From: Kathleen Horning <horning>
Date: Mon, 03 Oct 2005 10:31:46 -0500

Have you ever found a book by an author or illustrator you've never before heard of, and when you rush out to find more, you learn that there's nothing? Or have you ever read a great first novel that leaves you eager for the author's second one, and then you wait and wait and you're still waiting?

  The first part of this month we'll be discussing those authors and illustrators who seem to have dropped off the face of the earth after their initial success. When we were first discussing this idea for this topic among the CCBC librarians, we toyed with titles such as "Missing in Action," "Whatever Happened to..." and, even, "One Hit Wonders." We ended with the title "Write Something More!"
  Some of the authors I'd like to see more from include:
  Sharon Bell Mathis, author of such groundbreaking novels in the mid-1970s, such as "Teacup Full of Roses," "Listen for the Fig Tree," and "Sidewalk Story," as well as the exquisitely crafted short story "Hundred Penny Box," she seemed destined to emerge as one of the major African-American literary voices in children's literature, alongside Virginia Hamilton, Mildred D. Taylor and Walter Dean Myers. Since 1975, she's written only two books, both for younger children: a collection of football poems called "Red Dog, Blue Fly," (Viking, 1991) and a work of short fiction, "Running Girl: The Diary of Ebonee Rose" (Harcourt, 1997).

  Marian Calabro, author of a great nonfiction book, "The Perilous Journey of the Donner Party," which used 12-year-old Virginia Reed's 1847 letter to her cousin back in Springfield, Illinois, and the focal point for her retelling of events. If only the Sibert Award for nonfiction had been around in 1999 -- this book would have been a major contender. It remains one of the finest works of nonfiction in recent decades. I would love to see more from her.
  Suzanne Freeman, author of one novel "The Cuckoo's Child" published nearly 10 years ago. This novel appeared on just about every "best of the year" list and had many starred reviews. She showed such great promise with her first novel. What happened to her?

  Janni Howker, author of a terrific collection of short stories "Badger on the Barge" and two great novels "Isaac Campion" and "Nature of the Beast." These works were all published in the mid-1980s, then she seemed to disappear. She resurfaces -- briefly -- in the late 1990s with a picture book "Walk Like a Wolf." Janni has one of the most original voices in children's books, and I'd love to see a book at least every two years from her. If you haven't discovered her earlier works, go out and find them a.s.a.p.!
  If anyone out there knows anything about any of the above authors, and whatever became of them, let us know. If you, too, are a fan of their books, feel free to wax poetic and publically mourn their absence.
  And who are your own lost authors or illustrators?
 
 
 
  Kathleen T. Horning, Director Cooperative Children's Book Center University of Wisconsin-School of Education 4290 Helen C. White Hall 600 North Park St. Madison, WI 53706
  horning at education.wisc.edu Voice: 608-263-3721 Fax: 608-262-4933 www.education.wisc.edu/ccbc/
Received on Mon 03 Oct 2005 10:31:46 AM CDT