SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: Hanukkah at Valley Forge
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.stephenkrensky.com/
CITY: Lexington
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 317
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born November 25, 1953, in Boston, MA; son of Paul (a business executive) and Roselyn Krensky; married Joan Frongello (a textbook editor), April 7, 1984; children: Andrew, Peter.
EDUCATION:Hamilton College, B.A., 1975.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Children’s book writer.
AVOCATIONS:Interior design; playing bridge, go, tennis and softball.
AWARDS:Notable Book designation, American Library Association (ALA), 1982, for Dinosaurs, Beware!, and 1998, for How Santa Got His Job; Children’s Books of the Year citation, Child Study Association of America, 1985, for Maiden Voyage, 1987, for Lionel in the Fall, 1993, for Lionel and Louise and Christopher Columbus, and 1995, for Lionel in the Winter, and 1999, for Louise Goes Wild; Pick of the Lists citation, American Booksellers Association, 1992, for Lionel in the Spring, 1994, for Lionel in the Winter, and 1996, for Breaking into Print; Children’s Choice selection, International Reading Association/Children’s Book Council (IRA/CBC), 1992, for George Washington, and 2005, for There Once Was a Very Odd School; Reading Magic award, Parenting magazine, 1996, for Lionel and His Friends; Notable Children’s Trade Book in the Field of Social Studies designation, National Council for the Social Studies/Children’s Book Council (NCSS/CBC), 1996, for Breaking into Print, 2003, for Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, and 2006, for Dangerous Crossing; Sydney Taylor Book Award, 2007, for Hanukkah at Valley Forge; Best Children’s Books selection, Bank Street College of Education, 2008, for Big Bad Wolves at School; Choices selection, Cooperative Children’s Book Center, 2009, for Comic Book Century; IRA/CBC Children’s Choice selection, 2012, for Play Ball, Jackie!
WRITINGS
Contributor of short stories to Cricket and reviews to magazines and newspapers, including New York Times Book Review, New Republic, and Boston Globe.
Krensky adapted his novel The Wilder Summer as a special produced on Home Box Office (HBO) Family Playhouse; the film was produced by Learning Corporation of America, 1984. Dinosaurs, Beware! was adapted as a filmstrip with cassette, Random House/Miller-Brody, 1985. Big Bad Wolves at School was adapted as a partially animated DVD, Spoken Arts, 2008.
SIDELIGHTS
A popular writer for children, Stephen Krensky has produced more than 150 books for children. Krensky’s picture books, easy readers, and works of nonfiction reflect his eclectic interests as well as those of the primary and middle graders for whom he usually writes. Noted for his appealing sense of humor and his clear, easy-to-read style, he is perhaps best known for his beginning readers, particularly the books in the “Lionel” series, as well as his collaboration with noted author and illustrator Marc Brown on stories featuring Brown’s popular Arthur character.
A Big Day for Scepters , Krensky’s first book for young readers, appeared in 1977, just two years after he left college. His early books set the tone for much of his children’s fiction. His combination of humor and magic earned the author the title of “talented fabulist” from one Publishers Weekly critic for another of his books involving magic and fantasy, A Troll in Passing. A Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books contributor cited Krensky’s “fluent and sophisticated” writing style and deemed A Troll in Passing “a nicely crafted story that has pace, humor, and momentum.”
Lionel at Large is the first book in the “Lionel” series of easy-to-read books. Featuring art by Susanna Natti, the book introduces the youthful protagonist and his family in five “warm, down-to-earth stories” that are by turns “humorous and touching,” according to a School Library Journal critic. That same gentle humor is featured in each of the series installments, which include Lionel in the Winter, Lionel at School, and Lionel’s Birthday.
Krensky gives Lionel’s indomitable sister her own series beginning with Louise Takes Charge, a chapter book also illustrated by Natti. The series continued with Louise Goes Wild, in which the little girl laments that she is too boring and predictable, and Louise, Soccer Star?, wherein she dreams of greatness on the soccer field and becomes irate when a new student usurps her prominent position on the team. “Krensky creates believable characters,” noted Lempke of Louise, Soccer Star?, adding that story “nicely depict[s] … realistic, not-always-pretty feelings with empathy.”
In his “On My Own Folklore” books, Krensky brings to life characters from American tall tales, among them Paul Bunyan, Calamity Jane, Pecos Bill, and John Henry. He also recounts tales from other lands that focus on folktale archetypes, such as the trickster character, which is featured in Anansi and the Box of Stories: A West African Folktale. Turning to more fantastical—and creepy—fare, his “Monster Chronicles” chapter books introduce the literary roots of mummies, zombies, vampires, werewolves, and dwarves. Krensky’s “conversational writing style and tendency toward speculation and sensationalism,” as well as the inclusion of “illustrations [that] are really frightening,” make the “Monster Chronicles” books more entertaining than scholarly, concluded Marcia Kochel in School Library Journal.
