SATA
ENTRY TYPE:
WORK TITLE: DINOSAURS
WORK NOTES:
PSEUDONYM(S):
BIRTHDATE:
WEBSITE: http://www.seymoursimon.com/
CITY: Great Neck
STATE:
COUNTRY: United States
NATIONALITY: American
LAST VOLUME: SATA 342
RESEARCHER NOTES:
PERSONAL
Born August 9, 1931, in New York, NY; son of David and Clara Simon; married Joyce Shanock, December 25, 1953 (died 2007); married Liz Nealon (a media producer and writer), 2009; children: (first marriage) Robert Paul, Michael Alan; (second marriage) a stepdaughter.
EDUCATION:City College (now City College of the City University of New York), B.A., 1953, graduate study, 1955-60.
ADDRESS
CAREER
Writer. Science teacher in public schools, New York, NY, 1955-79; children’s book writer, 1968–. Cofounder of StarWalk Kids Media, Great Neck, NY, 2012; senior advisor to Fable Learning.
MIILITARY:U.S. Army, 1953-55.
AVOCATIONS:Reading, collecting books and art, playing chess and tennis, listening to music, traveling, computers.
MEMBER:Authors Guild, Authors League of America.
AWARDS:Children’s Book Showcase Award, Children’s Book Council (CBC), 1972, for The Paper Airplane Book; Eva L. Gordon Award, American Nature Society, 1984, for contributions to children’s science literature; Best Children’s Science Book Award, New York Academy of Sciences, 1988, for Icebergs and Glaciers; Whales was honored by the New York State Humane Association, 1991; Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature, New York Library Association, 1994, for body of work; Hope S. Dean Memorial Award, Foundation for Children’s Books, 1996; Houston Man of the Day Award, 2001; Jeremiah Ludington Memorial Award, 2003, for outstanding contribution to children’s nonfiction; Great Websites for Kids designation, American Library Association, 2012, for SeymourSimon.com; over 75 awards from National Science Teachers Association/CBC, for outstanding science trade books for children; Lifetime Achievement Award, American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru; Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award for Nonfiction for body of work; Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; Lifetime Achievement Award, National Forum on Children’s Science Books.
WRITINGS
SIDELIGHTS
A former public school teacher, Seymour Simon writes science books for children that are notable for their clear and stimulating writing and ability to present complex ideas to young readers. Since beginning his career as an author in the mid-1960s, Simon’s has sought to introduce younger children to scientific concepts and inspire their enthusiasm by using clarity and catchy language. He has more than 250 works to his credit and has earned numerous honors, including the Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award for Nonfiction and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children’s Science Books.
In addition to series books that highlight such perennially popular school-report topics as planets and intriguing animals, Simon has produced stand-alone works on such varying subjects as outer space, physical geography, the seasons, weather, climate change, natural disasters, the human body, computers, dinosaurs, insects, and vehicles. “If we want a literate citizenry,” he explained to Geraldine De Luca and Roni Natov in a Lion and the Unicorn interview, “we have to start children on science books when they’re young. They have no fear at a young age, and they will stay familiar with science all of their lives.”
Born in New York City and raised in its environs, Simon excelled at writing from an early age. Interested in science, he was active in the Junior Astronomy Club while attending Bronx High School of Science. After earning a bachelor’s degree, marrying, and serving in the U.S. Army, he began teaching science at public schools in New York City. Because Simon had studied animal behavior, he often encourages students to explore this field. While teaching, he began to write and submit articles to magazines, including Scholastic. In 1968, Simon’s first book, Animals in Field and Laboratory: Projects in Animal Behavior, was released, marking the beginning of an auspicious career.
During the late 1960s, Simon began the “Let’s Try It” series, in which he encouraged children to experiment at home, as well as the “Discovering” series, which features interesting creatures children might see in their environments. Most of his books written during this period were curriculum oriented, as were most science books of the time. He continued in that vein for several years, publishing books on ecology, pollution, outer space, chemistry, oceanography, and paper airplanes.
By the time he had written forty curriculum-oriented books, Simon was ready for a change. In 1979 he retired from teaching so that he could choose the topics he wrote about. “What I really wanted was to write the kind of books that a kid might pick up in a library or in a bookstore,” he explained to De Luca and Natov, “and I found that I needed more time to do that kind of book.” Among his early works were photographic essays and the “Einstein Anderson” series of science mysteries, scientific riddles featuring a pun-making young detective. His “Einstein Anderson” stories were so popular that they have been revised and republished under new titles.
Astronomy has been one of Simon’s interests, and he has written about the sun, moon, stars, and planets as well as galaxies, comets, and asteroids. For their attractive design, high-quality photos, and clarity of writing, these books consistently garnered praise from critics. Over the years, he has updated several of these books, notably those about Mars and Jupiter, to include new discoveries and photographs. Discussing The Sun: All about Solar Flares, Eclipses, Sunspots, and More!, an update of an older work, School Library Journal critic Meaghan Darling observed that “Simon has revised points and offered further details on sun activity.” Darling also complimented the “remarkably crisp” photographs chosen to illustrate the revised edition of Our Solar System, noting that they “giv[e] a nod to changes in imaging technology.”
In Exoplanets, Simon explains planets in other solar systems. He discusses the search for life in other parts of the universe and comments on the requirements for extraterrestrial beings to exist, such as planet temperature. Writing in School Library Journal, John Peters described Exoplanets as “an adequate, if not exemplary, introduction to the topic.” In a more favorable assessment of the volume in Booklist, Sarah Hunter remarked: “This well-designed volume will pique the interest of kids curious about our place in the universe.”
With The Smallest Dinosaurs, Simon produces an “excellent primer,” to quote a Publishers Weekly reviewer, and in The Largest Dinosaurs he presents readers with information on six beasts. He has continued to update readers on new dino-discoveries in books such as New Questions and Answers about Dinosaurs, which presents twenty-two frequently asked questions about dinosaurs that incorporate new discoveries and theories about dinos and their lifestyles.
Simon introduces children to habitats and ecosystems with such titles as Deserts, Oceans, and Mountains. In each book he concisely explains the physical and biological features of the habitat in question. Tropical Rainforests, which examines the flora and fauna of the equatorial ecosystem, was deemed “an informative and visually rich introduction” to the topic by Booklist reviewer Carolyn Phelan, and she described Coral Reefs as “well organized and lucidly written.”
Another area of interest to children is the weather, a topic Simon addresses in the books Storms, Tornadoes, and Lightning, melding eye-catching photographs and clear explanations of atmospheric processes. He explores the timely subject of climate change in Global Warming. “Informative and noncondescending, this boils down large, complex issues into understandable concepts,” Ian Chipman noted in Booklist, and Horn Book critic Danielle J. Ford called it “a trustworthy guide through the accumulated and scientifically accepted evidence” on the issue.
Simon has written a number of single-subject works on the animals that children find most fascinating, such as whales, wolves, large felines, snakes, and crocodilians. In Whales he introduced readers to the basic physical characteristics and physiology of these giant mammals, pairing what Horn Book reviewer Ellen Fader described as a “lively text” with “stunning” photographs. In Penguins readers learn about an Antarctic resident’s habitat, diet, and mating rituals. A Kirkus Reviews contributor noted of this book that “Simon packs a great deal of information into his relatively simple, smooth writing.” The communication methods and social organization of a popular ocean dweller are included in Dolphins. “As always,” Ford noted of this work, Simon “guides readers through intricate topics … with remarkable clarity.”
Sea Creatures features photographs and descriptions of creatures living in various regions of the sea. A wide variety of fish, turtles, and sea mammals appear in this volume. Angela Leeper, contributor to Booklist, called Sea Creatures “a fascinating view of some of Earth’s rarely seen creatures.”
Simon gives scaly creatures their chance to shine in such works as Poisonous Snakes and Crocodiles and Alligators. In the first, Snakes readers learn basic information on fifteen species, and the addition of “striking photographs” rounds out a “compelling, informative overview,” to quote Margaret A. Bush in Horn Book. The author examines the life cycle of amphibious animals in Frogs, in which his “thoughtfully arranged exposition … moves smoothly from topic to topic,” according to a Kirkus Reviews writer.
Simon focuses on one of the most complex—but familiar—animal species in books such as Body Sense, Body Nonsense, which dispels some myths about human beings while explaining others. He also describes the mechanics of the human brain, skeletal system, circulatory system, and muscular system in a series of illustrated books geared for budding biologists. Part of this series, which includes Muscles: Our Muscular System, Guts: Our Digestive System, and Lungs: Your Respiratory System, The Heart: Our Circulatory System prompted Booklist critic Phelan to describe it as an “excellent introduction” to the topic. In Horn Book, Maeve Visser Knoth praised the same reference book as “eye-catching and useful.”
In Guts, Simon describes the various organs involved in the complex process of digestion. Danielle J. Ford, reviewing the title in Horn Book, remarked that the author “seamlessly interweaves suggestions for active exploration with the introduction of sophisticated vocabulary and ideas.” The author looks at the ways human beings obtain oxygen and eliminate carbon dioxide, as well as the causes of coughing and sneezing, in Lungs. “The writing is concise and full of clear examples meaningful to kids,” Kathleen Kelly MacMillan asserted in her appraisal of Lungs for School Library Journal.
