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Amy Hest secretly aspired to be a writer from an early age, but, she says, "I never thought my life was exciting enough for a writer. I didn't have any fantastic adventures. I didn't run away from home. I actually got along with my parents. I was such a goody two-shoes that I couldn't help but wonder what other kid would want to read anything I wrote." But her passion for books must have been apparent to all who knew her. Born in New York City and raised on Long Island, she worked in a library as a page from the age of sixteen. "I wanted the job so badly that I went to the director's office every single day after school to tell him so," she says. "Finally one day he called me to say that he had moved my application to the top of the pile and would keep it there if that meant I wouldn't come by to bother him the next day." Later, Amy Hest worked as a children's librarian in the New York Public Library system in the early 1970s, and then for years in children's book publishing. She wrote all during this time, still not sharing her ambition with the world, not even with her publishing co-workers! Today, Amy Hest is the highly versatile author of more than thirty books for young readers, many of which affectionately address family and intergenerational themes. Her most recent work is Mr George Baker, the tender tale of an elderly man and a young boy linked by the common pursuit of learning to read. Also among Amy Hest's books are the beloved Baby Duck stories, illustrated by Jill Barton, including Guess Who, Baby Duck!, a sweet depiction of the special bond between Baby Duck and her Grampa. In the Rain with Baby Duck received a Boston Globe-Horn Book Award. "It's about things that I love: pancakes and rainy days and children (like mine) who pout, and parents (like me) who have their own agenda, and grandparents (like my own) who have a way of making problems go away." said Amy Another series of picture books by Amy Hest were inspired by the author's son, Sam. "When Sam was small he knew countless ways to keep me in his room at bedtime," she says of her inspiration for the New York Times bestseller Kiss Good Night. Its follow-up, Don't You Feel Well, Sam? came from memories of "some long-ago nights . . . when things weren't quite right. There were many hugs, of course. And occasionally, a dose of terrible-tasting medicine." In You Can Do It, Sam the third of these endearing tales (all illustrated by Anita Jeram), Sam, with gentle encouragement from his mother, ventures out of the house to deliver homemade treats to his neighbors, "all by myself." Amy Hest claims to be "a very moody person," noting that "what I write depends on my mood." These changeable moods have produced not just picture books but also novels for middle-graders, including Love You, Soldier and its sequel, The Private Notebook of Katie Roberts, Age 11--both of which were named Booklist Editors' Choices--as well as The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts, Age 12. These moods have also earned the author a host of awards, including the prestigious Christopher Medal, twice--for the highly acclaimed When Jessie Came Across the Sea, illustrated by P.J. Lynch, and for Kiss Good Night. Most of Amy Hest's books take place close to home, in New York, where she and her husband live. "One of the things I love about working at home is the proximity to the refrigerator," she says. "If you are going to be a writer, you need to have a lot of ice cream. When I have a bad writer's day--and that happens a lot--a spoonful of ice cream perks me up. And when you have a good writer's day, you need a reward." |
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Baby Duck and the Cozy Blanket Price: $10.99 "The star of You're the Boss, Baby Duck and more is back in Baby Duck and the Cozy Blanket by Amy Hest, illus. by Jill Barton, whose fuzzy yellow tummy peeks out of the cut-away cover. Inside, little ones can touch the "sticky jam" that has soiled the blanket then put it in the "straw basket" on washing day. The newly cleaned "cozy blanket" is ready for cuddling up with in the end." Publishers Weekly |
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The Dog Who Belonged to No One Price: $16.95 "No one takes notice of a small dog with crooked ears who doesn't have a home. He explores the narrow streets and wide boulevards every day, while across town a little girl named Lia pedals on her bicycle alone, delivering breads and cakes. Both dream of finding a friend, until fate brings them together. |
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Don't You Feel Well, Sam? Price: $15.99 OUT OF STOCK "In this followup to the team's Kiss Good Night, bear cub Sam comes down with a cough 'Hck, hck!' he hacks and is doted upon by his unflappable mother. If Sam can steel himself to take his cough medicine ('Tastes bad,' he says, before his mother even pours out the syrup. 'I don't have a cough'), then Mrs. Bear will reward his bravery by letting him stay up to watch the snowfall. 'Sam leaned back on his mama's soft belly, and it wriggled while she talked,' writes Hest after the deed is done." Publishers Weekly |
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Guess Who, Baby Duck! Price: $15.99 "Baby Duck is a bit under the weather in Guess Who, Baby Duck!, the newest in the series by Amy Hest, illus. by Jill Barton. But when Grampa comes to visit with an album 'all filled up with pictures,' Baby Duck soon feels much better. This comforting story may well inspire readers to look through their own baby albums. " Publishers Weekly |