Krensky’s picture books for young readers have been commended for their fanciful premises as well as their sense of whimsy. Described as “a satisfying, hopeful holiday offering” by Horn Book reviewer Katrina Hedeen, The Last Christmas Tree focuses on a scrawny evergreen that is plucked from the tree lot by a special visitor. In Spark the Firefighter, a dragon hopes to overcome his fear of flames by joining the local fire department. A young boy posits the theory that certain prehistoric creatures still roam the planet in Dinosaurs in Disguise. “Children will giggle at this supremely silly read-aloud,” Tanya Boudreau predicted of the dino-themed story in School Library Journal.
Too Many Leprechauns; or, How That Pot o’ Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow finds befuddled traveler Finn O’Finnegan returning to his home in Dingle to find the village overrun by tiny, mischievous men. In addition to making things topsy turvy, the leprechauns have kept the villagers awake with their noisy craft: making fairy shoes. Hoping to drive them away, the clever Finn convinces the leprechauns that he has stolen their hoard of gold and will return it only if they promise to leave. A Publishers Weekly reviewer explained that the mysterious relationship between rainbows and a pot of gold is resolved via a “playful explanation courtesy of Krensky’s original tale.”
Another fairy tale is given a unique treatment in Big Bad Wolves at School, as artist Brad Sneed brings to life Krensky’s humorous take on a traditional story. When a young wolf named Rufus is sent to the Big Bad Wolf Academy to perfect his huffing and puffing, he is a dismal failure. While he is singled out as a poor student at school, Rufus finally gains the respect of his classmates when he comes to their rescue and finds his true calling in the process. “Krensky’s tale cleverly points out … the advantages of being true to one’s own nature,” Mary Jean Smith observed in School Library Journal.
An animal protagonist is also at the heart of Chaucer’s First Winter, the story of a bear cub that refuses to hibernate. Krensky’s Noah’s Bark follows the efforts of the Biblical ark-builder to help animal pairs communicate with each other effectively. “Krensky’s text shines in its use of dialogue,” a Kirkus Reviews contributor noted of the former volume. “The amusing, understated text [of Noah’s Bark ] has the flavor of a traditional folktale,” another Kirkus Reviews writer observed, and a Publishers Weekly critic remarked that Noah’s Bark “has a light tone and jaunty pacing.”
Geared for older readers, Krensky’s middle-grade novels The Wilder Plot and The Wilder Summer feature eighth-grader Charlie Wilder. In The Wilder Plot, Charlie unwillingly takes on the lead role in the student production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and is saved from humiliation moments before the curtain goes up. Amy L. Cohn noted in School Library Journal that Krensky captures the intensity of school in “a novel of high-spirited good humor.”
Set at summer camp, The Wilder Summer describes Charlie’s attempts to get to know Lydia, with whom he falls in love at first sight, despite the endeavors of Lydia’s jealous friend Willoughby. “Charlie’s shy reluctance to approach Lydia leads to a string of humorous situations,” commented a reviewer for Voice of Youth Advocates, and creates a book that “should appeal to the youngest YAs.”
Krensky has also written nonfiction books noted for presenting accurate and thoroughly researched overviews of interesting subjects. In Conqueror and Hero: The Search for Alexander Krensky “offers a clear, concise account of the brilliant and enigmatic Macedonian leader,” according to Horn Book contributor Ethel R. Twichell. A reviewer noted in the Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books that the conciseness of Krensky’s text “may appeal to reluctant readers,” and School Library Journal critic Elizabeth Holtze commented that when “readers put down this good book, they will want to learn more about its fascinating subject.” Although Maiden Voyage: The Story of the Statue of Liberty was joined by many other books published in honor of the statue’s centennial year, it was cited by Elizabeth S. Watson in Horn Book for its “brevity and humor.” Assessing Breaking into Print: Before and after the Invention of the Printing Press, Krensky’s overview of the printed word, a Kirkus Reviews writer concluded that its text and the artwork by Bonnie Christensen work in tandem to create “a gorgeous format that does complete justice to the subject.”
Among Krensky’s books dealing with the history of North America are Who Really Discovered America?, Striking It Rich: The Story of the California Gold Rush, and Dangerous Crossing: The Revolutionary Voyage of John and John Quincy Adams. In Who Really Discovered America? he details the sea voyages that preceded that of Christopher Columbus, including those of Asian nomads, Polynesians, Phoenicians, and Scandinavians. “Though Krensky treats his subject with respect and precision, his text is leavened with humor,” noted a Kirkus Reviews contributor of the book.
