Peter Mandel facts for kids

Peter Mandel (born in 1957) is an American journalist and author of children's books. He has written many popular books for young readers. Some of his well-known titles include Jackhammer Sam, Bun, Onion, Burger, and Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays. This last book was one of the first picture books about African-American baseball stars from the 1960s. It was even featured in an exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame and the Smithsonian!

Besides writing books, Peter Mandel is also a travel journalist and essay writer. His articles about travel have won awards. For example, one of his articles for The Boston Globe won a gold Lowell Thomas award in 2005 for being the best adventure travel article of the year. He also won bronze Lowell Thomas awards for his articles in The Washington Post in 2003 and 2006.

About Peter Mandel

Peter Mandel's father, Paul Mandel, was a novelist and an editor for Life magazine. Peter grew up in Manhattan, a famous part of New York City.

He went to college at Middlebury College and then to Brown University. Today, Peter Mandel lives in Providence, Rhode Island, with his wife, Kathryn Byrd Mandel.

Peter Mandel's Writings

Journalism and Essays

Peter Mandel writes for many well-known newspapers and websites. He often contributes to the travel sections of The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The Huffington Post.

He also writes essays for newspapers like The Wall Street Journal, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Chicago Tribune. In these essays, he explores topics like new technology and modern trends.

Children's Books

Peter Mandel writes picture books for young children. His books often have simple stories with fun rhyming or rhythmic words on each page.

• Zoo Ah-Choooo (2012): This book, illustrated by Elwood Smith, is a great example. It adds funny animal sounds to the story. Reviewers said that the "loud, boisterous sneezes" in the book are a hit with young kids.
• Jackhammer Sam (2011): Illustrated by David Catrow, this book is inspired by the sounds of a jackhammer. Peter Mandel remembers these sounds from growing up in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. One reviewer from The Chicago Tribune said the book was "wonderful and overwhelming."
• Bun, Onion, Burger (2010): This book, illustrated by Chris Eliopoulos, was chosen as a "Summer 2010 Children's Indie Next Pick" by the American Booksellers Association.
• Red Cat White Cat (1994): Illustrated by Clare Mackie, this simple book was also very popular. It received a special starred review from Kirkus, a well-known book review magazine.
• Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays (2000): Illustrated by Don Tate, this book is about the famous baseball player Willie Mays. It was included in The Jump at the Sun Treasury: An African American Picture Book Collection. It was also part of the "Baseball As America" exhibit at the National Baseball Hall of Fame. This book was one of the first for young children about African-American baseball players from the 1960s.

List of Children's Books

Here is a list of some of Peter Mandel's children's books:

• The Official Cat I.Q. Test, illustrated by June Otani (HarperCollins, 1991). ISBN: 0060965924
• The Cat Dictionary, illustrated by Annette Busse (Penguin, 1994). ISBN: 0140246614
• Red Cat White Cat, illustrated by Clare Mackie (Henry Holt, 1994). ISBN: 080502929X
• Say Hey! A Song of Willie Mays, illustrated by Don Tate (Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2000). ISBN: 0786804807
• My Ocean Liner: Across the North Atlantic on the Great Ship Normandie, illustrated by Betsey MacDonald (Stemmer House, 2000). ISBN: 0880451491
• The Jump at the Sun Treasury: An African American Picture Book Collection (Hyperion/Jump at the Sun, 2001). ISBN: 0786807547
• Planes at the Airport, illustrated by Edward Miller (Scholastic/Cartwheel, 2004). ISBN: 0439564166
• Boats on the River, illustrated by Edward Miller (Scholastic/Cartwheel, 2004). ISBN: 0439564158
• Bun, Onion, Burger, illustrated by Chris Eliopoulos (Simon & Schuster, 2010). ISBN: 1416924663
• Jackhammer Sam, illustrated by David Catrow (Macmillan/Roaring Brook, 2011). ISBN: 1596430346
• Zoo Ah-Choooo, illustrated by Elwood Smith (Holiday House, 2012). ISBN: 0823423174

Other Writings

Peter Mandel's travel articles have been collected in books. Three of his articles from The Washington Post and The Baltimore Sun were included in a 2015 book called Adventures of a Lifetime: Travel Tales from Around the World.

He also wrote an essay called "An American Cat in Paris." This essay was featured in two popular books: Chicken Soup for the Cat & Dog Lover's Soul (1999) and Chicken Soup for the Soul: Loving Our Cats (2008).

In 2006, he contributed a short chapter and a recipe to a book called Authors in the Pantry.