1969— Actor St. Patrick, Mathew, photograph. Jon Kopaloff/Getty Images. When Mathew St. Patrick was a boy, he escaped from the rough streets of his neighborhood by watching film after film in the all-night theater near his home. Watching the actors on the screen, he often thought, "I can do that." Although all too often he felt that no one else had confidence in his abi…
Born 1951, in Minneapolis, MN; Education: University of Minnesota, B.A., 1974. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking, canoeing, swimming, reading, gardening, travel. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Harcourt International, 6277 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, FL 32887. Writer. The Loft, instructor in children's-book writing; speaker at schools and conferences. Children's Literature Network, Geo…
Born 1944, in St. Louis, MO; present surname, Clemens) Patterson. Education: University of North Carolina—Chapel Hill, B.A., 1965, M.A.T., 1971; attended Hollins University. Religion: Episcopalian. Nancy Ruth Patterson Agent—Jennifer Unter, RLR Associates, 7 West 51st St., New York, NY 10019. Writer. Roanoke City Schools, Roanoke, VA, teacher, 1966-99 (retired). Active in the …
Born 1956, in Cincinnati, OH; Education: Carlow College, B.A., 1979; University of Pittsburgh, M.Ed., 1980. Agent—Barry Goldblatt, Barry Goldblatt Literary Agency, 320 Seventh Ave., Brooklyn, NY 11215. Boyce Middle School, Upper St. Clair, PA, instructor in computer laboratory, 1998—. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators. Author of the month, Embracing the Child…
Born 1948, in St. Louis, MO; Education: Knox College, B.A., 1970; University of Georgia, M.A., 1974. Agent—George Nicholson, Sterling Lord Literistic, 65 Bleecker St., New York, NY 10012. Patricia Curtis Pfitsch Freelance writer, 1970—. Carl Sandburg Community College, Galesburg, IL, instructor and librarian, 1978-80; Institute of Children's Literature, instructor, 199…
Agent—Author Mail, c/o Random House Children's Publicity, 1540 Broadway, New York, NY 10036. Writer, beginning 1960s. Has also worked as a teacher, field engineer, editor, soldier, actor, director, farmer, rancher, truck driver, trapper, professional archer, migrant farm worker, singer, and sailor. Military service: U.S. Army, 1959-62; attained rank of sergeant. The Spitball Gang, El…
Born 1934, in Decantur, IL; Education: Attended University of Exeter, 1955-56; DePauw University, B.A., 1956; Southern Illinois University, M.A., 1959; further graduate study at Washington University, 1960-61. Politics: Republican. Religion: Methodist. Office—c/o Penguin Putnam, Inc., 345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Sheldon Fogelman, 155 East 72nd St., New …
Born 1928, in Wichstadtl, Bohemia, Czechoslovakia (now Czech Republic); father a diplomat; immigrated to West Germany, c. 1948; Education: Trained as a teacher in Germany. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, gardening. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Ravensburger Buchverlag Otto Maier GmbH, Postbox 1860, 88188 Ravensburg, Germany. Author, 1959–. Also worked as a teacher in South America, 195…
Born 1992; Dominican University, M.A. (library and information science), 1999. Hobbies and other interests: English and Western horseback riding. Agent—Elizabeth Child, Buttonweed Press, 7625 110th St. East, Northfield, MN 55057. Author, artist, educator, and librarian. (Self-illustrated) A Gift for Sadia, Buttonweed Press (Northfield, MN), 2005. Contributor, with Henry E. Fritz, to Encycl…
1913–2005 Activist, writer According to the old saying, "some people are born to greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them." Greatness was certainly thrust upon Rosa Parks, but the modest former seamstress found herself equal to the challenge. Known as "the mother of the Civil Rights Movement," Parks almost single-handedly set in motion a veritable revo…
1957— Actor, director Van Peebles, Mario, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos Reproduced by permission. Mario Van Peebles has established himself as one of a prolific new generation of black filmmakers. After the handsome actor appeared in films and on television for more than five years, he was asked to direct a small-budget movie about drug abuse in the New York City ghetto. The resul…
1942(?)– Archeologist, educator When many think of slavery, most think of the South. But slavery existed in the North as well. Dr. Warren Perry, an archeologist and associate professor at Central Connecticut State University, has been digging in various burial grounds throughout New York and Connecticut, uncovering information that may change people's perceptions about slavery. His p…
OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born July 10, 1947, in Winston-Salem, NC; died of a brain tumor, September 15, 2005, in Stamford, CT. Publisher and author. Parker was a leading advocate promoting multicultural literature; she published guides to African-American books and wrote a number of picture books that feature African-American characters. A student of history, she graduated…
(Rosa Louise Lee Parks) OBITUARY NOTICE—See index for SATA sketch: Born February 4, 1913, in Tuskegee, AL; died October 24, 2005, in Detroit, MI. Activist and author. Widely hailed as the mother of the African-American anti-segregation movement, Parks became famous in 1955 when her refusal to give up her bus seat to a white man in Montgomery, Alabama, sparked the bus strike and the civil ri…
(Frederick Ralph Cornelius Penner) Born November 6, 1946, in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada; son of Edward William (an accountant) and Lydia (a homemaker; maiden name, Winter) Penner; married Odette Graziella Heyn (a homemaker, dancer, and choreographer), August 23, 1981; children: four. Education: University of Winnipeg, B.A. (economics and psychology), 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Raising chil…
(Andrew Peters) Born 1965, in Hildesheim, Germany; Education: Attended Corpus Christi College, Oxford, 1984. Politics: "Liberal." Religion: "Open minded." Writer, broadcaster, and musician. Creative writing tutor, 1987–; author, 1992–. Presenter and writer for broadcast media, including British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) Radio 4, BBC-1 poetry televisio…
Born in Baltimore, MD. Education: Attended Goucher College; Stanford University, graduated. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Dutton Publicity, 345 Hudson St., New York, NY 10014. Children's book author, illustrator, and educator. Lecturer on children's literature; instructor in writing and illustrating children's books at Johns Hopkins University School of Continuing Studies, Pa…
Born 1987; Sheridan College, Oakville, Ontario, Canada, diploma in interpretive illustration, 2000. Illustrator, artist, and teacher of art in Korea and Canada. Clients include the Toronto Star, Toronto Globe & Mail, Chirp magazine, Rogers Media, the Owl Group, Korea-Froebel Co., Ltd., Lobster Press, and Ground-wood Books. Exhibitions: Sheridan College Illustration Graduate Show, Toronto, O…
Born 0027;s name, Kathrin; Education: Attended art school in Berne, Switzerland. Agent—c/o author correspondence, North-South Books, 1123 Broadway, Suite 800, New York, NY 10010. Freelance writer and illustrator of children's books, 1986—. Has worked at advertising agencies in Berne and Zurich, Switzerland; worked as a graphic designer, and has also done photography, sculpting…
1970— Actor Parker, Nicole Ari, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos. Stage and screen veteran Nicole Ari Parker is best known for her role as the icy attorney Teri on the acclaimed Showtime original series Soul Food. She and her real-life partner, fellow actor and Soul Food alumnus Boris Kodjoe, landed their own sitcom, Second Time Around, which made its debut on the UPN in the fall of …
1925— Jazz pianist Peterson, Oscar, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos. Canadian-born Oscar Peterson is generally acclaimed as one of the most spectacularly talented musicians ever to play the piano in the jazz genre. In the words of Scott Yanow of the All Music Guide, Peterson "plays 100 notes where other pianists might use ten"—and, Yanow contended in response to…
Born 1946 in Liverpool, England; Education: Attended secondary school in Sefton Park, Liverpool, England. Office—c/o UK Touring, The Croft, Old Church Rd., Worcester WR13 6EZ, England. Agent—c/o Puffin Books, 27 Wrights Lane, London W8 5TZ, England. Writer. Worked variously as a journalist, gardener, and newspaper vendor. University of California, San Diego, Regents Lecturer, 1985. C…
Born 1957, in Redruth, Cornwall, England; Education: University of Hull, B.A. (with honors), 1979; College of Ripon and York St. John, postgraduate certificate in education, 1980. Politics: "Probably 'Center Left.'" Religion: Methodist. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Heinemann Library, 100 North La Salle, Suite 1200, Chicago, IL 60602. Teacher and department head at seco…
Born 1933, in Nevada City, CA; Ethnicity: "English." Education: University of California—Berkeley, A.B., 1955; San Francisco State College (now University), M.A., 1960; University of Colorado, Ed.D., 1980. Politics: Democrat. Religion: Methodist. Hobbies and other interests: Hiking in the mountains, acting in community theater, attending concerts, playing bridge, reading to gr…
Born 1940, in Rochester, MN; Education: Stanford University, B.A., 1962; University of California, Berkeley, M.A., 1965, Ph.D., 1968; also studied at Friday Harbor Laboratories, University of Washington, 1965–67. Writer. Sinai Hospital, Detroit, MI, postdoctoral fellow, 1968–69; Stazione Zoologica, Naples, Italy, postdoctoral researcher, 1970–71; University of Montana, Missoul…