In his “See More Readers” series, Simon shares his enthusiasm for science with younger children, Phelan complimenting “the directness and clarity of both text and photos” in series installment Fighting Fires. Edith Ching, reviewing both Danger! Earthquakes and Amazing Aircraft for School Library Journal, maintained that the author “gets to the essence of his subjects through bold, dramatic color photographs and short, crisp texts.” In both Pyramids and Mummies and Space Travelers, Simon offers two more extensively illustrated works that “will attract youngsters eager to learn more about the topics,” according to School Library Journal contributor Heather Ver Voort.
Among Simon’s many reference books are volumes designed to help readers build a basic vocabulary in a sophisticated subject area. Space Words: A Dictionary, an illustrated dictionary, contains seventy-six terms about astronomy and other space sciences. Science Dictionary contains some 2,000 terms used in various scientific fields, and Earth Words: A Dictionary of the Environment is a picture dictionary containing sixty-six environmental terms.
Released in 2017, Rocks & Minerals finds Simon discussing the titular topics. He describes minerals that one can easily find in nature and comments on the physical attributes of each. Simon goes on to discuss categories of rocks. At the end of his book, he offers information on the hobby of collecting rocks. Color photographs appear throughout the volume. Allison McLean, reviewer in School Library Journal, suggested: “Simon’s enthusiasm for the subject might persuade readers to give this hobby a try.” McLean also described the book as “wonderful, browsable.” “Simon includes a substantial amount of detail while still keeping his explanations accessible,” asserted a critic in Publishers Weekly.
(open new)With Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable, Simon aims to debunk some popular myths about dinosaurs while also contributing a range of interesting facts for young readers through text and illustration. The book begins with some of the earliest modern discoveries of dinosaurs and how humans came to understand what these remains actually were. The book also shows how paleontologists conduct their work and illustrate a wide range of dinosaur species. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews commented that the book is “thin in spots, but both topic and author come with vast built-in audiences.” Writing in School Library Journal, V. Lynn Christiansen pointed out that “every page offers fascinating facts that will satisfy even the most die-hard dinosaur lover.”
In the informational picture book Climate Action: What Happened and What We Can Do, Simon warns of the environmental dangers of climate change but also highlights a number of teenaged activists who are playing a role in addressing these problems around the world, including Greta Thunberg. Simon points out the increased threats human face from lack of action in the form of wildfires, droughts, heat waves, deforestation, ocean acidification, floods, sea-level rise, and the destruction of wildlife, offering a more details portrait of the significance of the loss of bees to the ecosystem. A contributor to Kirkus Reviews remarked that despite there being “nothing particularly new in this quick overview,” Simon’s “expertise at interpreting science topics for the age group will make it welcome.” The same reviewer called Climate Action “an effective introduction” to the topic of climate change.(close new)
Described by New York Times contributor Eric Nagourney as the “dean” of children’s science writers, Simon has continued his mission to inspire and educate youngsters. As he stated in an interview on the International Literacy Association website, “I want to inspire kids to become interested in a subject not just for now but for the rest of their lives. I want to arouse a sense of fascination with the real world around them, the world of plants and animals, weather and seasons, starry night skies, volcanoes and earthquakes, and the poetry of life and the beauty of nature.”
BIOCRIT
BOOKS
Children’s Literature Review, Gale (Detroit, MI), Volume 9, 1985, Volume 63, 2000.
Silvey, Anita, editor, Children’s Books and Their Creators, Houghton Mifflin (Boston, MA), 1995.
Simon, Seymour, From Paper Airplanes to Outer Space, Richard Owen (Katonah, NY), 2000.
Sutherland, Zena, Dianne L. Monson, and May Hill Arbuthnot, Children and Books, Scott, Foresman, 1981.
PERIODICALS
Appraisal, September 22, 1994, review of Big Cats, pp. 44-45; September 22, 1995, review of Star Walk, pp. 48-49; March 22, 1999, reviews of Now You See It, Now You Don’t: The Amazing World of Optical Illusions, p. 35, and They Swim the Seas: The Mysteries of Animal Migration, p. 36; December 22, 1999, reviews of Destination: Jupiter and The Universe, pp. 35-36, and The Invisible Man and Other Cases, The Mysterious Lights and Other Cases, and The Wings of Darkness and Other Cases, all p. 50; March 22, 2000, review of Crocodiles and Alligators, pp. 95-96.
Arithmetic Teacher, May 1, 1993, David J. Whitin, review of Mirror Magic, p. 530.
Booklist, March 15, 1992, reviews of Venus and Mercury, p. 1353; April 15, 1992, Hazel Rochman, review of Snakes, p. 528; October 15, 1992, Carolyn Phelan, review of Our Solar System, p. 427; January 15, 1993, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Professor I.Q. Explores the Brain, p. 93; September 1, 1993, Janice Del Negro, review of Weather, p. 57; November 15, 1993, Kathryn Broderick, review of Autumn across America, p. 756; March 1, 1994, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Mountains, p. 1266; September 15, 1994, Carolyn Phelan, review of Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids, p. 135; November 15, 1994, Carolyn Phelan, review of Winter across America, p. 598; March 1, 1995, Lauren Peterson, review of Star Walk, p. 1239; April 15, 1995, Carolyn Phelan, review of Earth Words: A Dictionary of the Environment, p. 1496; October 15, 1995, Carolyn Phelan, review of Sharks, p. 409; March 1, 1996, Lauren Peterson, review of Spring across America, p. 1180; April 1, 1996, Carolyn Phelan, review of Wildfires, p. 1360; July, 1996, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Heart: Our Circulatory System, p. 1825; January 1, 1997, Carolyn Phelan, review of Wild Babies, p. 865; February 15, 1997, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Strange Mysteries from around the World, p. 1022; March 15, 1997, review of Lightning, p. 1240; April 1, 1997, Lauren Peterson, review of Ride the Wind: The Airborne Journeys of Animals and Plants, p. 1332; May 1, 1997, Kay Weisman, review of The On-Line Spaceman and Other Cases, p. 1498; August, 1997, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Brain: Our Nervous System, p. 1896; April 15, 1998, Carolyn Phelan, review of Destination: Jupiter, p. 1443; September 1, 1998, Susan Dove Lempke, reviews of Bones: Our Skeletal System and Muscles: Our Muscular System, both p. 118; September 15, 1998, Chris Sherman, review of They Swim the Seas: The Mystery of Animal Migration, p. 22; October 15, 1998, Carolyn Phelan, review of Now You See It, Now You Don’t, pp. 419-420; April 1, 1999, Linda Perkins, review of Crocodiles and Alligators, p. 1410; May 1, 1999, Chris Sherman, review of Tornadoes, p. 1593; November 1, 1999, Susan Dove Lempke, review of The Human Body, p. 534; March 15, 2000, Gillian Engberg, review of They Walk the Earth: The Extraordinary Travels of Animals on Land, p. 1373; May 1, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of Destination: Mars, p. 1664; October 1, 2000, Carolyn Phelan, review of Out of Sight: Pictures of Hidden Worlds, p. 338; October 15, 2000, Todd Morning, review of Gorillas, p. 437; March 1, 2001, Stephanie Zvirin, review of Animals Nobody Loves, p. 1274; December 1, 2001, Hazel Rochman, reviews of Let’s Try It out in the Air and Let’s Try It out in the Water, p. 658; February 15, 2002, Hazel Rochman, review of Seymour Simon’s Book of Trains, p. 1018; June 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Destination: Space, p. 1720; July, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Amazing Aircraft, p. 1852; August, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Fighting Fires, p. 1968; April 1, 2003, Carolyn Phelan, review of Let’s Try It out with Towers and Bridges, p. 1398; August, 2003, John Peters, review of Hurricanes, p. 1975; December 1, 2003, Chris Sherman, review of Spiders, p. 679; March 1, 2005, Hazel Rochman, review of Guts: Our Digestive System, p. 1190; June 1, 2005, Carolyn Phelan, review of Big Bugs, p. 1817; December 1, 2006, Hazel Rochman, review of Lungs: Your Respiratory System, p. 61; October 15, 2008, Carolyn Phelan, review of The Human Body, p. 39; February 15, 2010, Ian Chipman, review of Global Warming, p. 84; October 15, 2010, Carolyn Phelan, review of Tropical Rainforests, p. 48; October 15, 2011, Carolyn Phelan, review of Butterflies, p. 43; June 1, 2013, Carolyn Phelan, review of Coral Reefs, p. 60; February 15, 2015, Erin Anderson, review of Frogs, p. 76; May 15, 2016, Carolyn Phelan, review of Insects, p. 42; December 1, 2017, Sarah Hunter, review of Exoplanets, p. 45; March 1, 2018, Angela Leeper, review of Sea Creatures, p. 42.
Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books, May 1, 1972, Zena Sutherland, review of The Paper Airplane Book, p. 146; October 1, 1993, Roger Sutton, review of Weather, pp. 57-58; September 1, 1998, Deborah Stevenson, reviews of Bones and Muscles, both p. 31; April 1, 1999, Deborah Stevenson, review of Tornadoes, p. 295.
Childhood Education, March 22, 1990, review of Storms, p. 177; March 22, 2010, Amy Betz, review of Dolphins, p. 180; June 22, 2010, Alexandra O’Dowd, review of Tropical Rainforests, p. 292.
Five Owls, January 1, 1995, Rachel Alexander, review of Autumn across America, p. 50.
Horn Book, February 1, 1980, Sarah Gagne, review of Deadly Ants, p. 86; October 1, 1980, Sarah Gagne, review of Strange Mysteries from around the World, p. 547; April 1, 1982, Karen Jameyson, review of The Smallest Dinosaurs, pp. 183-84; August 1, 1982, Harry C. Stubbs, review of How to Be a Space Scientist in Your Own Home, pp. 440-41; April 1, 1984, Harry C. Stubbs, review of The Moon, pp. 224-25; April 1, 1984, Harry C. Stubbs, review of Hidden Worlds: Pictures of the Invisible, p. 226; August 1, 1984, Harry C. Stubbs, review of Earth: Our Planet in Space, p. 500; November 1, 1984, Harry C. Stubbs, review of Computer Sense, Computer Nonsense, p. 786; November 1, 1985, Ann A. Flowers, reviews of The BASIC Book, Bits and Bytes: A Computer Dictionary for Beginners, How to Talk to Your Computer, Meet the Computer, and Your First Home Computer: Buying It, Using It, and Keeping It Working, all pp. 757-758; January 1, 1986, Elizabeth S. Watson, reviews of Jupiter and Saturn, both p. 73; January 1, 1987, Elizabeth S. Watson, reviews of The Stars and The Sun, both p. 76; July 1, 1987, Margaret A. Bush, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, p. 485; November 1, 1987, Elizabeth S. Watson, reviews of Mars and Uranus, both p. 762; May 1, 1988, Mary M. Burns, review of Galaxies, p. 374; September 1, 1988, Margaret A. Bush, review of Volcanoes, p. 648; May 1, 1989, Mary M. Burns, review of Storms, p. 389; November 1, 1989, Ellen Fader, review of Whales, p. 794; July 1, 1990, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of New Questions and Answers about Dinosaurs, pp. 471-72; January 1, 1991, Ellen Fader, reviews of Deserts and Oceans, pp. 89-90; May 1, 1991, Margaret A. Bush, review of Neptune, pp. 347-48; September 1, 1991, Ellen Fader, review of Earthquakes, p. 614; May 1, 1992, Margaret A. Bush, review of Snakes, p. 357, and Maeve Visser Knoth, reviews of Venus and Mercury, both p. 361; November 1, 1992, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of Our Solar System, p. 740; November 1, 1993, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of Wolves, and Margaret A. Bush, review of Weather, both p. 756; November 1, 1994, Elizabeth S. Watson, review of Winter across America, p. 751; January 1, 1995, Daniel Brabander, review of Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids, p. 76; November 1, 1995, Margaret A. Bush, review of Sharks, pp. 757-56; May 1, 1996, Margaret A. Bush, review of Wildfires, pp. 351-52; September 1, 1996, Maeve Visser Knoth, review of The Heart, p. 624; September 1, 1997, Margaret A. Bush, review of The Brain, p. 594; November 1, 1998, Margaret A. Bush, review of Muscles, p. 756; July 1, 2000, Danielle J. Ford, review of Destination: Mars, p. 477; November 1, 2000, Danielle J. Ford, review of Gorillas, p. 773; August 1, 2002, Carolyn Phelan, review of Fighting Fires, p. 1968; November 1, 2003, Danielle J. Ford, review of Spiders, p. 768; July 1, 2005, Danielle J. Ford, review of Guts, p. 492; January 1, 2008, Danielle J. Ford, review of Penguins, p. 119; September 1, 2008, Danielle J. Ford, review of The Human Body, p. 614; July 1, 2009, Danielle J. Ford, review of Dolphins, p. 441; May 1, 2010, Danielle J. Ford, review of Global Warming, p. 114; November 1, 2011, Danielle J. Ford, review of Butterflies, p. 127; July 1, 2015, Danielle J. Ford, review of Frogs, p. 162.
Horn Book Guide, March 22, 2010, Susan Dove Lempke, review of Cats, p. 147; March 22, 2011, Frieda F. Bostian, review of Tropical Rainforests, p. 150; September 22, 2013, Danielle J. Ford, review of Seymour Simon’s Extreme Oceans, p. 153; September 22, 2014, Danielle J. Ford, review of Coral Reefs, p. 159.
Instructor, March 1, 1988, Robert E. Yager, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, p. 98.
Journal of Youth Services in Libraries, March 22, 1993, review of Our Solar System, p. 320.
Kirkus Reviews, February 1, 1993, review of Professor I.Q. Explores the Brain, p. 154; September 1, 1993, review of Wolves, p. 1152; December 1, 1993, review of Autumn across America, p. 1529; March 1, 1994, review of Mountains, p. 310; February 1, 1996, review of Spring across America, p. 232; June 15, 1996, review of The Heart, p. 904; January 1, 1997, review of Wild Babies, p. 64; February 15, 1997, review of Ride the Wind, p. 306; July 1, 1997, review of The Brain, p. 1036; February 15, 1998, review of Destination: Jupiter, p. 275; March 1, 2001, review of Animals Nobody Loves, p. 338; January 1, 2002, review of Seymour Simon’s Book of Trains, p. 51; March 15, 2002, review of Destination: Space, p. 427; April 15, 2002, reviews of Wild Bears and Danger! Earthquake, both p. 579; February 1, 2003, review of Eyes and Ears, p. 239; October 15, 2007, review of Penguins; January 1, 2010, review of Global Warming; July 15, 2010, review of Tropical Rainforests; September 1, 2012, review of Seymour Simon’s Extreme Earth Records; March 15, 2013, review of Seymour Simon’s Extreme Oceans; April 15, 2013, review of Coral Reefs; July 1, 2014, review of The Impossible Shrinking Machine and Other Cases; February 1, 2015, review of Frogs; October 1, 2020, review of Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable; November 15, 2020, review of Climate Change: What Happened and What We Can Do.
Lion and the Unicorn, Volume 6, 1982, Geraldine De Luca and Roni Natov, interview with Simon, pp. 10-27.
Natural History January 1, 1997, Jean Craighead George, review of Lightning, pp. 8-10.
New Advocate, December 22, 1996, review of Earth Words, p. 70.
New Yorker, December 12, 1988, Faith McNulty, review of Galaxies, p. 158.
New York Times, December 16, 2003, Eric Nagourney, profile of Simon.
New York Times Book Review, November 13, 1983, Sherwin D. Smith, review of Hidden Worlds, p. 49.
Publishers Weekly, January 18, 1980, review of About the Foods You Eat, p. 140; July 18, 1980, review of Mirror Magic, p. 61; January 30, 1981, review of Silly Animal Jokes and Riddles, p. 76; January 15, 1982, review of The Smallest Dinosaurs, p. 98; July 2, 1982, review of The Long Journey from Space, pp. 55-56; April 22, 1983, review of Little Giants, p. 103; September 26, 1986, review of The Sun, p. 80; February 13, 1987, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, pp. 94-95; August 28, 1987, review of Mars, p. 78; April 8, 1988, review of Galaxies, p. 93; September, 1988, review of Volcanoes, p. 134; July 12, 1991, review of Space Words: A Dictionary, p. 67; August 2, 1991, review of Earthquakes, p. 74; March 22, 1993, review of Professor I.Q. Explores the Brain, p. 81; July 24, 2000, review of Out of Sight, p. 94; January 21, 2002, “Simple Science,” p. 91; June 26, 2017, review of Rocks & Minerals, p. 181.
Reading Teacher May 1, 1998, review of Ride the Wind, pp. 684-91.
Ruminator Review, March 22, 2002, Eleise Jones, “Traveling the Universe on a Paper Plane,” pp. 43-44.
