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Jon Scieszka, well-known children's author, was born in Flint, Michigan on September 8, 1954. His father, Louis Scieszka, was an elementary school principal, and his mother, Shirley, is a registered nurse. Scieszka grew up with five brothers, of which he was the second oldest.
As a child, Jon Scieszka always wanted to become an author, but he decided to attend military school first. He graduated after three years from Culver Military College in Indiana. Jon then moved to Albion College where he started to study medicine, but ended up getting his B.A. in writing in 1976. Scieszka was accepted into John Hopkins Medical School, but instead went to Columbia University where he received his Master of Fine Arts in 1980. Today Jon Scieszka and his wife, Jerilyn, son, Jake, and daughter, Casey, live in Brooklyn, New York.
After graduating from college, Jon Scieszka worked many jobs before becoming a full-time author. He taught elementary school, painted apartments, worked as a carpenter, lifeguard, and also wrote for magazines. Throughout all these jobs Jon Scieszka originally intended to be a writer of novels.
When asked about his writings and influences, this is what Scieszka has to say, "I have 500 different authors for 500 different kinds of writing" (Berry 41). However, one of his biggest influences has been Dr. Seuss and his famous book, Green Eggs and Ham, which made The Stinky Cheese Man possible. After reading Dr. Seuss books over and over, Scieszka realized that books could also be goofy. Jon Scieszka's influences can basically be summed up in one word, "anything." Scieszka says his inspirations are a combination of what he is reading, the music he is listening to and wondering those everyday what ifs. He also gets his ideas from movies, playing with his cat, his wife and staring out the window. "But my biggest inspiration is all the kids I ever knew My own two kids, kids I taught, kids who write me letters. Kids are the perfect audience, much more willing to be goofy and wonder what if." (Berry 41).
In 1986, Jon Scieszka met up with his illustrator, Lane Smith. They became instant friends and are still coming up with wacky and zany ideas for new children's books. But before any of Scieszka's books are published, Smith and Jon like to test their books out on children before taking the books to the publisher (Smith 153). For example, when Scieszka and Smith first starting working together they did an assembly for an elementary school. They found that they didn't have enough material so Jon pulled The Stinky Cheese Man from his unwanted stories folder that he thought would never work. They soon found the kids loved it and the book was sent to the publisher (Marcus 85). Some of Scieszka and Smith's books include The True Story of The 3 Little Pigs, The Stinky Cheese Man, and Squids will be Squids.
Through many years of writing children's books, Jon Scieszka has managed to receive many awards including: The 1994 Rhode Island Children's Book Award for The Stinky Cheese Man; Math Curse was an American Library Association Notable Book in 1996; in 1995 he received a Blue Ribbon Book from the Bulletin of the Center for Children's Book; and also in 1995 the Publisher Weekly Best Children's Book. In 1997 The Stinky Cheese Man received Georgia's children's Choice Award and Wisconsin's The Golden Archer Award. Math Curse received Maine's Student Book Award, The Texas Bluebonnet Award, and New Hampshire's The Great Stone Face Book Award, all in 1997 (Graham 1).
When creating new ideas for his wacky children's books, Jon Scieszka always remembers his audience. "Our audience is hardcore silly kids, and there are a lot of them out there! My motto in writing is: Never underestimate the intelligence of your audience. Kids can be silly and smart" (Graham 1).
Works Cited
Berry, Mary. "An Interview with Jon Scieszka 'In Need of a Good Book!'" Teacher Librarian. 28 (2000): 55. Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale Group Databases. Kansas State University Library, KS. 17 Sept. 2002. <http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>.
Graham, Jen. Jon Scieszka. 12 Sept. 2002. James Madison University. 17 Sept. 2002. <http://falcon.jmu.edu/~ramseyil/scieszka.html>.
Marcus, Leonard S. "A Collaborative Effort." Publishers Weekly 248 (2001: 84. Expanded Academic ASAP. Gale Group Databases. Kansas State University Library, KS. 17 Sept. 2002. <http://www.infotrac.galegroup.com>.
Smith, Amanda. "Jon Scieszka and Lane Smith." Publishers Weekly 26 July 1991: 220- 21. Rpt. in Children's Literature Review. Ed. Gerard J. Senick. 78 vols. Detroit: Gale Research Co., 1992. 27:152.
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