Born 1946, in Boston, MA; Education: St. Olaf College, Northfield, MN, B.A., 1968. Office—c/o Chronicle Books, 86 2nd St., 6th Fl., San Francisco, CA 94105. Author and editor. Volunteers in Service to America (VISTA), Columbia, SC, volunteer worker, 1968–69; Quaker Oats Co., Minneapolis, MN, sales representative, 1969–71; Viking Press, New York, NY, assistant editor, 1971 …
Born 1983. Education: Home schooled. Agent—Writer's House, 21 West 26th St., New York, NY 10010. Eragon (first volume in "Inheritance" trilogy), Paolini International (Livingston, MT), 2002, revised edition, Alfred A. Knopf (New York, NY), 2003. Eragon was adapted as an audiobook read by Gerald Doyle, Books on Tape, 2003; film rights to the novel were purchased by Fox 2…
Born 1938, in Tacoma, WA; married Duane F. Barbara Keevil Parker Parker (a minister), June 11, 1960; Education: University of Puget Sound, B.A., 1960; Kansas State University, M.S., 1973, Ph.D., 1976. Hobbies and other interests: Travel, toy trains, collecting German nutcrackers. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Lerner Publications, 241 First Ave. North, Minneapolis, MN 55401. Society of Child…
(Bob Boudelang) Born 1950, in Baltimore, MD. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Capstone Press, 151 Good Counsel Dr., P.O. Box 669, Mankato, MN 56002. Writer, journalist, and marketing consultant. ESP Ventures (marketing consultant firm), Morristown, NJ, president. Jesse H. Neal Business Journalism Competition award, 1989; American Society of Business Press Editors award, 1995. Maryland ("Land …
(Kathleen Herald, K. M. Peyton, a joint pseudonym) Born 1929, in Birmingham, England; Education: Attended Kingston School of Art; Manchester Art School, A.T.D. Hobbies and other interests: Riding, walking in the mountains, airplanes, sailing, horseback riding, music. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Oxford University Press, Great Clarendon St., Oxford OX2 6DP, England. Art teacher at high school in N…
Born in Malawi; immigrated to England at age three. Education: Oxford University, graduated. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Katherine Tegen Books, 1350 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10019. Writer. Formerly worked as an attorney specializing in patent litigation. Gold Award, Parents' Choice List, 2005, for Wolf Brother. Without Charity (fiction), Corgi (London, England), 2000. A Place …
(Lana Perez) Female. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Roaring Brook Press, 2 Old New Milford Rd., Brookfield, CT 06804. Writer. Quick Pick for Reluctant Readers, and Best Book for Young Adults nomination, both 2005, both for Unexpected Development. Unexpected Development, Roaring Brook Press (Brook-field, CT), 2004. Bright Lights for Bella ("Star Sisterz" series), Mirrorstone (Renton, …
Born 1956, in Norwalk, CT; Education: Attended Syracuse University, 1975; Parsons School of Design, professional certificate, 1978. E-mail—info@traceycampbellpearson.com office—P.O. Box 1114, Jericho Center, VT 05465. Agent—c/o Giroux, 19 Union Square West, New York, NY 10003. Children's book author and illustrator. American Greetings, Cleveland, OH, illustrator of gree…
Born 1944, in Casablanca, Morocco. Agent—c/o Gallimard, 5 rue Sebastian-Bolton, Paris 75007, France. Novelist and author of nonfiction. Worked variously as a woodcutter, Paris cab driver, and illustrator; high school teacher in Nice, France. Le petite marchande de prose named one of the best novels of the year, Le Figaro (Parisian newspaper), 1989-90, and won the Prix Inter, 1990. Le grand …
Born 1944, in St. Paul, Minnesota; Education: University of Washington, B.A., 1971. Politics: "Independent." Religion: Presbyterian. Hobbies and other interests: Reading, running, outdoor activities, coaching kids' sports, watching movies and plays. Farmers New World Life Insurance Co., Mercer Island, WA, former supervisor; writer. Member, Pacific Northwest Writers Conference;…
Female. Hobbies and other interests: Organic gardening. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Simon & Schuster, 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Writer. Auntie Em's (vegetarian restaurant), former cook; freelance editor for Boys' Life. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Author's Guild, Authors League. Best Children's Books of the…
(Jeanne Whitehouse) Born 1939, in Walla Walla, WA; Education: Washington State University, B.A., 1961; Columbia University, M.A., 1965; doctoral study at University of New Mexico, beginning 1976. Elementary school teacher in Pullman, WA, 1961-62; U.S. Peace Corps, Washington, DC, volunteer worker in Sabah, Malaysia, 1962-64; University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, educational director for teacher&#…