School Library Journal, February 1, 1980, Margaret Bush, review of Meet the Giant Snakes, pp. 61-62; April 1, 1980, Leslie Burk, review of Creatures from Lost Worlds, p. 113, Kathleen Lemmer, review of About the Foods You Eat, pp. 115-16, and Margaret Bush, review of Deadly Ants, p. 116; November 1, 1980, Mary N. Stewart, reviews of Einstein Anderson, Science Sleuth and Einstein Anderson Shocks His Friends, both p. 79; December 1, 1980, Ann G. Brouse, review of Strange Mysteries from around the World, p. 62; March 1, 1981, Connie Tyrrell, review of Mirror Magic, p. 137; August 1, 1981, Margaret Bush, review of Poisonous Snakes, p. 71; September, 1981, Margaret L. Chatham, review of Einstein Anderson Makes up for Lost Time, p. 130; November 1, 1981, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of Einstein Anderson Tells a Comet’s Tale, p. 98; January 1, 1982, Marilyn Payne Phillips, review of Mad Scientists, Weird Doctors, and Time Travelers in Movies, TV, and Books, p. 82; March 1, 1982, Patricia Manning, review of Strange Creatures, and Jeanette A. Studley, review of Body Sense, Body Nonsense, both p. 151; August 1, 1982, Carolyn Caywood, review of Einstein Anderson Goes to Bat, p. 122; November 1, 1982, Margaret L. Chatham, review of The Long Journey from Space, p. 91; January 1, 1983, Connie Tyrrell, review of How to Be a Space Scientist in Your Own Home, and Carolyn Caywood, review of Einstein Anderson Lights up the Sky, both p. 79; February 1, 1983, Terry Lawhead, review of About Your Brain, p. 83; April 1, 1983, Julia Rholes, review of Little Giants, p. 117; November 1, 1983, Sandra Vandermark, review of Einstein Anderson Sees through the Invisible Man, p. 82; March 1, 1984, Jeffrey A. French, review of Earth: Our Planet in Space, p. 151; October 1, 1984, Ann G. Brouse, review of The Dinosaur Is the Biggest Animal That Ever Lived, p. 162; November 1, 1984, Sharon Lee Wagner, review of Computer Sense, Computer Nonsense, p. 128; August 1, 1985, Susan Scheps, reviews of How to Talk to Your Computer and Meet the Computer, both p. 25; September 1, 1985, William G. Piekarski, review of Shadow Magic, p. 126; October 1, 1985, Jeffrey A. French, review of Jupiter, p. 163; January 1, 1986, Edwin F. Bokee, reviews of Your First Home Computer, Bits and Bytes, and The BASIC Book, all pp. 76-77; August 1, 1986, Joanne Troutner, review of Turtle Talk: A Beginner’s Book of Logo, p. 109; November 1, 1986, Cathryn A. Camper, review of The Largest Dinosaurs, p. 94; December 1, 1986, Jeffrey A. French, reviews of The Stars and The Sun, p. 95; March 1, 1987, Jonathan Betz-Zall, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, p. 166; December 1, 1987, Trevelyn E. Jones, David Gale, and Lillian N. Gerhardt, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, p. 39, and Jeffrey A. French, reviews of Mars and Uranus, both p. 82; May 1, 1988, Margaret Chatham, review of Galaxies, pp. 92-93; November 1, 1988, Frances E. Millhouser, review of How to Be an Ocean Scientist in Your Own Home, p. 122; December 1, 1988, Stephen W. Zsiray, review of Volcanoes, p. 118; April 1, 1989, Rosanne Cerny, review of Storms, p. 116; September 1, 1989, Frances E. Millhouser, review of Whales, p. 268; May 1, 1990, Cathryn A. Camper, review of New Questions and Answers about Dinosaurs, p. 120; April 1, 1991, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of Neptune, p. 137; May 1, 1991, Diane Nunn, review of Big Cats, p. 90; September 1, 1991, Meryl Silverstein, review of Earthquakes, p. 272; October 1, 1991, John Peters, review of Space Words, p. 112; April 1, 1992, Margaret L. Chatham, reviews of Mercury and Venus, both p. 110; June 1, 1992, Karey Wehner, review of Snakes, p. 135; October 1, 1992, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of Our Solar System, p. 136; November 1, 1993, Susan Oliver, review of Wolves, and Meryl Silverstein, review of Weather, both p. 120; February 1, 1994, Louise L. Sherman, review of Autumn across America, p. 98; June 1, 1994, Carolyn Angus, review of Mountains, p. 142; August 1, 1994, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of Comets, Meteors, and Asteroids, p. 166; December 1, 1994, Beth Irish, review of Winter across America, p. 128; February 1, 1995, Hillary Jan Donitz-Goldstein, review of Science Dictionary, p. 132; April 1, 1995, Elaine Fort Weischedel, review of Star Walk, p. 146; September 1, 1995, Frances E. Millhouser, review of Sharks, pp. 215-16; April 1, 1996, Carolyn Jenks, review of Spring across America, p. 130; May 1, 1996, Kathleen McCabe, review of Wildfires, p. 126; August 1, 1996, Christine A. Moesch, review of The Heart, p. 160; February 1, 1997, Susan Oliver, review of Wild Babies, p. 98; April 1, 1997, Christina Dorr, review of The On-Line Spaceman and Other Cases, pp. 140, 142, and Ann G. Brouse, review of Strange Mysteries from around the World, pp. 158-59; May 1, 1997, Blair Christolon, review of Lightning, p. 126, and Susan Oliver, review of Ride the Wind, p. 150; August 1, 1997, Christine A. Moesch, review of The Brain, p. 152; May 1, 1998, John Peters, reviews of The Universe and Destination: Jupiter, both p. 137; December 1, 1998, Christine A. Moesch, reviews of Bones and Muscles, both p. 115; June 1, 1999, Lisa Wu Stowe, review of Crocodiles and Alligators, and Patricia Manning, review of Tornadoes, pp. 153-54; July 1, 2000, Edith Ching, review of Seymour Simon’s Book of Trucks, p. 98; October 1, 2000, Patricia Manning, review of Gorillas, p. 153; November 1, 2000, Jeffrey A. French, review of Out of Sight, p. 176; December 1, 2000, Jean Gaffney, review of From Paper Airplanes to Outer Space, p. 131; December 1, 2001, Lisa Gangemi Kropp, reviews of Let’s Try It Out in the Water and Let’s Try It out in the Air, both pp. 128-29; March 1, 2002, Edith Ching, review of Danger! Earthquakes, pp. 220-21; April 1, 2002, Cathie E. Bashaw, review of Killer Whales, p. 141; May 1, 2002, Linda Wadleigh, review of Destination: Space, p. 176; June 1, 2002, Louie Lahana, review of Planets around the Sun, p. 126; July 1, 2002, Edith Ching, review of Fighting Fires, p. 111; August 1, 2002, Edith Ching, reviews of Amazing Aircraft and Danger! Volcanoes, both p. 180; June 1, 2004, Lynda Ritterman, reviews of Cats and Dogs, both p. 132; December 1, 2004, Heather Ver Voort, reviews of Pyramids and Mummies and Space Travelers, both p. 138; February 1, 2006, Carol Schene, review of Horses, p. 125; April 1, 2007, Kathleen Kelly MacMillan, review of Lungs, p. 127; March 1, 2010, Eva Elisabeth VonAncken, review of Global Warming, p. 144; September 1, 2010, Susan Scheps, review of Tropical Rainforests, p. 140; November 1, 2012, Janet S. Thompson, review of Seymour Simon’s Extreme Earth Records, 126; May 1, 2013, Anne Barreca, review of Seymour Simon’s Extreme Oceans, p. 137; June 1, 2013, Patricia Manning, review of Coral Reefs, p. 107; September 1, 2013, Amy Holland, review of The Impossible Shrinking Machine and Other Cases, p. 147; October 1, 2014, Meaghan Darling, review of Our Solar System, p. 133; October 1, 2015, Meaghan Darling, review of The Sun: All about Solar Flares, Eclipses, Sunspots, and More!, p. 131; June 1, 2017, Allison McLean, review of Rocks & Minerals, p. 125; January 1, 2018, John Peters, review of Exoplanets, p. 101; November 1, 2020, V. Lynn Christiansen, review of Dinosaurs, p. 78.
School Science and Mathematics, February 1, 1988, review of The Stars, p. 169; December 1, 1990, Lucille A. Slinger, review of Storms, pp. 744-45.
Science Books and Films, May 1, 1993, Timothy C. Williams, review of Big Cats, p. 123; March 1, 1994, Geoffrey Chester, review of Space Words, p. 59; October 1, 1995, Nicholas J. Smith-Sebasto, review of Earth Words, pp. 209-10.
Scientific American, December 1, 1987, Philip Morrison and Phylis Morrison, review of Icebergs and Glaciers, pp. 148-49.
Time, December 11, 1989, Stefan Kanfer, review of Whales, p. 100.
Voice of Youth Advocates, August 1, 1995, Marilyn Brien, review of Science Dictionary, p. 193.
Washington Post Book World, January 9, 1994, reviews of Wolves and Big Cats, p. 7.
Whole Earth, September 22, 2000, Molly Bang, review of Wildfires, p. 87.
ONLINE
Collaborative Classroom, https://www.collaborativeclassroom.org/ (January 24, 2019), Jennie McDonald, author interview.
International Literacy Association website, https://www.literacyworldwide.org/ (November 4, 2013), author interview.
Seymour Simon website, http://www.seymoursimon.com (January 19, 2021).
Visionary author Seymour Simon (@SeymourSimon), whom the New York Times called "the dean of the [children’s science] field," is the author of nearly 300 highly acclaimed science books, more than seventy-five of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association (NSTA). He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects, and says: "I’m more interested in arousing enthusiasm in kids than I am in teaching the facts. The facts may change, but that enthusiasm for exploring the world will remain with them for the rest of their lives."
