Seymour Simon (author) facts for kids

Seymour Simon (born August 9, 1931) is an American writer. He is famous for writing many children's books, especially about science.

About Seymour Simon

His Early Life and Teaching

Seymour Simon was born in New York City. He went to the Bronx High School of Science. Later, he studied at the City College of New York. For 23 years, he worked as a science teacher. In the early 1960s, he started writing books for kids.

Writing for Young Readers

Seymour Simon has written more than 250 science books for children. He is known as one of the most active writers of science books for young readers. He also writes fiction stories. One of his popular series is Einstein Anderson, Science Geek. He helped start a company called StarWalk Kids Media. This company publishes digital books.

Learning Through His Books

Simon's books often encourage children to try science activities. You can use everyday things from your home. For example, in Let's Try It Out With Towers and Bridges, he asks questions like, "What makes a bridge strong?" Then, he shows kids how to build a strong tower or a paper bridge. His books help children discover how science works.

Many of his books are chosen as "Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students." This award comes from the National Science Teachers Association.

Connecting with Kids

Seymour Simon often visits schools. He talks to students and teachers. He says that talking with children, teachers, and librarians helps him write better books. He believes he is still teaching, even when he is writing.

His Personal Life

Seymour Simon has three children and four grandchildren. He lives in the Hudson Valley area of New York. He is married to Liz Nealon. She is the head of StarWalk Kids Media. She also worked on the famous children's show Sesame Street.

Awards and Special Recognition

Seymour Simon has won many awards for his books. Here are some of them:

• The New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature.
• The Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library.
• The Eva L. Gordon Award from the American Nature Society. This was for his work in children's science books.
• The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction. This was for all his books.
• A Lifetime Achievement Award in Science Literature for Children. This came from the American Association for the Advancement of Science.
• The Kansas Reading Association 2001 Picture Book Award.
• The 2002 Jeremiah Ludington Memorial Award. This is a lifetime achievement award from the Educational Paperback Association.
• A Lifetime Achievement Commendation from the 1992 National Forum on Children's Science Books.
• A Certificate of Excellence from the New York Times for one of the year's best illustrated children's books.
• The New Jersey Reading Association 2003 Book Award for 'Out Of Sight'.

Two cities have even honored him with special days:

• June 29, 1999, was "Seymour Simon Day" in Houston, Texas. This was to thank him for his great work.
• August 2, 1999, was a day of recognition for Seymour Simon in Green Bay, Wisconsin. They said he helped countless children understand science. They also said he helped them appreciate our planet and universe.

A Look at His Books

Seymour Simon has written many books. Here is a selection of some of his works:

• Animals in the Field and Laboratory: Science projects in animal behavior (1968)
• The Look-it-up Book of the Earth (1968)
• Motion (1968)
• Chip Rogers, Computer Whiz (1984) ISBN: 0-688-03855-7
• The Dinosaur Is the Biggest Animal That Ever Lived and Other Wrong Ideas You Thought Were True (1984) ISBN: 0-06-446053-3
• The Moon (1984)
• Mars (1987) ISBN: 0-688-06584-8
• Uranus (1987) ISBN: 0-688-06582-1
• How to Be an Ocean Scientist in Your Own Home (1988) ISBN: 0-397-32292-5
• Storms (1989) ISBN: 0688074138
• Whales (1989) ISBN: 0-06-446095-9
• Oceans (1990) ISBN: 0688094546
• Big Cats (1991) ISBN: 0-06-021647-6
• Earthquakes (1991) ISBN: 0-688-09633-6
• Neptune (1991) ISBN: 0-688-09631-X
• Our Solar System (1992)
• Snakes (1992) ISBN: 0-06-022529-7
• Wolves (1993) ISBN: 0-06-022531-9
• Science Dictionary (1994) ISBN: 0-06-025629-X
• The Heart: Our circulatory system (1996) ISBN: 0688099920
• The Brain: Our nervous system (1997) ISBN: 0688146406
• Our Solar System, revised edition (2014)