A voyage across the Atlantic by John Adams and his ten-year-old son John Quincy Adams in 1778 is the focus of Dangerous Crossing, as readers follow the passengers’ bouts of sea sickness, the threats from Portuguese battle ships, and the stress of weeks at sea through Krensky’s fictionalized history. Based on the diary of the older Adams, the book “offers a stirring account of life aboard ship” that is “spiced with details,” according to Booklist contributor Carolyn Phelan. In School Library Journal, Lynda Ritterman called Dangerous Crossing a work of “engaging historical fiction … that truly brings the story to life.”
In several of his picture books, Krensky frames moments from history within a compelling story. Taking place in 1735, Printer’s Apprentice finds a young boy learning the importance of freedom of speech the hard way, while in The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, the plight of Chinese workers constructing the transcontinental railroad comes to life in his fictional story about the friendship between a white girl and a Chinese boy. Based on an actual incident, Hanukkah at Valley Forge finds General George Washington learning about the traditional Jewish holiday ritual from a Polish-born volunteer while the Continental Army endures a harsh winter.
A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted that Krensky “makes good use of historical fact” in The Printer’s Apprentice, and Teri Markson cited Hanukkah at Valley Forge for offering “an interesting perspective through which to view a familiar holiday story.” Reviewing The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps for Kirkus Reviews, a critic dubbed the work an “interesting adjunct to the study of Westward expansion,” and a Publishers Weekly critic concluded that Krensky avoids “a pat, happy ending” by presenting readers with “a bittersweet conclusion that renders his historically accurate story even more powerful.”
Sisters of Scituate Light recounts the actions of Rebecca and Abbie Bates, siblings who save their town from an invasion of British soldiers during the War of 1812. According to Gloria Koster in School Library Journal, “this original and suspenseful hero tale will engage independent readers and also captivate the storytime crowd.” Based on the true story of an 1835 newspaper scandal, The Great Moon Hoax focuses on a pair of impoverished newsboys. The tale could “jumpstart a discussion of the very relevant issue of journalistic integrity,” Alyson Low noted in School Library Journal. In Play Ball, Jackie! a youngster witnesses Hall-of-Famer Jackie Robinson’s first major league appearance in 1947. “This fan’s-view account solidly … brings home the lesson of an important moment in racial integration,” Ian Chipman remarked in Booklist.
Much of Krensky’s nonfiction takes the form of biography. Taking Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers recounts the achievements of brothers Orville and Wilbur Wright, who made and sent aloft a “flying machine” in North Carolina in 1903. A nineteenth-century Ohioan and famed sharpshooter is the focus of Shooting for the Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley, while what Phelan deemed “a stimulating introduction” to a famous American is the focus of Davy Crockett: A Life on the Frontier.
Krensky profiles an influential African-American scientist and inventor in A Man for All Seasons: The Life of George Washington Carver. In Booklist, Carolyn Phelan cited the volume’s “informative text” and a Kirkus Reviews writer noted that “Krensky tells the remarkable story of … Carver with humanity and grace.” A collective biography of environmentalists John Muir, Rachel Carson, Chico Mendes, and Lois Gibbs, Krensky’s Four against the Odds: The Struggle to Save Our Environment was praised by Voice of Youth Advocates contributor Catherine M. Clancy as “an excellent introduction to the ‘environmental issue,’” and Chris Sherman noted in his Booklist review of the work that “Krensky’s style is very readable.”
[open new]Krensky’s “Empowerment” series of board books, illustrated by Sara Gillingham, help youngsters focus on positive feelings and build self-esteem. I Can Do It Myself! features a girl getting dressed, blowing her nose, and more, while I Am So Big! finds a young boy delighted to be able to reach things, play ball games, and build blocks higher. A Kirkus Reviews writer affirmed that these titles “should give toddlers a satisfying dose of independence.” An African American girl proudly proclaims all the fun and useful facts she has learned and abilities she has gained in I Know a Lot! A Kirkus Reviews writer appreciated the “easy, rhyming verse” in this “unassuming celebration of a child’s burgeoning knowledge about the big, wide world.” In I Am So Brave!, a little boy overcomes fears of everything from dogs and loud horns to deep water and the dark. In Kirkus Reviews, a writer called this book an “upbeat ode to conquering fears” that will “resonate with tots both timid and not”—a “comforting celebration of everyday courage with lots of charm.”