See index for SATA sketch: Born March 9, 1915, in Huntington, WV; died of pneumonia April 12, 2005, in Takoma Park, MD. Naval officer, lawyer, and author. Partridge was a veteran and former attorney for the U.S. Navy who later became an active environmentalist. Graduating from the University of Florida in 1937, he was a deputy commissioner in Florida before enlisting in the U.S. Navy at the beginn…
Nationality: English. Born: Manchester, England, 1954. Education: Cambridge University, B.A. 1977; Harvard University, M.A. 1979. Career: Writer, WGBH-Radio, Boston, 1978-79; telephone salesperson in London, England, 1979-81; language teacher in Verona, Italy, 1981; freelance translator in Verona, 1985; lector at University of Verona. Awards: Betty Trask award and Somerset Maugham award, both Soci…
Nationality: British. Born: London, 1938. Education: Privately educated. Career: Has had a variety of jobs, including airline stewardess, 1962-64; assistant buyer, Newcastle upon Tyne, 1964-66; property underwriter, Muldoon and Adams, Los Angeles. Since 1972 full-time writer. Lived in California, 1967-72. Agent: Meg Davis, MBA Literary Agency Ltd., 45 Fitzroy Street, London W1P 5HR, England. (200…
Pseudonym: Johanna Kingsley. Nationality: American. Born: New York City, 1939. Education: Barnard College, New York, B.A. 1960; New York University, M.A. 1966. Career: Lived in London, 1960-64. (1972) The only general theme (or background) of my books is America. Mother Is a Country is a direct parody of certain American dreams (the acquisition of power and the desire to become a commodity); A Ho…
Nationality: British. Born: Fabianki, Poland, 1916; emigrated to England in 1940. Education: Dlugosz School, Wloclawek; University of Warsaw; University of St. Andrews, Scotland, M.A. in English and German 1944; King's College, London, Ph.D. 1947. Career: Lecturer, 1950-64, reader, 1964-72, and professor of Polish language and literature, 1972-79, School of Slavonic and East European Studie…
Nationality: American. Born: St. Louis, Missouri, 1923. Education: The University of Illinois, Urbana, 1940-41. Career: Has worked in steelmills, and as a real estate salesman, truck driver, and sales correspondent. Since 1960 freelance writer and lecturer. Taught at the Indiana University Writers Conference, Bloomington, 1964-65, 1970, 1974; McGuffey Visiting Lecturer, Ohio University, Athens, 19…
1840-1894 Educator Born into slavery, Mary Jane Patterson is thought to be the first black woman to graduate from an established four-year college in the United States. She spent her career creating new educational opportunities for nineteenth-century black Americans. Born in 1840 in Raleigh, North Carolina, Mary Jane Patterson was the daughter of Henry Irving Patterson and Emmeline Eliza (Taylor)…
1969— Playwright, actor, screenwriter, producer Perry, Tyler, photograph. Francis Specker/UPI/Landov. When the film Diary of a Mad Black Woman shot past the romantic comedy Hitch to become the top-grossing film in the United States in mid-March of 2005, Hollywood forecasters didn't know what had hit them. The film, a careening blend of self-help, romance, Christianity, and out…
children: Christopher, Nicholas. Office—P.O. Box 704, Roscoe, IL 61073-0704. Author; freelance writer for periodicals, 1978-92; teacher of theater arts and play-writing, 1986-90; editor of a health care magazine, 1988; mentor to writing students. Project Lakewell, Inc., Girl Scouts. National Historical Grant, 1989-91; Michigan Author Award, Michigan Library Association and Michigan Center …
Fiber artist; former author and illustrator; former concert pianist. Cincinnati Zoo, Cincinnati, OH, worked in public relations. Exhibitions: Cool Jazz Cats was selected for the Crochet Guild of America's "Rhythm of Crochet" traveling exhibit, 2003-04. Southwest Ohio Crochet Guild. People's Choice Award for Best-in-Show, Crochet Guild of America's Chain Link Conf…
Born 1928, in Vermont; Education: Rollins College, A.B., 1953; Cornell University, graduate coursework in law. Religion: Protestant. Hobbies and other interests: Playing ragtime piano, sports. Writer and farmer. Worked variously as a lumberjack, in a paper mill, as a hog butcher, and as a New York City advertising executive. Director of Rollins College Writers Conference, 1978-82; owner of publish…
Argentinian-born César Pelli is the architect of some of the most striking skyscrapers on the urban American landscape. Pelli's buildings often boast innovative new design strategies, frequently in the form of an unusually textured or rippled outer "skin." A modest practitioner in a profession known for oversized egos, Pelli rejects architectural style labels such as mo…