Seymour Simon has long been a leader with respect to educational technology for children. He wrote five early books on computer science, including Meet The Computer and How To Talk to Your Computer (an early book on coding, explaining LOGO and Basic to children), which were published by Harper & Row in 1985. In 2012, Simon founded StarWalk Kids Media, a streaming eBook platform designed to provide high quality digital literature from top quality authors to Schools and Libraries. Now, with the integration of StarWalk Kids Media into Fable Learning, his vision for utilizing the power of technology to drive engaged learning for today’s children—- digital natives—- takes a big step forward in his role as Senior Advisor to Fable Learning.
Seymour Simon’s website is a Webby Honoree online destination designed to engage children in science, reading and writing, as well as to provide families and educators with a rich array of free, downloadable resources designed to enhance their children’s reading experience. The website has been recognized with awards from the Parents Choice® Foundation in 2011 and 2013, was declared an Official Honoree in the Personal Blog/Website category in The 15th Annual Webby Awards, was named one of twelve "2012 Great Websites for Kids" by the American Library Association, and in 2013 won the QED (Quality-Excellence-Design) Seal of Approval from Digital Book World’s Publishing Innovation Awards.
Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children’s science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children’s science literature; The Washington Post/Children’s Book Guild Award for Nonfiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children’s nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children’s Science Books.
Man with camera in front of snowy treeSeymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York. You can follow his daily nature walks and see his photographs from the field on Twitter (@seymoursimon) or on his Facebook Author page.
HOW MANY BOOKS / ABOUT WRITING BOOKS
How long have you been writing? Are you still writing children’s books?
I began writing books for more than 40 years ago, while I was still a middle school science teacher. I have written so many books that I am not sure of the exact count….but I know it is getting close to 300! And yes, I am still writing - I love it! Take a look at the New Books section on my website to see what I have been up to recently.
How many books have you written, and which is your favorite?
I have written so many books that I am not sure of the exact count….but I know it is getting close to 300!
I can never say which is my favorite book - it is like a parent picking his favorite child. Generally, whatever book I am working on at the moment is my "favorite," because I get caught up in how fascinating each topic is.
Did your family encourage you to be an author? What did it feel like when you published your first book?
No one in particular encouraged me to be an author. I don’t think it ever occurred to anyone in my family that you could actually make a living as a writer. They were very proud of me once I became an author, though! My early books, like "Animals in Field and Laboratory: Science Projects in Animal Behavior,” were based on all the work I had been doing with my eighth and ninth grade science classes for years. When my first book was published I felt just like you all do when you’ve done something that you are really proud of, and can’t wait to show it to your parents. I wrote a dedication in it to my mother and took it straight over to show to her.
How many awards have you won and which are you most proud of?
I have been fortunate to receive a lot of awards - I guess that is what happens if you keep writing long enough! I honestly don’t know how many at this point. I think my favorite was from the city of Boston, a small brass sculpture by Nancy Schön, the same artist who did the famous "Make Way for Ducklings" statue in the pond at the Boston Commons. That was very cool. I have also had more than 75 of my books recognized by the NSTA (National Science Teachers Association) as "Best Science Trade Books K-12," which is a great honor.
How long does it take you to write a book?
I have written more than 250 books. Many kids ask me how long it takes to write a book, and I always answer this way. Abraham Lincoln (who was very tall), was constantly asked: “How tall are you, Mr. President?” And he would always answer: “Just tall enough for my feet to reach the ground.” So, I would answer you by saying, it takes just long enough to finish the book. It also depends on what you mean by “write the book.” I have to study and do the research before I write a book, and often I’ve been reading about the subject for many years.
How long have you been writing children’s books?
I’ve been writing children’s books for a long time. I started in 1968, when I was still teaching science in a New York City Middle School.
What was the first book you ever wrote?
The first book that I wrote was called SPACE MONSTERS, and I wrote it when I was in the second grade! It’s true. My teacher stapled it together like a real book, and had me read it to the class. Many years later, when I was an adult author, a publisher actually paid me to write it again as a ‘real’ book, so I did. It was about monsters, aliens, and other creatures found in science fiction movies, TV and books. I really loved those kinds of stories when I was a kid!
Why were you interested in aliens in the second grade?
When I was growing up there were great science fiction comics with names like AMAZING STORIES and STARTLING STORIES. Some of America’s most famous science fiction authors like Arthur C. Clarke (2001: A Space Odyssey) and Edgar Rice Burroughs (Tarzan, John Carter of Mars) were first published in these magazines. I read them from cover to cover, and when I was a little kid I was sure that there really were aliens living on Mars!
What inspired you to write all these interesting non-fiction books?
I have loved nature since I was a young child. Although I grew up in the Bronx – a very crowded part of New York City – the natural world was all around me. There is weather in the city, just as there is in the country. You can see the sun, moon and stars from a rooftop in the city. And I explored a vacant lot on my street, which wasn’t exactly a park, but still had birds, earthworms, small plants, and trees. In fact, when I grew up one of the first books I wrote was called SCIENCE IN A VACANT LOT.
What made you start writing children’s books?
I read a book called THE SEA AROUND US, by Rachel Carson. She is a wonderful writer, I absolutely loved the book, and by the time I finished it, I had realized that I wanted to write about the natural world. I started writing for children because that is where my area of expertise was – I was a middle school science teacher for many years.
How do you know about all these things?
Whenever I want to write about a subject, I need to study. I start by looking at research that other people have done. What experiments have they run? What animals have they observed? By studying all the work that others have already done, I learn about the subjects that I write about in my books. As the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton once wrote, “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
I like to write books, just like you did in elementary school. Every time I start a book I want to start a new one with a complete new idea. How do you stick to one book topic at a time?
I’m so glad to receive a letter like yours from a fellow writer! I think that writers begin their life as a writer when they are young, just like you. It’s important to keep writing as much as you can. I’ve written many books and usually work on several books at the same time. I do research on a number of topics and write about one of them. I think you might like to do the same. Work on a new topic for each book, but keep the ideas for future books always coming. Stick with the one story that you’re working on till you are finished. Finishing a book is always much harder than starting a new book.
What was your favorite part about teaching Science?
That is a good question. My favorite part is actually teaching - I love working with smart, interesting kids and exploring subjects together. It doesn’t even have to be Science. I also taught Social Studies, English and Creative Writing while I was a teacher. Whatever the subject, I just loved being a teacher!
You were a science teacher for more than 20 years, and you’ve remarked that teaching is the best possible way to learn how to write for kids. Can you offer some examples of what your students have taught you?
I’m still a teacher and still a student too, for that matter. Students’ interests range widely and deeply. They want to be treated with respect and have their questions answered and have you pay attention to their comments. There is a famous story that explains my writing, too. The story goes that there is a teacher who is teaching a difficult subject and he can see by the expression on his student’s faces that they don’t understand what he is teaching. So he teaches it a second time and he can see that they still don’t understand what he is teaching. So he teaches it a third time and finally…HE understand what he is teaching. That’s how it goes with me. When I finally get it right, finally I understand what I’m writing and teaching.
Which is the longest book you ever wrote?
I wrote a Science Dictionary which has over 2,000 entries and hundreds of illustrations. It’s available online on my website and will be available again soon as a printed book.
ABOUT THE PHOTOGRAPHS
Where do you go to get all these photographs?
I am asked this a lot because there are so many photographs in my books. Sometimes I travel to places myself and take the photographs. I have photographed glaciers in Alaska, volcanoes in Hawaii, wildfires in California and weather in my backyard. Other times, I arrange to use other people’s photographs. Often these are specialists - like a scientist who has been living in Antarctica and observing penguin behavior. Someone like that has photographs that I could never get in a single, short trip.
How do you (and other photographers) get those great pictures of snakes and other dangerous creatures without getting hurt?
They are amazing photographs, aren’t they?! Often these kinds of photographs are taken by the biologists who study the animals because they are with them so often and for very long stretches of time, and have many opportunities to catch just the "right moment" on film.
These photographers also use very specialized camera equipment, so that they can photograph a dangerous animal from a safe distance, even though the photograph looks as though they are very close by. This also keeps them from startling the animal, provoking an attack or scaring it away.
ABOUT ANIMALS
What is your favorite animal?
I can’t tell you my favorite animal because then the other animals would attack me!
You have written a lot of books about sharks. Why do you like to write about them?
Who isn’t interested in sharks? The powerful, threatening sight of a shark’s triangular fin moving through the ocean is enough to scare me and most other people right out of the water. But are all sharks really dangerous or is JAWS just a scary movie but not really factual? That’s why I wrote about sharks: To separate shark facts from shark fiction.
What is the strongest and most dangerous cat in the world?
It is hard to say which of the big cats is the most dangerous. However, the Siberian Tiger is the world’s strongest feline. It is also the biggest feline.
Is it true that you once kept ants in your refrigerator?
I did indeed. It was a jar full of ants that I had collected that I wanted to put in a visible ant nest that I had made for my science class. The problem was that the ants I had collected were running around too quickly for me to get them into the narrow opening of the ant nest. So I put jar of ants in the refrigerator for a few hours to slow the ants down. After I took the ants out of the refrigerator I had about 5 to 10 minutes to get them into the ant nest — one by one!
