Sy Montgomery facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sy Montgomery
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Sy Montgomery visits Sam Marshall's tarantula lab.
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| Born | February 7, 1958 Frankfurt, Germany |
| Occupation | Naturalist, author and scriptwriter |
| Education | Westfield High School (Westfield, New Jersey) |
| Alma mater | Syracuse University |
| Notable works | The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness |
| Notable awards | 2007 Orbis Pictus Award |
| Spouse | Howard Mansfield |
| Website | |
| Author's website | |
Sy Montgomery (born February 7, 1958) is an American naturalist, author, and scriptwriter. She writes amazing books for both kids and adults, often about animals and nature.
Contents
About Sy Montgomery
Early life and education
Sy Montgomery was born on February 7, 1958, in Frankfurt, Germany. Her dad was a general in the US Army. Her mom was a pilot and also worked for the FBI! As a kid, Sy lived in many different places. These included Frankfurt, Brooklyn, New York, and Westfield, New Jersey.
She finished Westfield High School in 1975. Then, she went to Syracuse University and graduated in 1979. She studied many subjects, like journalism, French, and psychology. She has also received several special degrees from colleges.
Career as a writer
Sy Montgomery has written 34 books! Many of her books are about animals and the natural world. One of her most famous books is The Soul of an Octopus. This book was a finalist for a big award in 2015. It also appeared on The New York Times Best Seller list.
Another popular book is The Good Good Pig. This book tells the true story of her life with her pet pig, Christopher Hogwood. Other books that became best sellers include How To Be a Good Creature and Becoming a Good Creature. The last one is a picture book for children.
Sy has written many other notable books. These include Journey of the Pink Dolphins and Spell of the Tiger. Her book for kids, Quest for the Tree Kangaroo, won the 2007 Orbis Pictus Award. Her book Kakapo Rescue: Saving The World's Strangest Parrot won the Sibert Medal in 2010. She has won many other awards for her writing too.
Sy has also worked on TV shows for National Geographic. She wrote and appeared in Spell of the Tiger, which was based on her book. She also helped create Mother Bear Man. This show was about a man who helps orphaned American black bears.
Sy was once asked what animals have taught her about life. She said they teach us "How to be a good creature." She explained that animals teach us compassion. This means understanding how others feel. It means looking for their truth. Animals help us learn all of this.
Personal life
Sy Montgomery lives in Hancock, New Hampshire. She lives there with her husband, Howard Mansfield, who is also a writer.
Awards and honors
Sy Montgomery has received many awards for her books and writing:
- 2021 Sarah Josepha Hale Award (for her great work in literature)
- 2021 Named a Literary Light by the Boston Public Library
- 2019 Earthwatch International Travel fellowship (to join a wild dog expedition)
- 2019 John Burroughs Association Riverby Award for Magnificent Migrations
- 2018 New York Times bestseller for How to Be a Good Creature
- 2017 Thoreau Prize (for writers who share the spirit of Thoreau)
- 2016 New England Independent Booksellers Association New England Book Award for Nonfiction
- 2016 American Association for the Advancement of Science / Subaru SB&F Winning Middle Grades Science Book
- 2015 National Book Award for Nonfiction finalist for The Soul of an Octopus
- New England Independent Booksellers Association, Nonfiction award (for her lifetime work)
- ASPCA Henry Bergh Award for Nonfiction (for humane education)
- 2013 American Association for the Advancement of Science Science Book and Film Award for children's nonfiction for Temple Grandin: How the Woman Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World
- 2011 Sibert Medal winner for Kakapo Rescue: Saving The World's Strangest Parrot
- 2010 The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Nonfiction
Selected works
Books for adults
- 1991, The Curious Naturalist: Nature's Everyday Mysteries
- 1995, Spell of the Tiger: The Man-eaters of the Sunderbans
- 2000, Journey of the Pink Dolphins: An Amazon quest
- 2002, Search for the Golden Moon Bear: Science and Adventure in Pursuit of a New Species
- 2006, The Good Good Pig: The Extraordinary Life of Christopher Hogwood
- 2015, The Soul of an Octopus: A Surprising Exploration into the Wonder of Consciousness
- 2018, How to Be a Good Creature: A Memoir in Thirteen Animals (A New York Times bestseller)
- 2021, The Hummingbirds' Gift: Wonder, Beauty, and Renewal on Wings
- 2022, The Hawk's Way: Encounters with Fierce Beauty
- 2023, Of Time and Turtles: Mending the World, Shell by Shattered Shell
Books for children
- 1999, The Snake Scientist
- 2001, The Man-Eating Tigers of Sundarbans
- 2002, Encantado: Pink Dolphin of the Amazon
- 2004, The Tarantula Scientist
- 2006, Quest for the Tree Kangaroo: An Expedition to the Cloud Forest of New Guinea
- 2009, Saving the Ghost of the Mountain: An Expedition among Snow Leopards in Mongolia
- 2010, Kakapo Rescue: Saving the World's Strangest Parrot
- 2012, Temple Grandin: How the Girl Who Loved Cows Embraced Autism and Changed the World
- 2013, Snowball the Dancing Cockatoo
- 2013, The Tapir Scientist: Saving South America's Largest Mammal
- 2014, Chasing Cheetahs: The Race to Save Africa's Fastest Cat
- 2015, The Octopus Scientists: Exploring the Mind of a Mollusk
- 2016, The Great White Shark Scientist
- 2017, Amazon Adventure
- 2018, The Hyena Scientist
- 2018, Inky's Amazing Escape: How a Very Smart Octopus Found His Way Home
- 2019, The Magnificent Migration: On Safari With Africa's last Great herds
- 2020, Becoming A Good Creature
- 2020, Condor Comeback
- 2022, The Seagull And The Sea Captain
