He is most well-known for his super popular Froggy series.

Jonathan London's Early Life

Jonathan London was born in Brooklyn, New York. His dad was a Navy officer. Because of his dad's job, Jonathan lived in many different places. He moved around the country with his parents and brother, Jeff. They even lived near Navy bases in Puerto Rico. This was his life until he turned 18.

When he went to San Jose State University, he first studied history. He also learned about social sciences. But during college, he discovered a love for writing poetry. After getting his master's degree, he joined a dance company. He also wrote poems and short stories. He even traveled to many different countries around the world.

Jonathan London's Writing Career

Jonathan London wrote about 200 poems and short stories. These were published in different literary magazines. For a while, he worked in a union job. He didn't become a full-time children's book author until he was 45 years old.

His first picture books came from stories he told his own sons. Aaron was five and Sean was two. They loved his stories so much! So, Jonathan decided to write them down. One of these stories became FROGGY GETS DRESSED. This book became a huge bestseller. It is even on the New York Public Library's list of "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know."

Since then, Jonathan London has written over 120 books. About 30 of these are Froggy books! More than 16 million Froggy books have been sold in North America. They are also published in 8 different languages. These include Mandarin, Russian, Persian, Greek, and Spanish. Many Froggy books have appeared on the New York Times bestseller lists.

Jonathan London also writes picture books about amazing wildlife. One example is Pup The Sea Otter. His son, Sean London, drew the pictures for this book. He also wrote a series of novels for middle schoolers. This series is called Aaron’s Wilderness Trilogy. It includes Desolation Canyon, Bella Bella, and Grizzly Peak. Sean London also illustrated these books.

Awards and Recognitions

The Froggy series and other books by Jonathan London have won many awards. They have also received special honors. For example, the Froggy series is on the New York Public Library's list of "100 Picture Books Everyone Should Know."