Scott Foresman Reading Street

DISCUSS AUTHORS

The following information will add to students' understanding of the writing done by the authors whose biographical information appears on pages 412–413.

Historical Fiction

Like other fiction writers, writers of historical fiction need good imaginations and storytelling skills. They also need the research skills of an historian.
Writers of historical fiction must study the time period of their stories. They need to learn about the real people and events that surround the fictional elements of their stories. Using details about clothing, transportation, food, housing, tools, and other aspects of daily life are vital to creating successful historical fiction.

Plays

Writers of plays—or playwrights—need to understand the theater. Everything an audience learns must be said by the actors. Action and dialogue establish the characters, emotions, and background.
Playwrights must also write words that can be spoken. If the sentences they write do not flow—that is, if they are difficult to say—they will not work well on stage.

Fables

The writers of fables must have some lesson or moral in mind.
They must then figure out situations, events, or actions that will illustrate the lesson or moral and make it clear.

More About Ginger Howard

Ginger Howard is a writer, teacher, photographer, and mother of two. When she writes a book, she writes each part on an index card. Ms. Howard relates, "I lay the cards out on the floor and move them around until I am happy with the order of events." If she gets stuck and doesn't know what should happen next, she takes a break. "I go for a walk or take my kayak out on the river, and ideas just start popping into my mind." She revises and edits, and then sends the manuscript to a publisher.

More About Sonia Levitin

Sonia Levitin was born in Berlin, Germany, in 1934. The Nazis were beginning to gain power, and it was not safe for the Jewish Levitin family to stay in Germany. In 1938, Sonia's mother realized that the situation was getting worse, so she convinced Sonia's father to try to reach the United States and then to send for the family if he made it. The family's escape and arrival in the United States became the subject of Ms. Levitin's first book, Journey to America. Since the success of that first book, Ms. Levitin has gone on to write mysteries, adventure, humor, and historical novels. Boom Town is part of a series of books set in the Western frontier.

Students can use a student-friendly search engine to learn more about the authors and their subjects. Keywords might include authors' names, the Snohomish people featured in the play, or the settings or events of the historical fiction. Students may also wish to locate other fables, such as those of Aesop.

Ginger Howard

The author of William's House, p. 254 of Vol. 1

Ginger Howard got the idea to write William's House while doing research for another book. She read

about the houses that were built in early America. She learned that it took time for people to learn what kinds of houses were comfortable in a New England climate. "The early American settlers were brave to leave the comfort of their homes for an unknown land. The ones who found the most happiness made goals and were willing to change." Other books about home building: I Have Heard of a Land and Nothing Here But Trees

Joseph Bruchac

The author of Pushing Up the Sky,
p. 308 of Vol. 1

Joseph Bruchac grew up in a small town in the mountains in New York. As a young boy he

loved reading and nature. Often he would go off to read books deep
in the forest. Some Native American tribes have stories to explain
just about every part of nature. "Those stories tell us so much
about nature and are a lot easier to remember than a bunch of
facts." Bruchac has traveled all over America listening to stories
of different Indian tribes. He has always been a very careful listener. "The first thing I always tell young people is to listen. A good storyteller is a good listener first." Other books: The Boy Who Lived with the Bears and The Great Ball Game

Sonia Levitin

The author of Boom Town, p. 16 of Vol. 1

Some of Sonia Levitin's favorite things as a child were animals, climbing trees, and reading. When she was eleven, she wrote a letter to her

favorite author, Laura Ingalls Wilder. "I told her I wanted to become an author too." It was the first time she had told anyone her dream. Amazingly, she received a reply. The letter remains one of her greatest treasures. It took a while, but Ms. Levitin finally did achieve her goal. She has now written over forty award-winning books. Other books: Nine for California and Taking Charge

Ed Young

The author/illustrator of What About Me? p. 46 of Vol. 1

After working for a few years in advertising,
Ed Young wanted to do something that would

have more impact. Children's books gave him that challenge.
Mr. Young begins planning his illustrations as he thinks about
the story. He then researches the subject so that his
illustrations will be accurate, even if he is illustrating a fantasy
or a folk tale. Ed Young was born in Tienstin, China, and grew
up in Shanghai and Hong Kong. The Chinese often pair words
with their painting. Mr. Young agrees with that idea. "There are
things that words do that pictures never can, and likewise, there
are images that words can never describe." Other books: The
Lost Horse and Up a Tree