Paula Danziger facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paula Danziger
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| Born | August 14, 1944 Washington, D.C. |
| Died | July 8, 2004 (aged 59) New York City, New York |
| Resting place | Woodstock Artist Cemetery, Woodstock, New York |
| Nationality |  United States |
| Alma mater | Montclair State University |
| Years active | 1974–2004 |
| Notable works | The Cat Ate My Gymsuit; the Amber Brown series |
Paula Danziger (born August 14, 1944 – died July 8, 2004) was a famous American writer. She wrote many books for kids and young adults. She wrote over 30 books in her life. Her first book, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, came out in 1974. When she passed away, all her books were still being printed. They had been sold in 53 countries and translated into 14 different languages.
Contents
About Paula Danziger's Life
Early Life and Family
Paula Danziger was born on August 14, 1944. Her parents were Samuel and Carolyn Danziger. She had a younger brother named Barry, who was born in 1947.
Her family lived in a few different places. They lived in Nutley, New Jersey, and Hollidaysburg, Pennsylvania. When Paula was in sixth grade, they settled in Metuchen, New Jersey.
Paula once shared that her childhood was not always easy. She felt her family wasn't very supportive. She said her father was often sarcastic. Her mother worried a lot about what others thought. Even though they weren't "monsters," Paula felt it wasn't a happy childhood. She finished high school at Metuchen High School.
Education and Becoming a Writer
Paula was encouraged to study nursing for college. But she chose to study teaching instead. She went to Montclair State University. There, a poet named John Ciardi helped guide her. After college, Paula became an English teacher for junior high students. While teaching, she also worked on her master's degree.
Later, Paula was in a car accident. This accident made it hard for her to write normally. For a while, she could only write backwards! She eventually learned to write forwards again. But she could still write backwards for the rest of her life. This experience made her realize she wanted to follow her dream. She decided to start writing books.
After her first book, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, became popular, Paula stopped teaching in 1978. She then wrote books full-time. She had homes in New York City and Bearsville, New York. For several years, she also had a flat in London. In London, she often talked about children's literature on the BBC's Saturday morning show Live & Kicking.
Paula's Passing Away
On June 9, 2004, Paula felt chest pain. Her niece, Carrie Danziger, was visiting her at the time. Paula tried to hide her pain at first. She called a neighbor because she was worried. Eventually, she went to the hospital. Doctors told her she had a heart attack. She stayed in the hospital. Paula passed away from problems related to the heart attack on July 8, 2004. This happened at St. Luke's Hospital in Manhattan.
After a memorial service in New York City, Paula was buried. Her grave is in the Woodstock Artists Cemetery in Woodstock, New York. She was survived by her brother Barry, her niece Carrie, and three nephews.
Paula Danziger's Writing Career
Paula Danziger's first book, The Cat Ate My Gymsuit, was based on her own childhood. She kept writing books for teenagers throughout the 1980s. Later, she started writing for younger kids. This led to her popular Amber Brown series. The main character, Amber Brown, was inspired by Paula's niece, Carrie.
Paula often gave talks and speeches. She would wear fun costumes and call herself a "children's Dame Edna Everage". She once said that if she hadn't been a writer, she would have been a stand-up comedian.
She worked with another author, Ann M. Martin, on two books. These were P.S. Longer Letter Later (1998) and Snail Mail No More (2000). For these books, they would write letters to each other. They wrote as if they were the characters in the story.
Paula Danziger also had a writing group with other authors. She and Bruce Coville started reading their work to each other over the phone in 1992. This continued for more than ten years. Later, author Elizabeth Levy joined their group. After Paula passed away, Bruce Coville and Elizabeth Levy continued the Amber Brown series. They started with Amber Brown is Tickled Pink in 2012. This book told the story of Amber Brown's mother getting married again.
Awards and Honors for Paula Danziger
Paula Danziger's books won and were nominated for many awards. These were state-level children's book awards in the US.
- The Cat Ate My Gymsuit won the Massachusetts Children's Book Award in 1979.
- There's a Bat in Bunk Five won the California Young Reader Medal in 1984.
Four of her books were chosen as IRA-CBC Children's Choices:
- The Pistachio Prescription in 1979.
- The Cat Ate My Gymsuit and Can You Sue Your Parents for Malpractice? in 1980.
- There's a Bat in Bunk Five in 1981.
The Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators has an award in her honor. It's called the Amber Brown Grant. This grant helps schools. It provides a free visit from a well-known children's author or illustrator. It also gives money to help create the event. Plus, it gives $250 worth of books by the visiting author. One or two schools get this grant each year.
Books by Paula Danziger
Paula Danziger wrote many books for different age groups.
Books for Children
The Amber Brown Series
- Amber Brown is Not a Crayon (1994)
- You Can't Eat Your Chicken Pox, Amber Brown (1995)
- Amber Brown Goes Fourth (1995)
- Amber Brown Wants Extra Credit (1996)
- Forever Amber Brown (1996)
- Amber Brown Sees Red (1997)
- Amber Brown is Feeling Blue (1998)
- I, Amber Brown (1999)
- Amber Brown is Green with Envy (2003)
- Amber Brown is Tickled Pink (2012; continued by others)
A is for Amber Brown Series
- What a Trip, Amber Brown (2001)
- It's Justin Time, Amber Brown (2001)
- Get Ready for Second Grade, Amber Brown (2002)
- Orange You Glad It's Halloween, Amber Brown? (2002)
- It's a Fair Day, Amber Brown (2003)
Other Children's Books
- Barfburger Baby, I Was Here First (2004)
Books for Teenagers
Matthew Martin Series
- Everyone Else's Parents Said Yes (1989)
- Make Like a Tree and Leave (1990)
- Earth to Matthew (1991)
- Not for a Billion Gazillion Dollars (1992)
Tara*Starr and Elizabeth Series
- P.S. Longer Letter Later (with Ann M. Martin) (1998)
- Snail Mail No More (with Ann M. Martin) (2000)
Rosie and Phoebe Series
- The Divorce Express (1982)
- It's an Aardvark-Eat-Turtle World (1985)
Marcy Lewis Series
- The Cat Ate My Gymsuit (1974)
- There's a Bat in Bunk Five (1980)
Kendra Kaye Series
- Remember Me to Harold Square (1987)
- Thames Doesn't Rhyme With James (1994)
Other Teen Books
- The Pistachio Prescription (1978)
- Can You Sue Your Parents for Malpractice? (1979)
- This Place Has No Atmosphere (1986)
- United Tates of America (2002)
See also
In Spanish: Paula Danziger para niños