Krensky offers a bit of picture-book innovation with Open Wide!, illustrated by James Burks, which includes cut-out cardboard wings to affix to a spoon to make an airplane. In the story, Baby Sam’s parents use a winged spoon, animal role models, and shadow play to try to get him to eat, which he finally does when he can grab the fun spoon for himself. Calling the wings a “very clever idea,” a Kirkus Reviews writer dubbed Open Wide! “enjoyable propaganda.” In We Just Had a Baby, a young boy gets used to the reality of having a baby sister by playing simple games with her, taking pride in his own abilities, and looking forward to her getting older. In view of the story’s lack of conflict or novelty, a Kirkus Reviews writer called this title a “milquetoast offering” on the common new-sibling theme. In School Library Journal, Shannan Hicks found the scenes with the older brother being helpful “especially sweet” and called We Just Had a Baby “a fun and precious book about the important job of being a new big brother.”[close new]
BIOCRIT
PERIODICALS
Booklist, November 15, 1986, Ilene Cooper, review of Scoop after Scoop: A History of Ice Cream, p. 513; December 1, 1991, Julie Corsaro, review of Lionel and Louise, p. 709, and Carolyn Phelan, review of Christopher Columbus, p. 111; June 1, 1992, Chris Sherman, review of Four against the Odds: The Struggle to Save Our Environment, p. 1759; July, 1998, Carolyn Phelan, review of We Just Moved!, and Lionel in the Summer, p. 1890; September 1, 1998, Ilene Cooper, review of How Santa Got His Job, p. 112; October 1, 1998, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Louise Takes Charge, p. 330; March 15, 1999, Ilene Cooper, review of My Loose Tooth, p. 1337; July, 1999, Lauren Peterson, review of Louise Goes Wild, p. 1946; May 15, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of Taking Flight: The Story of the Wright Brothers, p. 1740; June 1, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of Arthur and the Big Blow-Up, p. 1894; July, 2000, Ilene Cooper, review of The Youngest Fairy Godmother Ever, p. 2040; October 1, 2000, Hazel Rochman, review of Lionel at School, p. 352; March 1, 2001, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Louise, Soccer Star?, p. 1278; April 15, 2001, Roger Leslie, review of The Moon Robber, p. 1559; May 15, 2001, Connie Fletcher, review of Arthur and the Seventh-Inning Stretcher, p. 1753; September 15, 2001,Carolyn Phelan, review of Shooting for the Moon: The Amazing Life and Times of Annie Oakley, p. 228, and Stephanie Zvirin, review of How Santa Lost His Job, p. 235; October 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, p. 318; July, 2003, Hazel Rochman, review of Lionel’s Birthday, p. 1899; September 1, 2004, Kay Weisman, review of There Once Was a Very Odd School, and Other Lunch-Box Limericks, p. 117; December 1, 2004, Carolyn Phelan, review of Davy Crockett: A Life on the Frontier, p. 656; March 1, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review of Dangerous Crossing: The Revolutionary Voyage of John and John Quincy Adams, p. 1198; September 1, 2006, Kay Weisman, review of Hanukkah at Valley Forge, p. 137; October 15, 2006, Gillian Engberg, review of Vampires, p. 71; April 1, 2007, Ilene Cooper, review of Big Bad Wolves at School, p. 57; October 1, 2007, Jesse Karp, review of Comic Book Century: The History of American Comic Books, p. 50; March 1, 2008, Todd Morning, review of What’s the Big Idea? Four Centuries of Innovation in Boston, p. 67; April 14, 2008, Ilene Cooper, review of Sisters of Scituate Light, p. 58; July 1, 2008, Carolyn Phelan, review of A Man for All Seasons: The Life of George Washington Carver, p. 59; August 1, 2008, Carolyn Phelan, review of Spark the Firefighter, p. 50; March 1, 2010, Julie Cummins, review of Noah’s Bark, p. 78; January 1, 2011, Linda Perkins, review of Lizzie Newton and the San Francisco Earthquake, p. 80; February 1, 2011, Ian Chipman, review of Play Ball, Jackie!, p. 74; May 1, 2011, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Great Moon Hoax, p. 86.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, May, 1980, review of A Troll in Passing, p. 175; January, 1982, review of Conqueror and Hero: The Search for Alexander, p. 88; November, 1984, review of A Ghostly Business, p. 49; April, 1986, review of Lionel at Large, p. 113; February, 1987, Betsy Hearne, review of Scoop after Scoop, p. 111; February, 1994, Carol Fox, review of Lionel in Winter, pp. 190-191; January, 1997, review of Breaking into Print: Before and after the Invention of the Printing Press, p. 177; February, 1997, review of Lionel and His Friends, p. 212; September, 1998, review of How Santa Got His Job, p. 18; July, 2001, review of Shooting for the Moon, p. 412; March, 2007, Hope Morrison, review of Too Many Leprechauns; or, How That Pot o’ Gold Got to the End of the Rainbow, p. 298; June, 2011, Elizabeth Bush, review of The Great Moon Hoax, p. 476; November 15, 2013, Courtney Jones, review of I Know a Lot!, p. 52.
Five Owls, September, 1991, review of American Heritage First Dictionary, p. 20.
