Stephen Cosgrove (writer) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Stephen Cosgrove
|
|
|---|---|
Cosgrove in 2009
|
|
| Born | July 26, 1945 Metaline Falls, Washington, U.S.
|
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Children's author |
Stephen E. Cosgrove, born on July 26, 1945, is a famous author who writes books for children. He is also a toy designer. He is best known for his popular book series called Serendipity. These books were even turned into a 26-episode cartoon show, Serendipity the Pink Dragon.
Stephen's Early Life
Stephen was born in Metaline Falls, Washington. He grew up in different towns like Kennewick, Washington, and later Burley and Boise, Idaho. He went to Borah High School in Boise. When he was young, Stephen loved reading Aesop's Fables. These old stories with morals really inspired him.
In 1963, he received a scholarship. This allowed him to attend Stephens College in Columbia, Missouri.
Becoming an Author
In 1973, Stephen Cosgrove started working with an artist named Robin James. Together, they created his first four books. These books were the beginning of the Serendipity series. The first four titles were "Serendipity," "Wheedle on the Needle," "The Dream Tree," and "The Muffin Muncher."
Stephen had a clear goal for his books. He wanted to write stories that were:
- Interesting and fun to read.
- Affordable for everyone.
- Full of a good moral or lesson in each story.
The next year, a big publishing company in New York offered him a contract. But Stephen decided not to take it. He wanted to find the perfect publisher for his books.
Just three months later, Stephen decided to start his own publishing company! He called it Serendipity Press. At his own company, he did everything himself. He was the author, the publisher, the person who shipped the books, and even the janitor!
Books and Beyond
By 1978, Stephen Cosgrove had sold over 3 million books! After this huge success, he sold Serendipity Press to a company called Penguin/Putnam. He then started to focus on new ways to share stories with children. This included using different types of media.
In 1990, Stephen Cosgrove and Wendy Edelson won a special award. It was the Silver Jubilee Honor from the Pacific Northwest Booksellers Association. They received it for their book "Ira Woodworthy."
In 2002, Stephen created some fun websites for kids. These included Web-pop, Book-pop, and Chatty Hattie. On these sites, children could read stories online. The stories had colorful and interactive pictures. Two years later, in 2004, he made another website called BuggBooks. Here, children could listen to the author read the stories aloud.
Today, Stephen Cosgrove has written about 325 books! His books range from picture books for very young children to young adult novels for older kids.