(James B. Patterson) Born 1947, in Newburgh, NY; Education: Manhattan College, B.A. (English; summa cum laude), 1969; Vanderbilt University, M.A. (English; summa cum laude), 1970. Hobbies and other interests: Golf. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Little, Brown and Company, 1271 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020. Writer. J. Walter Thompson Co., New York, NY, junior copywriter, beginning 1971…
Juan Perón: 1895-1974: Former Argentine president. Juan Domingo Perón was indisputably the most influential politician modern Argentina has known. Though he served as president of the beleaguered Latin American country for less than a decade—with a brief reelection a year before his death—his influence has colored Argentine politics for more than half a century. His…
Hobbies and other interests: Attending plays and films, reading, long walks, travel. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Harcourt International, 6277 Sea Harbor Dr., Orlando, FL 32887. Writer. Best Book for Young Adults citation, American Library Association, 2003, for East. Hero's Song, Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1991. Fire Arrow (sequel to Hero's Song), Harcourt (San Diego, CA), 1998. Mrs…
Born 1972, in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Education: Earned degree from Trinity College, University of Toronto. Agent—c/o Author Mail, Bayeux Arts, Inc., 119 Stratton Crescent S.W., Calgary, Alberta T3H 1T7, Canada; fax: 403-249-2477. Puppeteer, illustrator, and writer. Puppeteer for Disney, YTV, and Whoopi's Littleburg; founding member of the Old Trout Puppet Workshop theater company,…
Born 1941, in Evanston, IL; Education: University of Wisconsin—Madison, B.A., 1963; Columbia University School of Social Work, M.S.W. (with honors), 1965. Hobbies and other interests: Quilting, knitting, cooking, reading, walking. Writer; worked as a social worker in medical hospitals and adoption agencies, 1965–70. Society of Children's Book Writers and Illustrators, Southern…
196(?)— Radio disc jockey Parr, Russ, photograph. Lenny Furman/Getty Images. Russ Parr became a leading radio talk show host in the twenty-first century, with the Russ Parr Morning Show syndicated in 45 cities and reaching an estimated 3.2 million listeners. "Parr's outspokenness, mixed with his banter with the many black listeners who call," noted Krissah Willia…
1953(?)– Mayor, businessman Perkins, James Jr., photograph. AP/Wide World Photos. James Perkins, Jr., made history in 2000 when he became mayor of Selma, Alabama, marking a turning point in the city's long history of racism. Selma made international news in 1965 when African Americans began a march that would have taken them from Selma to the steps of the capitol in Montgomery, Alaba…
Derek Parra: 1970—: Athlete. When Derek Parra set a new world record in the men's 1,500-meter speedskating competition at the 2002 Winter Olympics, he also became the first Mexican-American to win a gold medal at the Salt Lake City Games. Parra was an unlikely victor in the sport of long-track speedskating, having tried it for the first time just six years before. The Southern Ca…
1968— Actor Perrineau, Harold, photograph. Frederick M Brown/Getty Images. Whether playing a character from Shakespeare or a contemporary felon, actor Harold Perrineau, Jr., has demonstrated a wide-ranging talent over the course of his two-decade career. With recent prominent roles in the Matrix films as well as the 2005 TV series Lost, Perrineau has achieved recognition as one of th…
1927— Geophysicist Person, Waverly, photograph. AP/Wide World Photos Reproduced by permission. As director of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) in Golden, Colorado, Waverly Person is often one of the first experts called upon for information and advice when natural disasters strike. A veteran seismologist and geophysicist, Person has wo…
Eva "Evita" Perón: 1919–1952: Political leader. Of all the figures of twentieth-century history, few have inspired as many passionate debates as the life and myth of Eva Perón. From her origins as an illegitimate girl in the Argentine provinces, she pursued a career as a film and radio actress in Buenos Aires before meeting, and subsequently marrying, the man…
Américo Paredes: 1915-1999: Folklorist, educator. Surely the only scholar to have had a corrido—a Mexican-American border ballad —composed in his honor, Américo Paredes was a pioneer in the academic study of the Mexican-American experience in the United States and of the culture of the U.S.-Mexico border. His 1958 study With His Pistol in His Hand: A Border Ballad …
1946— Lawyer Attorney John Payton has defended some of the most important civil rights cases in the United States in recent years. He has also served on several professional boards and committees. According to a profile from Wilmer, Cutler, Pickering, Hale and Dorr, the prestigious Washington, D.C., law firm where Payton is a partner, he "has been recognized as one of the premier lit…