Horn Book, December, 1981, Ethel R. Twichell, review of Conqueror and Hero, pp. 677-678; January-February, 1986, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of Maiden Voyage: The Story of the Statue of Liberty, pp. 76-77; July-August, 1990, Carolyn K. Jenks, review of Lionel in the Spring, p. 477; March-April, 1994, Margaret A. Bush, review of Lionel in the Winter, p. 195; September-October, 1995, Margaret A. Bush, review of The Printer’s Apprentice, pp. 600-601; November-December, 2012, Viki Ash, review of I Can Do It Myself!, p. 50; November-December, 2014, Katrina Hedeen, review of The Last Christmas Tree, p. 51.
Horn Book Guide, spring, 2010, Amy Kellman, review of Chaucer’s First Winter, p. 31; fall, 2010, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of Noah’s Bark, p. 304, and Rebecca Reed Whidden, review of Mother’s Day Surprise, both p. 304; fall, 2015, Kari Allen, review of The Sweet Story of Hot Chocolate, p. 189.
Kirkus Reviews, April 1, 1977, review of A Big Day for Scepters, p. 352; January 1, 1988, review of Who Really Discovered America?, p. 56; June 1, 1994, review of The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, p. 776; June 15, 1995, review of The Printer’s Apprentice, p. 858; July 15, 1996, review of Breaking into Print, p. 1051; September 15, 2001, review of How Santa Lost His Job, p. 1360; July 15, 2002, review of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, p. 1035; January 1, 2005, review of Dangerous Crossing, p. 53; November 1, 2006, reviews of Milo the Really Big Bunny, p. 1323, and Hanukkah at Valley Forge, p. 1130; December 1, 2006, review of Too Many Leprechauns, p. 1222; June 1, 2007, review of Big Bad Wolves at School; April 1, 2008, reviews of A Man for All Seasons and Sisters of Scituate Light; August 1, 2008, review of Spark the Firefighter; May 15, 2009, review of What Do You See?; October 15, 2009, review of Chaucer’s First Winter; March 15, 2010, reviews of Mother’s Day Surprise and Noah’s Bark; March 1, 2011, review of Lizzie Newton and the San Francisco Earthquake; December 15, 2012, review of Now I Am Big!; July 1, 2013, review of I Know a Lot!; September 1, 2014, review of The Last Christmas Tree; January 1, 2015, reviews of I Am So Brave! and Open Wide!; February 1, 2016, review of We Just Had a Baby; November 1, 2016, review of Dinosaurs in Disguise.
New York Times Book Review, November 9, 1980, Richard Mitchell, review of My First Dictionary, p. 56; May 20, 1990, Ann M. Martin, review of Perfect Pigs: An Introduction to Manners, p. 46.
Publishers Weekly, June 13, 1980, review of A Troll in Passing, p. 72; June 27, 1986, review of Lionel at Large, p. 88; October 9, 1987, review of Lionel in the Fall, p. 86; May 2, 1994, review of The Iron Dragon Never Sleeps, p. 309; June 5, 2000, review of The Youngest Fairy Godmother Ever, p. 93; June 11, 2001, review of The Moon Robber, p. 86; October 8, 2001, review of Shooting for the Moon, p. 64; August 5, 2002, review of Paul Revere’s Midnight Ride, p. 71; February 13, 2006, review of Milo the Really Big Bunny, p. 89; September 25, 2006, review of Hanukkah at Valley Forge, p. 68; October 2, 2006, review of The Crimson Comet, p. 63; January 1, 2007, review of Too Many Leprechauns, p. 48; July 9, 2007, review of Big Bad Wolves at School, p. 52; May 12, 2008, review of Sisters of Scituate Light, p. 54; March 16, 2009, review of What Do You See?, p. 62; March 22, 2010, review of Noah’s Bark, p. 67; September 15, 2014, review of The Last Christmas Tree, p. 59; September 19, 2016, review of Dinosaurs in Disguise, p. 67.
School Arts, April, 1997, Kent Anderson and Ken Marantz, review of Breaking into Print, p. 63.