Do you have pets?
I had two cats, named Newty (after the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton) and Mittens (I bet you can guess why we named him that!). I also used to have a dog, an English springer spaniel named Nova, but she died a few years ago. I would love to have another dog, but I travel so much, it doesn’t seem fair to the dog. These days I am keeping tropical fish, and have four different tanks going. I love planting my aquariums with aquatic (underwater living) plants, and can spend hours watching schooling fish, a pair of catfish playing with each other, egg layers tending their eggs, the new babies seeking shelter from the bigger fish by swimming inside driftwo0d or the leaves of plants.
What kind of dog would be a good family dog?
Almost any dog could potentially be a good family dog - it all depends on what your family is like, where you live, how you like to spend your time, etc. I wrote about this on my blog last year, and I think the article would be useful as you and your family consider this question. Click on this link to see the article, which is called: "Getting a Puppy. Six Things to Know Before you Buy."
It is really fun to have a dog, but it is a big responsibility. Make sure you are really ready to care for a friend for life - because that’s what your dog will be!
ABOUT PLANET EARTH
If there is Global Warming, then why is it so cold and snowy?
Another word for global warming is “climate change,” and that is really what we are experiencing now. We are seeing weather extremes - huge snowfalls in places that normally don’t get much snow at all, deadly heat waves, and unprecedented flooding in places like Pakistan and Australia. We don’t know enough to blame manmade pollution and the greenhouse effect for directly causing any single, specific weather disaster, but we are certainly seeing an escalating pattern of climate extremes that are most likely part of a change in Earth’s climate, caused by global warming.
How is it that we get both extreme drought and extreme precipitation, even huge amounts of snow, when temperatures are increasing? The reasons that droughts are getting worse is pretty obvious for areas that generally have little rainfall - when the temperature gets hotter, drought conditions get even worse. But extreme rain and snow? The water-holding capacity of the atmosphere increases by about 7% for every 1°C rise in temperature. Because precipitation comes mainly from weather systems that feed on the water vapor stored in the atmosphere, this has generally increased precipitation intensity and the risk of heavy rain and snow events.
Why is it important to save the rainforests?
There are many reasons that rainforests are an important part of our entire ecosystem, first and foremost because they are the “lungs” of planet Earth. The trees clean the air by absorbing carbon dioxide (a bad greenhouse gas) and turning it into oxygen.
Second, more than three-quarters of the animal and plant species on Earth live in tropical rainforests – so they are critical habitats.
Also, we get many everyday products – foods like chocolate, sugar, bananas, cinnamon and vanilla; products like rubber and medicinal herbs – from the rainforest.
Last (though not least), more than half of the world’s rain falls on rainforests, and they recycle the rain into clean water that we drink and use to irrigate crops. Here’s how it works: Rain falls in the forest. Plants and their roots capture the water in the soil and gradually release it into the air, where it evaporates, forms clouds, and eventually falls as rain.
For all these reasons it is very important to protect our rainforests!
ABOUT THE UNIVERSE AND SPACE
How many stars are there in the Universe?
No one knows exactly how many stars there are in the Universe. But we do know there are more stars in the Universe than there are grains of sand on our entire Planet Earth!
If we are the only life in the universe, does that mean we are aliens?
First of all, no one knows whether we are the "only (intelligent) life in the universe." In fact, given the vast size of the universe and how little of it we have been capable of exploring so far, I would guess that it is unlikely that we are the only intelligent life. I suppose, if we were eventually to meet other creatures, that they might see us as "aliens." It is always interesting to look at what we know from the other point of view, isn’t it?
I want to write my “whole” address. How do I do it?
Your name
Street Address
City, State, Zip Code
Country
Planet Earth
Milky Way Galaxy
The Universe ∞
Why was Mars your favorite planet when you were a kid?
When I was in elementary school I was fascinated by space monsters, and figured that space monsters or aliens would certainly come from Mars! Of course, we eventually learned for certain that there are no aliens on Mars (we haven’t found even microscopic life there, as yet) when NASA sent the Mars rover, a robot exploring device, to the surface of Mars in 2004. You can learn more about the Mars mission on this Cornell University site written especially for kids.
Have you ever visited Mars?
Only in my dreams! No human has ever gone to Mars (and I’m human). Perhaps in the future, humans may visit the Red Planet.
Which is the biggest planet?
The biggest planet by far is Jupiter, which we call a "gas giant," since it consists mostly of swirling gases. The big red dot that you see on Jupiter is actually a big storm, and 4 entire planet Earths could fit inside just that dot. That tells you a little about how big Jupiter is!
I love space, just like you. Where can I learn more?
I am so pleased to know that we are all space lovers! NASA has some wonderful images and information on its website that I think you will enjoy (make sure you have permission from an adult to go on the Internet). There is an extraordinary gallery of photographs of space, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, at http://hubblesite.org/gallery/album/. There is also a whole student section on the NASA site, at http://www.nasa.gov/audience/forstudents/index.html.
ABOUT PAPER AIRPLANES
I thought I was supposed to be able to make a paper airplane on your website. But I can’t find it.
You can learn how to fold a paper airplane on my website. You may want to ask a grownup to help you, and here is what you can show them about where to find it:
Go to the home page: http://www.seymoursimon.com
Up at the top, under the yellow bar, hold your mouse over the box that says KIDS. A menu will drop down, and you should click on FREE STUFF.
Click on the picture of my Paper Airplane book (it is green and yellow).
On the next page, click the green button that says DOWNLOAD. In a few seconds, a pattern for a paper airplane will download on your computer.
Where do I find the video of someone flying a paper airplane out of a skyscraper window, just like you did?
Go to this link on my blog: http://www.seymoursimon.com/index.php/blog/tags/tag/Paper+Airplanes But remember: it is very dangerous to go near an open window. You should never, ever try to do this yourself. Be safe, please.
EINSTEIN ANDERSON BOOKS
How did you come up with the Einstein Anderson: Science Geek series?
I used to teach science at a New York City middle school. Every year, at the end of the term, I would write up a short science mystery and ask my kids if they could solve it. When a student solved it, I would name that kid “EINSTEIN FOR THE DAY.” These stories eventually became the basis for the Einstein Anderson series.
Why is his name “Einstein”?
If you are talking about the great Nobel Prize winning scientist Albert Einstein, his last name is Einstein because his parents were named Hermann and Pauline Einstein. If you are talking about my fictional science detective Einstein Anderson, his nickname is “Einstein.” The character’s real name is Adam Anderson, but his friends call him Einstein because he is so good at science.
By the way, did you know that you can download a free chapter from one of my Einstein Anderson books? Go to:
http://www.seymoursimon.com/index.php/kids/free_stuff/einstein_anderson_experiments_book_one/ and click the green button that says "Download." You will not only get a free story, you can also download some fun projects and experiments that you can do at school or at home.
SCHOOL VISITS AND SKYPE SESSIONS
Can you please come to my school?
I wish I could visit every school that has my books, but that’s not really possible. Your teacher could request a Skype Session - that is a way that I can see more kids, especially ones like you, who are serious about education and love my books.
You were awesome. When can you come back?
Although it’s not a hard and fast rule, I usually visit each school only once. Your teacher could request a Skype Session, though, and then we could discuss a special project or topic that your class is working on.
Can you Skype with me?
Unfortunately, I cannot Skype with individual students. Only teachers or librarian/media specialists can arrange for me to Skype with a class or group of students.
ABOUT SEYMOUR SIMON
Do you have a family?
Yes, I do have a family. My first wife, Joyce Shanock Simon, died in 2007. We all still miss her very much. I was very lucky to meet my current wife, Liz Nealon, a few years ago. She is a children’s media producer and writer who works with me on my website and digital books. One of her photographs is in my upcoming book, BUTTERFLIES. My two sons are both grown - one is a television director, and one is a college professor, in Computer Sciences. My stepdaughter recently graduated from college, where she studied Literature and History, and now she is working at a children’s publishing company! And I have four grandchildren whom I try to visit as often as I can.
What is your favorite color?
Since I was a kid I have had two favorite colors, and they are both the colors of nature. One is almost indescribable – the warm, pumpkin-like, mix of orange colors that you see in autumn. My other favorite color is the deep purple that you sometimes see in sunset clouds.
When were you born?
My birthday is August 9. You can read more about my birthday and see a picture of me as a little kid on the Happy Birthday Author blog.
Religious beliefs:
Religious beliefs are a private matter and I don’t discuss them in my books or on my website. I write books about science, not about religion.
SEYMOUR’S WEBSITE
I was told that you have free Teacher Guides for all your books, but when I click on the "Educators and Families" link, there is nothing there.
You must become a member of his website in order to access the free supplementary documents that are available. Membership is free and we protect your privacy (see Privacy Policy here); we require membership simply to ensure that children (big users of the website) are not accessing an area intended for their teachers.
In order to become a member, simply open up http://www.SeymourSimon.com in your web browser, and click on "Sign Up" in the top right-hand corner of the homepage. Enjoy!
I tried to sign up to become a member of your site, but it says I am not registered.