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In the Rain with Baby Duck Price: $6.99 "Who has ever heard of a duck that doesn't like rain? Baby Duck must walk in the rain to get to Grampa's house for breakfast. Baby's crankiness over having wet feet and a wet face ends when Grampa brings her to the attic to get an umbrella and a pair of boots that were once worn by Baby's own mother who had similar dislikes as a child. Baby Duck sings a happy song all the way home." Children's Literature |
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Jamaica Louise James Price: $6.99 OUT OF STOCK "On her 8th birthday, Jamaica Louise James receives a paint set from her mother and grandmother. When Jamaica worries about the cost, they reply that instead of worrying, she could be doing something as wonderful as painting the world. This gives Jamaica the idea to plan a big surprise for her grandmother's birthday. Her grandmother works in the 86th Street Subway station, collecting tokens and every night, when she returns home, she describes all the different people she meets. As her grandmother talks, Jamaica Louise James quietly sits at the table and paints all the characters. Finally, on the morning of her grandmother's birthday, Jamaica and her mother go to the subway station before her grandmother does and they turn the Subway into an art gallery filled with Jamaica's pictures." Children's Literature |
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Kiss Good Night Price: $15.99 OUT OF STOCK "Sam the bear cub will not go to sleep. "I'm waiting," he keeps telling Mrs. Bear, even though she's checked off everything on the bedtime list: book, blanket, friends (his stuffed toys) and milk. Then it dawns on Sam's mom that she's forgotten the kiss good night. Sam manages to coax a total of 10 goodnight kisses from Mom. With understated repetition and lyricism, Hest establishes the coziness of the nighttime interplay as well as the menacing sounds of the storm from inside Sam's bedroom: 'Splat! on the roof. Splat! Splat! on the windows. The wind blew. Whoo, whoooo.'" Publishers Weekly |
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Little Chick Price: $17.99 Little Chick may be a good and patient gardener, as Old-Auntie observes, but what if you simply can’t wait for your carrot to grow tall? What if you skip like a pro but still can’t lift your kite in the air? Or if you’re a really good stretcher but can’t reach your favorite star? With affection and humor, Amy Hest offers three vignettes about a curious chick and a loving auntie who knows how to soften disappointments by keeping the spark of wonder alive. |
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Love You, Soldier Price: $16.99 OUT OF STOCK "The war came and my father left in a uniform,'' begins this brief but affecting first-person narrative of the many changes wrought within a girl's family during WW II." Publishers Weekly |
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Make the Team, Baby Duck! Price: $16.99 OUT OF STOCK "Hesitant Baby Duck is back, with all her insecurities. She watches the swim team having fun, but is reluctant to jump into the water with other youngsters. Grandpa Duck comes to the rescue again, with his wise words that inspire her to have confidence in herself. She jumps into the town pool and, to her surprise, she swims amazingly well." School Library Journal |
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Mr. George Baker
Price: $6.99 "Mr. George Baker is one hundred years old and he has decided it is time he learned to read. He waits for the school bus on his front steps as his young neighbor runs across the lawn to join him. Mr. Baker gives the boy a chocolate from his pocket and helps him tie his shoestrings so they will not come undone. He drums his fingers on his knees, reminiscent of his many years as a drummer. When Mrs. Baker brings out his lunch in a paper bag, he gets up and they enjoy an impromptu dance together. The young boy proudly helps Mr. Baker walk to the bus. When they arrive at school, they go to different classrooms, but they are both there for the same reason." Children's Literature |
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Off to School, Baby Duck! Price: $6.99 |
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The Purple Coat Price: $6.99 "Once in a while it's good to try something new, declares this fanciful tale's heroine, as she conspires to break out of a clothing rut." Publishers Weekly |
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Remembering Mrs. Rossi Price: $14.99 "Eight-year-old Annie is devastated by the sudden death of her mother. She and her father try to get through the days and weeks and months without her, groping their way through birthdays, vacations and school. Mr. Rossi is perhaps as bewildered as Annie by their loss, but keeps up a brave front and a loving, honest relationship with Annie. Annie treasures a memory book created by Mrs. Rossi's elementary-school students, reading and rereading it as a means of keeping her mother close. Hest handles a delicate subject with compassion and understanding, without descending into maudlin emotion. Annie's reactions are perfectly in keeping with her age, and she is never presented as an example of the proper way to mourn. The "actual" memory book that has brought Annie and her father so much comfort follows the conclusion of the story. It allows the reader an additional glimpse into Mrs. Rossi's character and the grief felt by her family and students." Kirkus Reviews |