School Library Journal, April, 1977, Craighton Hippenhammer, review of A Big Day for Scepters, p. 68; October, 1977, Craighton Hippenhammer, review of The Dragon Circle, p. 115; November, 1981, Elizabeth Holtze, review of Conqueror and Hero, pp. 106-107; January, 1983, Amy L. Cohn, review of The Wilder Plot, p. 77; May, 1986, review of Lionel at Large, p. 113; April, 1992, Sharron McElmeel, review of Lionel and Louise, p. 95; February, 1993, Carolyn Jenks, review of The Pizza Book: Fun, Facts, a Recipe—The Works!, p. 100; June, 2000, Gay Lynn Van Vleck, review of The Youngest Fairy Godmother Ever, p. 118; August, 2000, Susan Knell, review of Taking Flight, p. 171; September, 2000, Helen Foster James, review of Lionel at School, p. 202; January, 2001, Blair Christolon, review of Louise, Soccer Star?, p. 102; July, 2001, Susan Lissim, review of Pearl Harbor, p. 95; September, 2001, Devon Gallagher, review of The Moon Robber, p. 200; October, 2001, review of How Santa Lost His Job, p. 67; October, 2003, Laura Scott, review of Lionel’s Birthday, p. 129; August, 2004, Doris Losey, review of There Once Was a Very Odd School, p. 110; February, 2005, Lynda Ritterman, review of Dangerous Crossing, p. 104; February, 2006, Rachel G. Payne, review of Milo the Really Big Bunny, p. 106; October, 2006, Teri Markson, review of Hanukkah at Valley Forge, p. 97; December, 2006, Piper L. Nayman, review of The Crimson Comet, p. 110; February, 2007, Kirsten Cutler, review of Too Many Leprechauns, p. 90; June, 2007, Mary Jean Smith, review of Big Bad Wolves at School, p. 110; November, 2007, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of Anansi and the Box of Stories: A West African Folktale, p. 109, Marcia Kochel, review of The Bogeyman, p. 150, and Benjamin Russell, review of Comic Book Century, p. 151; June, 2008, Gloria Koster, review of Sisters of Scituate Light, p. 108, Mary Elam, review of A Man for All Seasons, p. 126, and Maura Bresnahan, review of What’s the Big Idea?, p. 165; September, 2008, Judith Constantinides, review of Spark the Firefighter, p. 152; October, 2009, Amy Lilien-Harper, review of Chaucer’s First Winter, p. 97; April, 2010, Martha Simpson, review of Mother’s Day Surprise; p. 133; March, 2011, Marilyn Taniguchi, review of Play Ball, Jackie!, p. 74, and Alyson Low, review of The Great Moon Hoax, p. 126; September, 2011, Ragan O’Malley, review of Clara Barton, p. 183; November, 2012, Laura Butler, review of I Can Do It Myself!, p. 78; October, 2013, Amelia Jenkins, review of I Know a Lot!, p. 86; October, 2014, Maureen Wade, review of The Last Christmas Tree, p. 66; February, 2015, Jennifer Wolf Beaverton, review of The Sweet Story of Hot Chocolate, p. 120; May, 2016, Shannan Hicks, review of We Just Had a Baby, p. 80; November, 2016, review of Dinosaurs in Disguise, p. 74.
Voice of Youth Advocates, February, 1984, review of The Wilder Summer, p. 339; October, 1992, Catherine M. Clancy, review of Four against the Odds, p. 254; December, 2011, Diane Colson, reviews of The Bill of Rights and The Emancipation Proclamation, p. 525.
Wilson Library Bulletin, February, 1992, review of Christopher Columbus and His Voyage to the New World, p. 83.
ONLINE
Stephen Krensky website, http://stephenkrensky.com (April 22, 2022).
STEPHEN KRENSKY
© Peter Krensky
Stephen Krensky did not have the kind of childhood anyone would choose to write books about. It was happy and uneventful, with only the occasional bump in the night to keep him on his toes.
He started writing at Hamilton College in upstate New York where he graduated in 1975. His first book, A Big Day for Scepters, was published in 1977, and he has now written over 100 fiction and nonfiction children’s books––including novels, picture books, easy readers, and biographies. Mr. Krensky and his family live in Lexington, Massachusetts.
INTERVIEW
What was your favorite book when you were a child?
The Hobbit
What’s your favorite line from a book?
"While not exactly disgruntled, he was far from being gruntled."
—The Code of the Woosters, P.G. Woodhouse
Who are your top three favorite authors or illustrators?
Mark Twain, William Steig, and Arnold Lobel
Why did you want to become an author or illustrator?
I wanted to become a children’s book author because it became clear to me in college that I would have to get a job doing something, and writing stories for children was the best job I could imagine.
Do you have any advice for future authors or illustrators?
Whenever you write something, don’t worry about making it perfect the first time or the second or the third. The important thing is to just keep writing until you’re ready to go back and improve the things that need fixing.
I did not have the kind of childhood most people would choose to write about. It was happy and uneventful, with only the occasional bump in the night to keep me on my toes. In my spare time, however, I often imagined taking part in breathtaking adventures – sometimes as myself and other times as Popeye, Robin Hood, or Superman. I always liked to make up stories, especially lying in bed at night just before I fell asleep.
It was not until I was twenty that I actually took up creative writing. One of my favorite parts of the process was imagining myself in various characters' shoes, even if those characters – dragons, for example – didn't wear shoes at all. A year later, in 1975, I graduated from Hamilton College and began a six-month internship at the New York Times Book Review. Three months after it ended, my first book, A Big Day for Scepters, was accepted.
Since then I have been a full-time writer for children. I married my wife, Joan, in 1984, and we settled in my hometown of Lexington, Massachusetts. Our two sons, Andrew and Peter, are now all grown up. Andrew and his wife Cheryl live in Los Angeles while Peter and his wife Nicole live nearby in Lexington with our three grandsons. We see them all as much as we can.