When you sign up to become a member of SeymourSimon.com, the form asks for your email address, and we send you a confirmation email, to which you must respond before becoming a member. Check your email and your spam folder to be sure you didn’t miss your confirmation email. If you haven’t received a confirmation, it is possible that you mis-entered your email address, so that we can’t find you to confirm your membership. Try signing up again, and type in your email address carefully and accurately.
I haven’t received a confirmation email, so my membership is not activated.
Some educators have this problem, and so do students writing from school district emails, because the confirmation email from SeymourSimon.com is blocked by the school district’s firewall. If you are experiencing this problem, we would suggest that you sign up from a different (personal) email address.
I would like to add a comment on the Seymour Science blog, but I don’t know how to do it.
I love it when kids read stories on the Seymour Science blog and tell me what they think about them. Click here to read a post about how to comment on the blog, to help you get started.
FOR COLLEGE STUDENTS, GRADUATE STUDENTS, PEOPLE WRITING PAPERS
While I am grateful and flattered that many college students choose me as the subject of their author studies, I unfortunately get more of these kinds of requests than I can possibly respond to. In addition, many of you write asking basic questions that you can find the answers to if you do even a minimum of research. I can’t write your papers for you.
So, I need to ask you to do your own basic research. Many of the answers to the questions you are asking me can be found in the "About Seymour Simon" section on my website. There is a lot of information there; check the "Press" section under that header, as well, for even more primary resources for your paper. I have also written quite extensively on my blog about writing and becoming a writer, under the labels "Writing" and "Becoming a Writer." You can also read the articles under the blog label Author Study.
FOR EDUCATORS
Why don’t you provide more access features, like By access features i mean Table of Contents, Chapter titles, Glossaries, Sidebars, Inserted Information, Bibliographies, Author’s notes, in your books?
I write stories for children that happen to be non-fiction. I don’t write textbooks, or encyclopedias, I’m telling stories. This often-raised question is a reflection, I think, of a general misunderstanding of children’s non-fiction. Stories can be either true or fictional (I often joke: what if literature was broken into "true" and "not true"? See what I mean?).
No one asks my friend Lois Lowry why she doesn’t have a glossary in NUMBER THE STARS, which is historical fiction. We didn’t expect Maurice Sendak to put a table of contents at the beginning of one of his stories.
That said, I do appreciate the fact that many educators use my nonfiction storybooks in the classroom. In that context, of course, they will need to provide additional resources and additional context - just as they would if they were using Lois Lowry’s book as part of a Social Studies unit.
How do you become an expert in the subjects that you write about? (long answer)
I suppose that whatever expertise I have as a writer is the result of a lifetime of study, which continues to this day.
I have loved nature since I was a young child. Although I grew up in the Bronx – a very crowded part of New York City – the natural world was all around me. There is weather in the city, just as there is in the country. You can see the sun, moon and stars from a rooftop in the city. And I explored a vacant lot on my street, which wasn’t exactly a park, but still had birds, earthworms, small plants, and trees. In fact, when I grew up one of the first books I wrote was called SCIENCE IN A VACANT LOT.
As a teenager, I attended the Bronx High School of Science, and was elected President of a national organization called The Junior Astronomy Club, where I had my own key and access to a basement office in the American Museum of Natural History – quite a thrill for a sixteen-year-old.
I studied Science at the City College of New York, and did my Masters work there as well, in Comparative Psychology, which is the study of Animal Behavior.
Since I write for children, I learned a great deal of what I need to know to be a successful writer through teaching science for 23 years. My early books, like "Animals in Field and Laboratories,” or “Pets in a Jar” were based on all the work I had been doing with my eighth and ninth grade science classes for years.
And of course, whenever I want to write about a subject, I need to study. I start by looking at research that other people have done. What experiments have they run? What animals have they observed? By studying all the work that others have already done, I learn about the subjects that I write about in my books. As the great scientist Sir Isaac Newton once wrote, “If I have seen further than others, it is because I have stood on the shoulders of giants.”
Seymour Simon, whom the NY Times called "the dean of [children's science] writers," is the author of more than 250 highly acclaimed science books (many of which have been named Outstanding Science Trade Books for Children by the National Science Teachers Association). His free, educational children's app, SCIENCE FUN TO GO, debuted in the Top 10 of all free children's apps in the Amazon App store, and features in app purchase of original Seymour Simon eBooks, as well as a multitude of free content.
Seymour Simon uses his website, SeymourSimon.com, to provide free downloads of a wealth of materials for educators, homeschoolers and parents to use with his books, including 4-page Teacher Guides for all 26 of his Collins/Smithsonian photo essay books. The site provides multiple resources for kids writing book reports or wanting to explore the online Science Dictionary, and also features the Seymour Science blog highlighting current science news. Educators and families are encouraged to sign up to receive the monthly newsletter from SeymourSimon.com to stay abreast of the latest materials that Seymour Simon is introducing to enrich the reading experience.
He taught science and creative writing in elementary and secondary schools and was chair of the science department at a junior high school in the New York City public school system before leaving to become a full-time writer. "I haven't really given up teaching," he says, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing and talking to kids around the country and the world."
Seymour Simon is also a creator and the author of a series of 3D books and a series of Glow-in-the-Dark Books for Scholastic Book Clubs, a series of leveled SEEMORE READERS for Chronicle Books, and the EINSTEIN ANDERSON, SCIENCE DETECTIVE series of fiction books. His books encourage children to enjoy the world around them through learning and discovery, and by making science fun. He has introduced tens of millions of children to a staggering array of subjects; one prominent science education specialist described Simon's books as "extraordinary examples of expository prose."
Seymour Simon has been honored with many awards for his work, including the American Association for the Advancement of Science/Subaru Lifetime Achievement Award for his lasting contribution to children's science literature; the New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature; the Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library for his contribution to children's science literature; The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction; the Jeremiah Ludington Award for his outstanding contribution to children's nonfiction; the Empire State Award for excellence in literature for young people; and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Forum on Children's Science Books.
In a recent interview Simon was asked if he ever thinks of retiring. "I seem to be working faster and harder than ever. I absolutely don't feel any urge to sit back and look at what I've done. The only things that I'm thinking about are things I'd like to do in the future. I'm planning and doing and continuing to write. It's what I love to do. I remember a story about an anthropologist going to talk to a tribe and he asked them what was their word for "work." Their response was they have no word for work. Everybody does the things that they do in their life. I love that response. I don't differentiate between work and play. Everything I do is something that I enjoy doing - the writing, the research and everything else."
Seymour Simon writes and photographs nature from his hilltop home in Columbia County in upstate New York. You can follow his daily nature walks and see his photographs from the field on Twitter (@seymoursimon) or on his Facebook group page. He also regularly hosts Q&As and sponsors book giveaways on GoodReads.
Seymour Simon (author)
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Seymour Simon (born August 9, 1931) is an American writer of children's books; he is primarily a science writer.
Contents
1 Biography
2 Personal life
3 Awards and honors
4 Selected books
5 References
6 External links
Biography
Simon was born in New York City. He graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and the City College of New York. A science teacher for 23 years, he began writing for children in the early 1960s.[1]
Simon is the world's most prolific writer of science books for younger children (up to fifth grade, age 11 or so),[citation needed] with more than 250 titles listed in Books in Print[when?] and more than a dozen original e-books. He also writes fiction and created the series Einstein Anderson, Science Geek.[2] He is a founder and director of the digital publishing company StarWalk Kids Media.[citation needed]
Simon's books encourage children to engage in activities to discover scientific principles, using household materials.[citation needed] For example, Let's Try It Out With Towers and Bridges asks, "What keeps trees from falling over? How do skyscrapers stand so tall? What makes a bridge strong? Let's try it out!" and shows children how to build a sturdy tower of blocks, create a solid foundation with clay, and make a paper bridge span short and long distances without falling
His books are frequent selections in the National Science Teachers Association's Outstanding Science Trade Books for Students.[3]
Simon visits schools and talks to students and teachers, because it is contact with children, teachers, and librarians that has made him one of their favorite writers. "I haven't really given up teaching", says Simon, "and I suppose I never will, not as long as I keep writing." [4]
Personal life
He has three children and four grandchildren, and resides in Hudson Valley, New York. He is currently married to Liz Nealon, the CEO of StarWalk Kids Media and an award-winning producer and former creative director of the Sesame Street spinoff Children's Television Workshop.[citation needed]
Awards and honors
Simon has received many awards and honors for his work.
