Ralph Fletcher facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Ralph Fletcher
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| Born | March 17, 1953 Marshfield, Massachusetts, U.S. |
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| Spouse | JoAnn Portalupi |
Ralph Fletcher (born March 17, 1953) is an American writer. He writes many kinds of books for young people. These include picture books, novels for teens, and poetry. He also works as an educational consultant. This means he helps teachers and schools learn how to teach writing better. He has written books for both kids and adults about how to write.
Ralph Fletcher's Story
Ralph Fletcher grew up in Marshfield, Massachusetts. He was the oldest of nine children in his family. Both of his parents also came from large families.
He went to Dartmouth College and earned his first degree in 1975. Later, he got a master's degree in writing from Columbia University in 1983. While in college, he studied in faraway places like Tonga in the South Pacific and Sierra Leone in Africa.
After finishing his studies, Ralph worked in classrooms in New York City. He was part of a special writing project for teachers. Today, Ralph Fletcher lives near Durham, New Hampshire. He is married to JoAnn Portalupi. They have worked together on several books for teachers. They have four sons.
Amazing Awards
Ralph Fletcher's books have won some cool awards!
His novel for young adults, Uncle Daddy, won a Christopher Medal in 2002. This award was for books for young people aged 10 to 12.
Another one of his young adult books, Fig Pudding, was highly praised. The American Library Association said it was one of the ten best books of 1995.
Also, his poetry book, I Am Wings, was recognized by School Library Journal. They chose it as one of their best books of 1994.
The Writer's Notebook
In 1996, Ralph Fletcher wrote a book called "Breathing In, Breathing Out; Keeping A Writer's Notebook." This book was mainly for adults. However, it helps teachers understand how to use a writer's notebook. It also shows how to teach kids the value of keeping one.
Fletcher believes that "keeping a notebook may be the single best way to survive as a writer." He shares examples from his own life. He shows how he used his notebook to deal with feelings, get ideas for stories, or just write down whatever was on his mind.
The book helps people see how useful a writer's notebook can be. It's a quiet place where you can relax and start writing. Ralph Fletcher includes parts from his own notebooks in the book. This helps readers see exactly what a writer's notebook looks like and how it works.