When I feel like I've spent enough time hunched over my computer, I like to play tennis badly and read books written by other people.
Krensky, Stephen WE JUST HAD A BABY Capstone Young Readers (Children's Picture Books) $14.95 3, 1 ISBN: 978-1-62370-603-6
A new older sibling introduces baby sister to readers. New-baby picture books abound, and they often hinge on conflict arising from an older sibling's trouble adjusting. Not so in this milquetoast offering from Krensky and Graux. The unnamed, first-person narrator describes initial ambivalence, which then suddenly shifts. The child goes from feeling a distancing pride in what big kids can do as opposed to what the baby can do (eat pizza and ice cream, use a toilet) to eventual engagement with the baby and hopes for how they will play together once she gets older. Splashing together in the bath and playing peekaboo are the turning points, but there's never much of a hook to pull readers into the story; indeed, there's never much of a story. Meanwhile, Graux's soft illustrations overemphasize the characters' eyes to display emotion and reiterate the textual statements without doing much to extend the narrative. The family is white; the parents are heterosexual; there's nothing to set this book apart. Ultimately, there's nothing particularly new about this new baby book, and other, better choices on the theme abound. (Picture book. 2-5)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Krensky, Stephen: WE JUST HAD A BABY." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Feb. 2016. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A441734924/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=f186f043. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Krensky, Stephen I AM SO BRAVE! abramsappleseed (Children's Picture Books) $6.95 7, 15 ISBN: 978-1-4197-0937-1
This upbeat ode to conquering fears will resonate with tots both timid and not. The sparse text of this sturdy board book is a series of three quatrains, presented one brief line per spread, describing the various fears a little boy has overcome: "I was scared of big dogs. / Then I made a new friend. // I was scared of the water. / Now I love the deep end." Having also conquered fears of the dark, loud horns and goodbyes, he proclaims on the final pages: "I'm not scared like before. / I am so brave!" The skillful verses read smoothly and depict situations that toddlers and preschoolers will relate to. The illustrations center around a wide-eyed African-American child as the main character, with Caucasian children also populating some of the scenes, including the final spread, which features the narrator leaping boldly into a pit of colored balls. The design and color scheme, mostly bright blues, yellows and reds, give the title a distinctly vintage feel, which will lend it appeal to both adults and children. A comforting celebration of everyday courage with lots of charm to boot. (Board book. 1-3)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Krensky, Stephen: I AM SO BRAVE!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A395222315/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=484693b8. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Krensky, Stephen OPEN WIDE! Cartwheel/Scholastic (Children's Picture Books) $6.99 7, 29 ISBN: 978-0-545-53368-3
Baby Sam, a reluctant eater, finally takes a bite with the help of the spoon-as-airplane trick.The book comes with a set of cardboard wings that adults can punch out of the back of the book and then fold around any adult-sized spoon to make it into an airplane. At the beginning of the book, Sam stubbornly sits with mouth shut tight in his high chair. Mom holds a wing-adorned spoon, promising, "These yummy green beans will make you big as an elephant!" Across the gutter, Sam's father casts an elephant-shaped shadow on the wall. The pattern repeats with other foodstuffs and animals. When his parents have given up all hope, Sam proudly grabs the airplane spoon and shovels in a mound of grub. Burks' retro cartoons in a muted color palette look hip, and the expressions of the various family members will be clear and accessible to little ones. While the cardboard-plane spoon is a very clever idea and it is relatively easy to construct, it will be difficult for toddlers to grasp on their own as depicted and will likely not survive very many repeat "landings" (the instructions recommend using the original as a pattern to trace and cut out a replacement). Since many parents may want to share this title at meal times, a sturdier, washable material would have been a better choice for this project.Enjoyable propaganda. (Board book. 1-2)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2015 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Krensky, Stephen: OPEN WIDE!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 Jan. 2015. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A395222316/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=e4def252. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Krensky, Stephen I KNOW A LOT! abramsappleseed (Children's Picture Books) $6.95 7, 2 ISBN: 978-1-4197-0938-8
Krensky offers an unassuming celebration of a child's burgeoning knowledge about the big, wide world she lives in. In easy, rhyming verse, with only one short phrase per page, a youngster proclaims the many things she knows. For instance: "I know rocks are heavy, / and flowers are light. // I know bright means day, / and dark means night." The narrator is an African-American preschooler with big eyes, braids and a sure smile. She is depicted tossing rocks into a river and flowers into the air, riding in a car, bouncing a ball, flying a kite, painting, brushing her teeth and playing the piano, often flanked by a group of ethnically diverse children and occasionally accompanied by her father. The first-person narration coupled with the familiar scenarios presented here will make it easy for children to relate. The charming illustrations, featuring round-eyed, rosy-cheeked youngsters frolicking about, have a vintage quality and are dominated by oranges, yellows and blues. This appealingly illustrated, confidence-boosting board book will inspire little ones to think of--and perhaps catalog aloud--all of the important things they already know about their world. (Board book. 1-3)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2013 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Krensky, Stephen: I KNOW A LOT!" Kirkus Reviews, 1 July 2013. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A335276850/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=78e1ec82. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Krensky, Stephen NOW I AM BIG! abramsappleseed (Children's Picture Books) $6.95 8, 1 ISBN: 978-1-4197-0416-1