The New York State Knickerbocker Award for Juvenile Literature
The Hope S. Dean Memorial Award from the Boston Public Library
The Eva L. Gordon Award, presented by the American Nature Society, for his contribution to children's science literature
The Washington Post/Children's Book Guild Award for Non-fiction for the body of his work
Lifetime Achievement Award in Science Literature from Children from American Association for the Advancement of Science
Kansas Reading Association 2001 Picture Book Award
The 2002 Jeremiah Ludington Memorial Award, a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Educational Paperback Association (now the Educational Book and Media Association)
1992 National Forum on Children's Science Books Lifetime Achievement Commendation
New York Time's One of the Years Best Illustrated Children's Books, Certificate of Excellence
The New Jersey Reading Association 2003 Book Award for 'Out Of Sight'
June 29, 1999 was Seymour Simon day in Houston, Texas, in recognition of his "outstanding contributions and accomplishments".[citation needed]
August 2, 1999 was a day of recognition for Seymour Simon in Green Bay, Wisconsin, "who has engaged the mind of countless school children, with clear, thoughtful, thorough explanations, from crocodiles to the cosmos. We proclaim that Seymour Simon has done more than any other author to help us understand and appreciate the beauty of our planet and universe."[citation needed] [5]
Selected books
As of April 2014, this selection includes the three earliest (1968) and one latest (2014) of 259 Library of Congress Online Catalog search hits—for records of editions of books created by Simon.
Animals in the Field and Laboratory: Science projects in animal behavior, illustrated by Emily McCully (McGraw-Hill, 1968), 160 pp.[6]
The Look-it-up Book of the Earth, illus. John Polgreen (Random House, 1968), 132 pp.
Motion, illus. Mehli Gobhai (Coward-McCann, 1968), 45 pp.
Chip Rogers, Computer Whiz, illus. Steve Miller (William Morrow & Co., 1984) ISBN 0-688-03855-7
The Dinosaur Is the Biggest Animal That Ever Lived and Other Wrong Ideas You Thought Were True, illus. Giulio Maestro (HarperCollins, 1984) ISBN 0-06-446053-3
The Moon (Four Winds Press (Scholastic Corp.), 1984), illustrated by photographs of the moon from space, 32 pp.[7]
Mars (Morrow, 1987) ISBN 0-688-06584-8
Uranus (Morrow, 1987) ISBN 0-688-06582-1
How to Be an Ocean Scientist in Your Own Home (HarperCollins, 1988) ISBN 0-397-32292-5
Storms (Morrow, 1989) ISBN 0688074138
Whales (HarperCollins, 1989) ISBN 0-06-446095-9
Oceans (Morrow, 1990) ISBN 0688094546
Big Cats (HarperCollins, 1991) ISBN 0-06-021647-6
Earthquakes (Morrow, 1991) ISBN 0-688-09633-6; revised, Smithsonian, 2006
Neptune (Morrow, 1991) ISBN 0-688-09631-X
Our Solar System (Morrow, 1992)
Snakes (HarperCollins, 1992) ISBN 0-06-022529-7
Wolves (HarperCollins, 1993) ISBN 0-06-022531-9
Science Dictionary (HarperCollins, 1994) ISBN 0-06-025629-X; revised and updated edition, Dover Publications, 2012, ISBN 0486488659
The Heart: Our circulatory system (Morrow, 1996) ISBN 0688099920; revised, Smithsonian, 2006
The Brain: Our nervous system (Morrow, 1997) ISBN 0688146406; revised, Smithsonian, 2006
Our Solar System, revised edition, edited by Nancy Intelli (HarperCollins, 2014) – forthcoming September 2014[8]
Seymour Simon
CURRENT CITY
Long Island
CURRENT STATE/PROVIDENCE
New York
CURRENT COUNTRY
United States of America
Known for his ability to make science subjects accessible and interesting to kids, Seymour Simon credits his 23 years as a science teacher as the source for his direct, conversational writing style and keen sense for appealing subjects. Since the publication of his first book in 1968, he has written more than 200 books, including both nonfiction and fiction. Among many awards he has received is a prestigious Lifetime Achievement Commendation from the National Forum on Children's Science Books. Commenting on his remarkable contributions to children's literature on space, Kirkus Reviews said, “Seymour Simon may have done more than any other living author to help us to understand and appreciate our planet and our universe.”
Simon graduated from the Bronx High School of Science and the City College of New York City, where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in comparative psychology. He went on to do graduate work in science, literature, psychology, and history, a varied background which has served him well in his writing. Though Simon gave up teaching to devote himself to his books, he maintains contact with children, teachers, and librarians through school visits. He appreciates the questions students ask, often using them as jumping-off points for new books.
Simon enjoys doing research for his books all over the world, but returns home to write. He lives in Great Neck, New York, with his wife, Joyce. They have two grown sons.
Visit Seymour Simon's Web site at www.seymoursimon.com.
SIMON, Seymour. Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable. illus. by Seymour Simon. 48p. HarperCollins/ Harper. Nov. 2020. Tr $18.99. ISBN 9780062470645.
Gr 3-6--Simon shares the newest facts about dinosaurs, fossils, and paleontologists. The book begins with the first discovery of dinosaurs and then describes how the definition of a dinosaur has changed over time. The first fossil hunters are briefly discussed, including Mary Anning. Simon explains how computerized tomography scans (CT) provide a three-dimensional look into the internal parts of fossils. CT scans have changed what scientists originally believed about dinosaurs, prompting new discoveries. The text also examines the Brontosaurus vs. Apatosaurus debate. Scientists originally thought the Brontosaums fossils were the same as another dinosaur group called Apatosaurus. However, a new study published in 2015 revealed that the two fossils were different enough to be classified as separate groups. Brief paragraphs focusing on some of the most popular dinosaurs are featured, such as Tyrannosaurus rex and Triceratops. Every page offers fascinating facts that will satisfy even the most die-hard dinosaur lover. The full-color illustrations, photos, graphs, and maps enhance and clarify the text. Glossary words are highlighted throughout. An index and further reading suggestions are included. VERDICT Purchase if your dinosaur collection needs an update.--V. Lynn Christiansen, Wiley International Studies Magnet Elem. Sch., Raleigh, NC
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Library Journals, LLC. A wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/
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Christiansen, V. Lynn. "SIMON, Seymour. Dinosaurs: Fact and Fable." School Library Journal, vol. 66, no. 11, Nov. 2020, p. 78. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A640013059/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=1ec18905. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Simon, Seymour DINOSAURS Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $7.99 11, 10 ISBN: 978-0-06-247063-8
An abbreviated overview of the dino-world, as currently conceived and studied.
Best regarded as a shortened, revised, and reillustrated update to New Questions and Answers About Dinosaurs, illustrated by Jennifer Owings Dewey (1990), this outing pairs a zippy selection of color photos and paleo-art to a brisk recap of basic facts, with particular focus on recent theories and discoveries. Drifting into and out of a Q&A format, the book covers a broad range of topics including dinosaur hips and feathers, what paleontologists and fossils are, and new technology for finding and studying the latter. He goes on to highlight seven standard-issue “Dino-Stars,” discuss the “asteroid” and “volcano” extinction theories (properly suggesting that both may be correct), then closes by reaffirming that, yes, birds really belong to the theropod family. The pictures are consistently apt and occasionally arresting, ranging from a close-up of Velociraptor avidly chasing a frantic-looking small mammal to views of scientists at work (most White). If “the Stegosaurus State” is not Colorado’s nickname (not on any official list, anyway), and a quaint claim that T. rex was the largest carnivorous dinosaur will have young Spinosaurus fans howling in protest, still this offers an easily readable road map of the field for younger dinophiles. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 75% of actual size.)
Thin in spots, but both topic and author come with vast built-in audiences. (index, reading list) (Informational picture book. 8-10)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
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"Simon, Seymour: DINOSAURS." Kirkus Reviews, 1 Oct. 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A636726984/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=19b37420. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.
Simon, Seymour CLIMATE ACTION Harper/HarperCollins (Children's None) $18.99 1, 5 ISBN: 978-0-06-294331-6
A veteran science writer describes some of the environmental effects of our changing climate, introduces some teen activists, and offers suggestions and examples of what can be done.
Adept at distilling science topics of all kinds for young readers, Simon has been writing about the environment since 1972. He opens and closes this title with photos of and quotations from 15-year-old Greta Thunberg, who challenged the world at a U.N. Climate Change summit in 2019. After defining essential concepts—global warming, climate change, greenhouse effect, greenhouse gases—he describes specific consequences: heat waves, droughts, wildfires, deforestation, floods and other weather extremes, sea-level rise, ocean acidification, and wildlife destruction (especially bees). Simon’s presentation is distinguished by the leavening of each bit of bad news with examples of individual actions and steps that can be taken. He describes what scientists are doing to reduce the effects of drought, new methods for fighting wildfires, and what young readers can do to help save forests, water, and energy. The straightforward exposition is interspersed with images and quotations from teen activists from around the world and set on and among relevant and clearly captioned photographs and illustrations. There is nothing particularly new in this quick overview, but the author’s expertise at interpreting science topics for the age group will make it welcome. (This book was reviewed digitally with 10-by-20-inch double-page spreads viewed at 86.2% of actual size.)
An effective introduction clearly designed and organized for its audience. (glossary, reading list, photo and illustration credits, index) (Nonfiction. 9-12)
Copyright: COPYRIGHT 2020 Kirkus Media LLC
http://www.kirkusreviews.com/
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"Simon, Seymour: CLIMATE ACTION." Kirkus Reviews, 15 Nov. 2020, p. NA. Gale General OneFile, https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/A641314159/ITOF?u=schlager&sid=ITOF&xid=8c939289. Accessed 14 Dec. 2020.