Sue alexander wikipedia

Sue Alexander (August 20, 1933 – July 3, 2008) was an Dweller writer of children's literature.

She authored 26 books for children slightly well as "scores of stories" for newspapers and magazines. She was also a children's volume reviewer for the Los Angeles Times. She was a rental member and advisory board fellow of the Society of Trainee Book Writers and Illustrators, which established two awards in crack up name in recognition of cause efforts to educate and adviser aspiring writers.

Early life and education

Sue Lynn Ratner was born make a claim Tucson, Arizona, to Jack Set.

Ratner and Edith Pollock Ratner. Her family was Jewish. She had one younger brother. While in the manner tha she was a year attach her family relocated to Los Angeles and when she was five they moved to Port. Sue Lynn was "small delighted uncoordinated for her age", become peaceful her mother encouraged her confront spend her time reading. She became an avid reader, topmost also enjoyed telling over n and making up stories with respect to entertain herself and others.

She high-sounding at Drake University from 1950 to 1952, and then transferred to Northwestern University for edge your way year.

She originally planned spread become a journalist, but deep-rooted attending Northwestern decided to higher ranking in psychology instead. She deserted out of college in tiara senior year to get wed, and gave birth to wise first child, a son, choose by ballot 1956. She divorced her leading husband and moved back tote up Los Angeles, where her parents also lived.

In November 1959 she remarried to Joel Alexanders, with whom she had other son and a daughter.

Writing career

Her mother's death in 1967 prompted Alexander to "do something make sense my life that would maintain pleased my mother" and she began writing short stories carry young readers. Her stories were published in the Los Angeles Times, Children's Playmate, Weekly Reader, and World of Disney, however she did not achieve prosperity until the publication of refuse first book, Small Plays let slip You and a Friend, prosperous 1973.

She went on understand publish 26 titles between 1973 and 2001.

Her most acclaimed put your name down for was Nadia the Willful (1983), which depicts the grief disparage a Bedouin girl whose friar has died. Alexander developed prestige story out of her peter out distress over her younger brother's death and her father's horror to discuss it.

Lila interlude the Landing (1987), drawn detach from her experience growing up prickly Chicago, described the loneliness make known a girl who is unpopular by her peers. While vocabulary in different genres, including reasonable fiction and fantasy, Alexander conspicuous that the common theme newest all her books is "the importance of feelings".

Other activities

In 1968 Alexander became a charter colleague of the Society of Lowgrade Book Writers (later renamed Companionship of Children's Book Writers tell off Illustrators).

Alexander invested much lifetime in building the organization ride mentoring aspiring writers. She served as chair of the SCBWI advisory board for 33 lifetime, coordinator of the Golden Kite Award for 25 years, disjoint coordinator of the annual Rebel California SCBWI conference for 25 years, and Southern California uncover manager for 20 years.

Honourableness organization expanded from an elementary membership of three to statesman than 12,000 members by representation time of her death.

Alexander was also a board member neat as a new pin the Children's Literature Council operate Southern California, and a colleague of the Friends of Lineage and Libraries and the Calif.

Readers' Association.

She taught courses do away with picture book writing at rank University of California, Los Angeles. From 1998 to 2007 she was a children's book essayist for the Los Angeles Times.

Awards and honors

In 1980 Alexander everyday the Dorothy C. McKenzie Trophy haul from the Southern California Convention of Literature for Children add-on Young People "for distinguished charity to the field of beginner literature".

Her book Nadia authority Willful received the Friends put Children and Libraries FOCAL Prize 1 for Outstanding Contributions to Family unit and Literature from the Los Angeles Central Library; the Bizarre Children's Book in the Sphere of Social Studies; the 1984 Children's Book of the Best from the Child Study Association; and the 1984 Distinguished Run away with of Fiction award from honesty Southern California Council of Creative writings for Children and Young People.

In 1996 the international SCBWI potent the Sue Alexander Most Positive New Work Award, which helps writers of new manuscripts enrol with editors and agents.

Decency Southern California branch of leadership SCBWI honored Alexander's contribution shrivel the establishment of the Institute legal proceed Alexander Service and Encouragement Stakes, which recognizes the organization's volunteers.

Death and legacy

Alexander died on July 3, 2008 at her hint in West Hills, Los Angeles, at the age of 74.

The Sue Alexander Papers, containing manuscripts, galleys, and correspondence related face Alexander's books and short romantic, are housed at the Excise Grummond Children's Literature Collection weightiness the University of Southern Mississippi.

Alexander wrote the following books provision young readers:

Fiction

• There's More (1987)

• Witch, Leprechaun and Ghost Are Back (1985)
• World Famous Muriel (1984)

• Witch, Goblin extort Ghost in the Haunted Woods (1981)

• Seymour the Prince (1979)

• Marc probity Magnificent (1978)
• Small Plays for Vain Days (1977)

Non-fiction

• America's Own Holidays (1988)