A young toddler reflects on his life and contrasts all things he did as a baby to what he can do now. Krensky's simple rhyming scheme provides clear comparisons: "I used to be short. / Now I am tall. // I used to be slow. / Now I play ball." Gillingham's cartoons in primary colors have the look and feel of retro newspaper prints and depict the child's past on the left and his big-kid self on the right. She places this rosy-cheeked protagonist in easy-to-recognize situations. The final spread shows the child as a baby stacking three blocks next to his present-day toddler self creating towering block structures. The caption to this scene is empowering: "I used to be little. / Now I am big!" Mom, when needed, is suitably at the periphery of most scenes. The companion title, I Can Do It Myself, features a young girl and her bird sidekick demonstrating a DIY attitude when putting on clothes or blowing her nose. The taller-than-normal format of these titles reinforces the big-kid energy of the text and art. Should give toddlers a satisfying dose of independence. (Board book. 2-4)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2012 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Krensky, Stephen: NOW I AM BIG!" Kirkus Reviews, 15 Dec. 2012. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A311828626/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=fe0a253c. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
Krensky, Stephen. The Bill of Rights. 978-0761449126.
--. The Emancipation Proclamation. 978-0761449157.
With clarity and objectivity, veteran author Stephen Krensky takes on some of the most pivotal documents in the history of the United States. The Bill of Rights examines the history and composition, and a look at how past interpretations affect the lives of students today. The narrative is extremely readable, with each chapter further divided by topical headings. Portraits, historical cartoons, and quotes are placed appropriately within context. Students who need the book for quick research will discover that locating specific information is easy with the clean organizational structure and a thorough index. In the sections on each amendment, the original text is quoted verbatim, and then explained in everyday context. The Emancipation Proclamation is also well-organized and attractive. Krensky begins his historical narrative with the day in 1858 when Abraham Lincoln stated, "I believe this government cannot endure, permanently, half slave and half free." This seemed to announce Lincoln's commitment to end slavery, but some of Lincoln's subsequent statements and actions indicate that he was more politician than humanitarian. Students may draw their own conclusions when reading Lincoln's actual words.
As a supplement to traditional history texts, Documents in Democracy flushes out the subtleties of historical documents, demonstrating that the words omitted can be just as powerful as the words chosen. This is the appeal of the series: Begin with the choice of words, in the context of an earlier time, and see how their meanings have been transformed or forgotten. In each volume, Krensky follows the ripples these documents have created throughout history. The Emancipation Proclamation, for example, concludes with the election of President Barack Obama. The publisher recommends the series for eighth grade and up, although middle schools with advanced history classes could benefit as well.--Diane Colson.
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2011 E L Kurdyla Publishing LLC
http://www.voya.com
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Colson, Diane. "Krensky, Stephen. The Bill of Rights." Voice of Youth Advocates, vol. 34, no. 5, Dec. 2011, pp. 525+. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A275129131/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=bc49d64e. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.
KRENSKY, Stephen. We Just Had a Baby. illus. by Amelie Graux. 32p. Capstone. Mar. 2016. Tr $14.95. ISBN 9781623706036.
PreS-Gr 2--A fun and precious book about the important job of being a new big brother. A new baby in a family is always exciting, but what if you are brand-new at being an older brother and having this baby was "not your idea"? Krensky and Graux skillfully pair rich text with smooth and clear illustrations to show how a young boy reacts to his new baby sister. Young readers with baby siblings will readily identify with the main character's trepidation about this new little person as it soon gives way to acceptance and excitement. Especially sweet are the ways in which the role of an older sibling is shown to be important in the baby's development. After all, as this baby grows up, her older brother has "big plans" for them. This is a great book for younger readers and will be relevant as many of them share the experience of getting a new baby brother or sister. VERDICT This title is excellent for storytime or lessons about family and is recommended as a first purchase.-Shannan Hicks, J.S. Clark Elementary School Library, LA
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2016 A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
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Hicks, Shannan. "Krensky, Stephen. We Just Had a Baby." School Library Journal, vol. 62, no. 5, May 2016, p. 80. Gale General OneFile, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A451409822/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=bookmark-ITOF&xid=288e250e. Accessed 15 Mar. 2022.