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When Jessie Came across the Sea Price: $6.99 OUT OF STOCK "This narrative of 13-year-old Jessie's journey from a poor village in Eastern Europe to New York City at the turn of the century affords readers a panoramic view of events and people. The author's exploration of a variety of emotions and feelings provides modern youngsters with a sense of connections with times long past. There is the familial devotion between Jessie and her grandmother, whom she has to leave behind. A shipboard friendship with Lou, a young shoemaker, helps Jessie survive the hardships and uncertainties of the ocean crossing. Her skill as a lacemaker, painstakingly learned from her grandmother, insures her success in the dressmaker's shop where she goes to work. Her romance with Lou is rekindled when they meet years later on a wintry day in Central Park. Jessie's reunion with her grandmother, whose ticket she has purchased with money saved during years of hard work, is the poignant conclusion to this tale." School Library Journal |
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When You Meet a Bear on Broadway
Price: $16.99 What do you do when you meet a bear on Broadway? Suck in your breath. Stick out your hand. And say, "Stop there, Little Bear!" If he cries and tells you that his mama is lost, you must help him find her. With great humor and charm, Amy Hest's wry, deceptively simple text captures every child's worst fear - being separated from his mother - while Elivia Savadier's whimsical watercolors bring to life the spirit and spunk of this memorable take-charge young heroine in an unforgettable urban romp through the streets of New York. |
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You Can Do It, Sam
"In this third visit to the cozy home of a little bear and his loving mama, Sam has grown just a bit bigger, but not much bolder. When the two of them set out to make early-morning deliveries of the tasty cakes they have baked for their friends, Mrs. Bear encourages him to go to their doors. "All by myself?" he whispers. A heartening hug helps him to muster up his courage and make his way through the new snow to leave a red-bagged surprise on the doorsteps of several houses. And when they return home from making these neighborly gestures, there are two bags left over, just right for a brave little cub and his caring mother." School Library Journal |
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You Can Swim, Baby Duck! Price: $6.99 |
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The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts Price: $16.99 OUT OF STOCK INDEFINATELY "This third book about Katie Roberts is set in Texas in 1948. Katie, 12, pours her heart out in her diary and in her letters to Mrs. Leitstein, her old neighbor and dear friend back in New York City. She writes about her mother and stepfather, the antics of her infant twin brothers, her best friend Lucy, and the ups and downs of her life as a seventh grader. She also deals with her feelings about her father, who was killed in the war. When Rudy, a shy boy from Italy, joins her class, Katie is made his spelling tutor and reluctantly goes to the library at recess to help him. As time passes, however, her feelings about him begin to change. Historical details are nicely woven into the story as are the religious practices of Katie and Rudy's Jewish families." School Library Journal |
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The Private Notebook of Katie Roberts, Age 11 NO LONGER AVAILABLE This book is a sequel to Love You, Soldier. It picks up with Katie four years after her father's death in World War II. Katie's mom is remarrying and both of them will be moving from New York to Texas. Katie's diary sets out in no uncertain terms how she feels about this imposition on her life-as well as her feelings on all of life's other injustices. Alternately sweet, feisty, funny and wry, Katie's notes and the squiggled margin pictures portray with intelligence and humor the problems of growing up and adjusting to new realities. Children's Literature |
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The Private Notebooks of Katie Roberts NO LONGER AVAILABLE "Several fiction favorites return to print. In a starred review, PW wrote of The Private Notebooks of Katie Roberts, Age 11, "Keenly-and humorously-aware of the injustices that have been flung on her, this fresh character will win readers as she surmounts hurdle after hurdle." This book plus The Great Green Notebook of Katie Roberts (penned when she was 12) are now combined into one paper-over-board volume, The Private Notebooks of Katie Roberts..." Publishers Weekly |
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Author of Picture Books and Chapter Books Current Location: New York City Honorarium:
Program Description: My program is pretty informal and chatty. I love to talk about writing! And about my life as a writer, and how I happened to become a writer. I talk about where I write, when I write, what I eat when I write (ice cream), and about why I NEVER illustrate my own books. (I'm a terrible artist). I talk about the difference between a bad writing day and a good writing day, and about my kids, and about why my books are always (secretly) about ME. I love to brag about the fact that I'm a really good spy, and how this helps me as a writer. I also brag about my HUGE garbage can. (This is a big help, too). I read one of my books, or excerpts from a book, and afterwards discuss why I wrote that book. I bring a few visuals (tattered, marked-up manuscripts, galleys, page proofs) to show how a story idea actually turns into a book you might find in the library. (Because I write books for children of all ages -- pre-k through grade 6 -- my presentations vary in length and depth, depending on the age of the audience). I welcome questions and insights from kids and teachers, and stress how all of us are writers. |
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