Rita Golden Gelman facts for kids

Rita Golden Gelman, born on July 2, 1937, is an American author. She has written over 70 books for kids and two books for adults.

She also started an organization called Let's Get Global. It helps high school graduates take a gap year to travel and learn about other countries. Rita has given many talks at colleges and other groups.

Rita's Early Life and School

Rita grew up in Bridgeport, Connecticut. Her family owned a small pharmacy. As a teenager, she worked at the soda fountain there. She loved talking to the customers, especially those who had moved from other countries.

She went to Beardsley Elementary School. Then she attended Warren Harding High School and Bassick High School, graduating in 1954. Rita studied English and American Literature at Brandeis University, finishing in 1958. Later, in 1984, she earned a master's degree in anthropology from the University of California, Los Angeles.

After college, she lived in New York City until 1976. Then she moved to Los Angeles. She lived there until she began her travels around the world.

Rita's Writing Career

Rita Golden Gelman is known for her many books. She writes for both children and adults.

Books for Kids

Rita has written many popular children's books. Here are a few examples:

• Dumb Joey (1972) was her first book. It's about kids in New York City who needed a place to play.
• Body Noises (1983) teaches about sounds our bodies make. These include yawns, sneezes, and cracking joints.
• More Spaghetti, I Say! (1993) is a fun story. It's about a monkey named Minnie who loves spaghetti.
• Body Battles (1992) explains how our bodies fight off germs. It shows how we stay healthy.
• Rice is Life (2000) tells about how rice is grown. This book focuses on the island of Bali.

Books for Adults

Rita also wrote a book about her own life. It's called Tales of a Female Nomad, Living at Large in the World. This book came out in 2001. In it, she shares stories from her first 15 years of traveling. She visited many developing countries after selling everything she owned.

In October 2014, her book became very popular. It reached number 4 on The New York Times Best Seller list for "Love and Relationships."

In 2010, she wrote another book. It's called Female Nomad and Friends, Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World. This book has stories from 41 different authors. Most of them are women. They share how they connected with people from different cultures. Rita herself wrote eight stories for this book. The book also includes 33 recipes from around the world. All the money earned from this book helps students. It sends high school graduates from poor areas in New Delhi to special schools. This is done through scholarships from Rotary International.

Rita's Life and Travels

In 1960, Rita married Stephen Gelman. They had two children: a son named Mitch, born in 1962, and a daughter named Jan, born in 1963. She divorced around 1986.

In 1987, Rita made a big change. She sold all her belongings. She decided to live as a "citizen of the world." She has not settled down in one place since then. On her website, she calls herself a "modern day nomad." Even though she sometimes stays in New York City, she continues to travel.