William Rossa Cole facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
William Rossa Cole
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| Born | November 20, 1919 Staten Island, New York |
| Died | August 2, 2000 (aged 80) New York City |
| Occupation | Writer, poet, anthologist, editor |
| Nationality | American |
| Genre | light verse, children's literature, anthology |
| Notable works | I Went to the Animal Fair: A Book of Animal Poems, Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls: Poems, The Birds and Beasts Were There: Animal Poems |
William Rossa Cole (born November 20, 1919 – died August 2, 2000) was an American writer, editor, and poet. He was especially known for putting together many collections of poems and stories, called anthologies. He created about 75 books during his life!
About William Rossa Cole
William Rossa Cole was born on November 20, 1919. His parents were William Harrison Cole and Margaret O'Donovan-Rossa. He grew up in Staten Island, New York. William also had an older brother named Rossa William Cole. Interestingly, his grandfather was Jeremiah O'Donovan Rossa, a famous Irish leader.
His Career Journey
After serving in World War II, William Cole started working in the book world. He had many important jobs at different publishing companies. He worked at places like Alfred A. Knopf and Simon & Schuster. He even became a publisher at Viking Press for his own books, called William Cole Books.
He was also a very busy writer and editor. He wrote or edited more than 75 books! He also wrote columns for a magazine called Saturday Review.
Famous Books for Kids
Many of William Cole's books were recognized by the American Library Association. This is a big honor! Some of his well-known books include:
- I Went to the Animal Fair: A Book of Animal Poems (This book was named a notable book in 1958!)
- Beastly Boys and Ghastly Girls: Poems (This one was also a notable book in 1964.)
- The Birds and Beasts Were There: Animal Poems (This book was honored in 1965.)
William Cole loved to write fun and silly poems, often called "light verse." His poems appeared in magazines like Light Quarterly. They were also included in many other poetry collections, such as The Oxford Book of American Light Verse.
A Lasting Legacy
William Cole passed away in his home in Manhattan in 2000. He was 80 years old. A famous poet named Seamus Heaney, who won the Nobel Prize, even wrote a poem to remember him.
Here are some more of the books William Rossa Cole wrote or edited:
- Poem Stew
- Folk Songs of England, Ireland, Scotland, & Wales (editor)
- Cat-hater's Handbook, or, the Ailurophobe's Delight (with Tomi Ungerer)
- Poems of Magic and Spells
- Pith & Vinegar: An Anthology of Short Humorous Poetry (editor)
- Oh, What Nonsense! (with Tomi Ungerer)
- Have I Got Dogs!
- A Zooful of Animals
